268 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



" But it's as clear as clear can be," said Tom, 

 getting up and looking out of the window. 



" Well," rejoined Busby, " I tuk a gaze 

 aboot with her," tapping the glass, "and I've 

 concluded its goin' to blow, and blow hard ; and 

 so has Bob, and John, and Chief. Don't you 

 hear that ? " he ashed, putting his hand to his 

 ear. 



The boys listened silently, and from far 

 away there seemed to come a faint moan. Ten 

 minutes later Tom, who had run to the top of 

 the fort, saw a dark cloud over beyond Logger- 

 head that had an ominous appearance. "The 

 barometer is going down as if the bottom had 

 fallen out," announced Harry, who had been out 

 to examine it. "I guess we are in for it." 



The boys hurried down to the dock to lend a 

 hand with the rest in pulling the old JBull-piip 

 on the ways eight or ten feet above high-water 

 mark. They then looked around to see if every- 

 thing else was snug. They were none too soon, 

 for a short time after a squall struck the key, 

 gradually increasing in strength during the day, 

 the shrieking and howling of the wind and the 



