154 THE CHANNEL AT NIGHT. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE CHANNEL AT NIGHT. 



IT was dark on the pier, except so far as the lamps upon 

 the lamp-posts enlightened the scene. There were very few 

 passengers, for travelers crossing the Channel on tours of 

 pleasure which class of persons generally constitute the 

 majority on board these steamers usually avoid choosing 

 their time for crossing when the tide serves at night, and 

 some on this occasion, who had intended to go, were de- 

 terred by the prospect of a dark and rainy passage, and 

 concluded to remain quietly in the comfortable hotel till 

 the next day. 



It was wet upon deck, and so Lawrence and John went 

 below. There they found a small cabin, with tables in the 

 middle of it, and seats along the sides. They chose a place 

 in a snug corner, where they sat for a while amusing them- 

 selves with watching the coming and going of the people. 

 One man came in seeming very much out of humor, and 

 uttering very impatient expressions about the weather; 

 and then, after putting doAvn his valise and his parcels, 

 and looking about with an angry air, he stalked out again. 



"He is grumbling about the weather," said John. 



" Yes," said Lawrence ; " he does not seem to be aware 

 that complaining of the weather is complaining of the prov- 

 idence of God." 



" I don't think that the weather is more the providence 

 of God than any thing else," said John. "It is all accord- 

 ing to the laws of nature." 



John had read this in .some book, and it is no doubt 

 correct. 



