You will be much better off than
in the cabin, where the air is close and the others are suffering."
"I'm going to, thank you." Tommy stood braced against the cabin, her
keen little eyes observing the now serious face of the skipper. "I
gueth thomething ith going to happen," she observed.
"Don't tell the others," cautioned Harriet, with a warning shake of
the head.
"I don't intend to. What ith it, a thtorm?"
Harriet nodded.
"I knew it. I jutht knew thomething wath going to break loothe."
The purple haze was nearing at a rapid rate of speed, and Harriet
Burrell saw that with it the sea was piling up, its white crests angry
and menacing.
"Try to keep the wind dead astern," ordered the skipper. "I will
handle the sheets. Do you think you can manage it?"
"Yes, sir. I will be on the lookout for orders. You may depend upon
me, sir."
"Then we'll weather it, but we shall get pretty wet, and night is
coming on, too. We're going to have a merry night of it! All hands who
do not wish to get a ducking go below," shouted the skipper.
Miss Elting, Jane, Harriet and Tommy remained outside. The captain
tossed a rope to each, directing them to tie the ropes about their
waists, making the lines fast to a cleat on the after end of the
raised deck cabin.
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