"If I had known, mem—if I had known early in the moarning—I would hef brought something to cover you," said he, in accents of deep commiseration. "It is a great peety——" "Never mind about that, Archie," said she. "Don’t you think they must know now that we are making for Heimra?" "They are a long weh aweh," said Big Archie, shaking the salt water from his eyebrows and beard. "And they will be looking after themselves now. It was a stranche thing for Mr. Ross to put out with a storm coming on." "Is there any danger, Archie?" she said, quickly. "Are they going into any danger?" Archie was silent for a second. "I am not knowing what would mek Mr. Ross start out on a moarning like this," said he. "And where he is going I cannot seh. But he is one that knows the signs of the weather—aw, yes, mem!—and it is likely he will make in for Gairloch, or Loch Torridon, or mebbe he will get as far down as the back of Rona Island—— "No, no, Archie, he must see us—he cannot help seeing us!" she exclaimed. "When we are getting close to Heimra, then he cannot help seeing us—he will understand—and surely he will come back!" And meanwhile the gale had been increasing in fury: the wind moaning low and whistling shrill alternately, the high-springing spray rattling down on the boat with a noise as of gravel. The old lugger groaned and strained and creaked—burying herself—shaking herself—reeling before the ponderous blows of the surge; but Archie gave it her well; there was no timorous shivering up into the wind. His two hands gripped the sheet—the tiller under his arm; his feet were wedged firm against the stone ballast; his mouth set hard; his eyes clear enough in spite of the driving rain and whirling foam. And now this island of Heimra was drawing nearer—if the _Sirène_ far away in the south had almost vanished. "Look now, Archie!—look now, for I can see nothing," she said, piteously. He raised himself somewhat; and scanned the southern horizon, as well as the heaving and breaking billows would allow. "Aw, no, mem, the _Sirène_ is not in sight at ahl—not in sight at ahl now," he said. She uttered a stifled little cry, as of despair. "Archie," she said, "could you not follow down to Loch Torridon?" "Aw, God bless us, mem, the boat would not live long in a sea like this—it is getting worse and worse every meenit——" "Very well," said she, wearily, "very well. You have done what you could, Archie: now there is nothing but to get away back home again." But that was not at all Big Archie’s intention.