"Let me suggest that we all go inside," said Dr. Sterling. "The wind is getting too cool for you, Mrs. Calvert."

"I suppose that's an insinuation against my age," returned the person addressed, with some spirit. "But I'll forgive you, doctor; we had best look the facts in the face."

She arose as she spoke, and taking Jim's arm, walked slowly toward the cabin. The others followed.

No sooner were they inside than the storm descended with a roar.

Sheets of water, wind-driven, beat against the windows of the cabin, and the yacht rose on top of great waves to plunge down into the trough of the sea with a motion that gave Aunt Betty a sinking feeling.

"It's like going down in an elevator," she confided to Dorothy. "I just know I'm going to be seasick."

"You will if you think about it every minute," said Dr. Sterling.

"Get your mind on something else and you will be all right."

"Easier said than done, doctor."

"Oh, I don't know. Now, that reminds me of a story," and he went on to relate a certain incident of his career which took the thoughts of seasickness and storm away from Aunt Betty's mind.

It soon grew so dark it became necessary to switch on the electric lights. Then, while the yacht rolled and tossed on the heavy waves, Mr. Ronald and his guests entertained themselves as best they could.

Through the windows a glare marked the location of the city, though no objects were visible on the ink-black surface of the water. As Dorothy looked longingly out into the darkness she wondered what Herr Deichenberg and Mr. Ludlow would be thinking by this time.

Knowing she had gone out on the yacht, and that a storm had descended on both bay and city, they would be worried, no doubt, and there was no means of communicating with them to allay their fears until the yacht was able to pull up anchor and steam into the city by her own motive power. And this seemed unlikely to happen soon, for no word of encouragement had come from the engine-room, though Engineer Sharley and his a.s.sistant were still making a diligent search for the trouble.

Fortunately the larder of the _Nautilus_ was well-stocked with food, and Mr. Ronald, with the help of one of the deck hands, was able to serve a very satisfactory lunch to the storm-bound, hungry guests.

Steaming coffee was made on a little electric range, and this, with rolls, canned salmon, and bread and b.u.t.ter, served to satisfy the appet.i.tes of all.

"How nice and cozy this would be," said Molly, as they were gathered about the table, "if it were not storming so hard, and Dorothy was not worried as to when she is to reach the city."

"Why, pshaw! there's nothing to worry over," said Jim. "The storm won't last forever, and I'm sure if the engines are not fixed by morning, Mr. Ronald will signal for a tow to pull us into the city."

"That will be the only thing to do," said the yachtsman. "But the trouble will be remedied before morning, I am sure."

At ten o'clock the storm had abated to some extent, though the rain was still beating in sheets against the cabin windows. The wind, however, seemed to have lost its great velocity, and the yacht did not toss as badly.

Under these comforting circ.u.mstances the girls and Aunt Betty retired to the staterooms of the yacht, where they threw themselves in the bunks thoroughly dressed, resolved to get what rest they could.

In the cabin the men smoked and told stories, while Jim sat near, an interested listener. At midnight the boy curled up on a seat built against the side of the cabin and went to sleep. Judge Breckenridge was nodding in a big Morris chair, so Dr. Sterling and Mr. Ronald left them and went to the engine-room, where Sharley and his a.s.sistant were still laboring faithfully at the machinery.

"Well, we've got it located," said the grimy engineer, smiling good-naturedly. "The trouble is on this end of the propeller shaft. A piece of metal is lodged between the cogs, and we've been unable so far to get it out. It's only a question of time, though. Bill is hammering away with a cold chisel and something is bound to give 'way soon."

"Can we run into the city in the storm, Sharley, or will it be better to wait till it clears?"

"Well, it's pretty misty out, and hard to see the lights of other boats, but we'll chance it if you say so, sir."

"I'll think it over. Let me know when the engine is fixed and we'll decide what is best to do. Come, Sterling; let's go on deck for a breath of air."

Donning heavy ulsters, they were soon on the slippery deck of the yacht, the storm beating in their faces. The man in the wheelhouse, encased in heavy oilskins, was nodding in the shelter of his little quarters. He started up as Mr. Ronald and his friend came slipping along the deck.

"A bad night, sir, but the storm's going down," he remarked, pleasantly.

"The engines will soon be fixed, Donnelly, and if it's let up sufficiently we may try to make the city at once. Otherwise we will wait till daylight."

"Yes, sir; all right, sir," and the man bowed as Mr. Ronald and Dr.

Sterling pa.s.sed on.

In the meantime, Dorothy and Molly lay in their bunks, talking on various subjects, but mostly of the coming concert. Dorothy, of course, was worried, and was trying to borrow trouble by declaring the storm would keep up all the following day, and that she might be forced to miss the concert altogether--an idea which Molly "pooh-poohed" in vigorous terms.

"I'm surprised at you, Dorothy Calvert," she said. "You're not a quitter. Nothing in the world will keep you from being at the theater to-morrow night, and you will play as you have never played before.

Difficulties will but serve to spur you on to greater deeds."

"You're right, chum," Dorothy replied. "That is a well-deserved rebuke and I thank you for it. Which reminds me that my fears were groundless, for the wind is going down and it does not seem to be raining as hard as it was."

"Of course not, you goosey! These storms rarely last more than a few hours. The sun will be shining in the morning, and all you'll see to remind you of to-night will be the rather worn looks of your companions. But what is one night's loss of sleep, anyway? I just know when you were at school you lost many a good night's sleep through some prank. Now, didn't you?"

"That would be telling tales out of school," smiled Dorothy.

"An evasion means an a.s.sent," remarked her chum. "And the next evening you were feeling as well as ever--just as a nice, warm bath and a rub-down will make you forget your troubles of to-night."

And Molly was a true prophet. The storm went down rapidly after midnight, until there was only a slight mist falling, and the wind came in fitful little gusts, which lacked the force to do damage even of a slight nature.

After one o'clock, with the cheering intelligence that the engines would soon be in working order, called to them through the stateroom door by Dr. Sterling, the girls fell asleep, to be awakened some hours later by the motion of the boat.

"Oh, look, Molly!" Dorothy cried, shaking her chum out of a sound sleep. "The yacht is under way."

"Didn't I tell you so?" was the rather discomforting reply, as Molly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "First thing we know we'll be back at the hotel."

"We'll have to reach the dock first, though."

"Thanks for the information," said Molly, as she began to arrange her hair.

The sun was streaming in through the port-holes and the water without was as smooth as gla.s.s. The yacht was headed toward the city, and moving along at a steady pace, though not at full speed.

The girls smoothed out their crumpled dresses, gave several other touches to their attire, and after a vigorous use of powder rags, taken from their hand-satchels, they aroused Aunt Betty and together went into the cabin, thence to the deck.

"Good morning!" greeted Judge Breckenridge, who, seated near the rail amidships, was smoking an early morning cigar in the keenest enjoyment.

"It is _good_ morning, sure enough!" cried Dorothy, drawing her lungs full of the pure, sweet air. "And I'm so glad. I hope we reach the city soon, for Herr Deichenberg and Mr. Ludlow will be worried to death over my absence."

"In half an hour we'll be at the wharf," said Mr. Ronald, who approached at this moment. "I trust you rested well?"

This remark was directed princ.i.p.ally toward Aunt Betty, who replied:

"I didn't hear a sound all night long. The last noise I heard was the chatter of the two young magpies who occupied the berths across from me, but no misfortune, no matter how dire or dreadful, could bridle their tongues, so that was to be expected."

"That sounds very much like a libel to me," said Dorothy, laughing.

"Well, you're my niece, and I can libel you if I wish," was the spirited response.