"Papa," said Judith hastily, seeing his discouragement and knowing his tendency to depression, "papa, do you hear the sea how it roars? I have stood on the bench, more than once, to look out seaward, and find a reason for it; but there is none--all blue, blue as a larkspur; and not a cloud in the sky--all blue, blue there too. No wind either, and that is why I have done well with my ball-play. Do you hear the roar of the sea, papa?" she repeated. "Yes, Ju. There will be a storm shortly. The sea is thrown into great swells of rollers, a sure token that something is coming. Before night a gale will be on us." Then ensued silence. Judith with one finger trifled with the guelder-rose bunch in her lap musingly, not desirous to resume her play with it. Something in her father's manner was unusual, and made her uneasy. "My dear!" he began, after a pause, "one must look out to sea--into the vast mysterious sea of the future--and prepare for what is coming from it. Just now the air is still, and we sit in this sweet, sunny garden, and lean our backs against the warm wall, and smell the fragrance of the flowers; but we hear the beating of the sea, and know that a mighty tempest, with clouds and darkness, is coming. So in other matters we must look out and be ready--count the time till it comes. My dear, when I am gone----" "Papa!" "We were looking out to sea and listening. That must come at some time--it may come sooner than you anticipate." He paused, heaved a sigh, and said, "Oh, Jamie! What are we to do about Jamie?" "Papa, I will always take care of Jamie." "But who will take care of you?" "Of me? Oh, papa, surely I can take care of myself!" He shook his head doubtfully. "Papa, you know how strong I am in will--how firm I can be with Jamie." "But all mankind are not Jamies. It is not for you I fear, as much as for you and him together. He is a trouble and a difficulty." "Jamie is not so silly and troublesome as you think. All he needs is application. He cannot screw his mind down to his books--to any serious occupation. But that will come. I have heard say that the stupidest children make the sharpest men. Little by little it will come, but it will come certainly. I will set myself as my task to make Jamie apply his mind and become a useful man, and I shall succeed, papa." She caught her father's hand between hers, and slapped it joyously, confidently. "How cold your hand is, papa! and yet you look warm." "You were always Jamie's champion," said her father, not noticing her remark relative to himself. "He is my twin brother, so of course I am his champion. Who else would be that, were not I?" "No--no one else. He is mischievous and troublesome--poor, poor fellow. You will always be to Jamie what you are now, Ju--his protector or champion? He is weak and foolish, and if he were to fall into bad hands--I shudder to think what might become of him." "Rely on me, dearest father."