Standing upon Beacon Cliff were three persons, watching with interest and deep anxiety the cadets’ cruiser as she lay off the coast a league or more. They were Mrs. Merrill, the mother of the gallant middy, old Peggy, and a beautiful young girl whom the reader will recall as Virgene Rich, the fair witness who had testified so well in behalf of the young sailor in his affray with Scott Clemmons, Ben Birney, and others of like ilk at B----. Mrs. Merrill read at a glance the danger of the vessel, when she saw that she was becalmed and a storm rising from seaward; but her anxiety would have been far greater had she known that the craft was crippled and might not be able to beat off the coast. What her feelings would have been had she known that her only son was on board the vessel can well be imagined. But though she saw that it was a vessel of war she did not connect Mark with her, as she supposed that his cruiser was in foreign seas, not having received his last letter from Lisbon, in which he had told her what the remainder of the voyage would be. Mrs. Merrill looked several years younger than when Mark had gone to the Naval School. Her really beautiful face had almost lost its expression of sadness and her form was still youthful and graceful. Virgene Rich, true to her promise, had often ridden down to see Mrs. Merrill, and so attached had she become to her that Landlord Rich had asked her to become his daughter’s governess, and thus we find the young girl also an inmate of “Spook Hall.” Mrs. Merrill had kept up the flower garden, made the wing in which she dwelt more comfortable, and, with a horse and phaeton, which she had purchased, did not seem near so far away from civilization as before. Then, too, Skipper Jasper Crane, with the Venture, was making a very snug living for her, and her bank account steadily increased, while Mark was winning his way in the world, as she well knew. So the three stood watching the cruiser, the rising storm, and the coming of night. “It will be a terrible night, I fear,” Mrs. Merrill said, with increased anxiety for the cruiser. At length the deep rumbling of thunder was heard, the lightning flashes rent the black clouds, and the roar of the still distant tempest reached their ears. Then there came a ripple upon the waters, and instantly sail was set upon the cruiser, which, under its influence, began to move ahead. “She heads down the coast,” said Mrs. Merrill. But the wind came in gusts, followed by calms, and each squall was more severe. Sail was shortened upon the cruiser at last, as the storm was coming near, lights were set, and night, black, threatening and dangerous, came upon land and sea. But the three watchers upon the cliff had secured wraps, and kept their places to watch the lights that marked the position of the cruiser. Louder burst the thunder crashes, more vivid flashed the lightning, and wilder roared the winds as they bore down upon the devoted ship.