She was in a balcony with Sir Charles Carew, looking down upon a fantastic procession that wound endlessly on, with flaunting banners, and to the sound of kettle-drums and trumpets, when she was aroused by Landless’ voice. She opened her eyes and looked up from her nest of cushions to see him standing above her. "What is it?" she asked frigidly. "I grieve to waken you, madam, but there is a heavy squall coming up." She sat up and looked about her. The Bluebird had left the inlet and was rising and falling with the long oily swell of the vast sheet of water that stretched before them to a horizon of vivid blue. North and east the water met the sky; a mile to the westward was the low wooded shore which they were skirting. "The sun is shining," said Patricia, bewildered. "The sky is blue." "Look behind you." She turned and uttered an exclamation. The Alpine range had vanished, and a monstrous pall of gray-black cloud was being slowly drawn upward and across the smiling heaven. Even as she looked, it blotted out the sun. "We had better make for the shore at once," said Landless. "We can reach it before the storm breaks and can find shelter for you until it is over." Patricia exclaimed: "Why, we cannot be more than three miles from Rosemead! Surely we can reach it before that cloud overtakes us!" "I think not, madam." "Regulus!" cried his mistress imperiously. "We can reach Rosemead before that storm breaks, can we not?" Among other amiable qualities, Regulus numbered a happy willingness to please, even at the expense of truth. "Sho-ly, ’lil Missy," he said with emphasis. "And it will not be much of a squall, besides, will it, Regulus?" "No, ’lil Missy, not much ob squall," answered the obliging Regulus. "There is much wind in it," said Landless. "Look at those white clouds scudding across the black; and these squalls strike with suddenness and fury. I may put the boat about, madam?" "Certainly not. Regulus, who must know the Chesapeake and its squalls much better than you possibly can, says there is no danger. I have no mind to be set ashore in these woods with night coming on and Indians or wolves prowling around." "I beg that you will be advised by me, madam." She looked at him as she had done that day in the master’s room. "Is it that you are _afraid_ of a Virginia squall? If so, you will have to conquer your tremor. Regulus, keep the boat as it is." Landless went back to his seat in the bow, with tightened lips. The wind freshened, coming in hot little puffs, and the Bluebird slid more swiftly over the low hills. The water turned to a livid green and the air slowly darkened. Across the black pall, looming higher and higher, shot a jagged streak of fierce gold, followed by a low rumble of thunder. A mass of gray-white, fantastically piled clouds whirled lip from the eastern horizon to meet the vast blank sullen sheet overhead. There came a more vivid flash and a louder roll of thunder.