Father is ill." Gabriel had not to ask why.

He saw it was something serious.

The workmen were standing by the steps, laden with the good things, and uncertain where they should take them.
"Come, let us go back to the ship-yard," said Gabriel; "we shall be all to ourselves there, and besides, it will be nice and warm." Rachel could hear from his voice that there were tears in his eyes, and the thought occurred to her, how he had grown from a boy to a man in the last few hours.
The storehouse had now fallen in, and the ruins were still burning on the ground.

The yard, thanks to Mr.Robson, had been so well cleared, that the watchmen had but little difficulty in keeping the fire isolated.

After midnight the wind lulled, and the thick clouds of smoke soared up into the air, and were driven slowly over the fjord.
As the ship took the water, she drove across the wind a little way from the shore, and fouled an old brig belonging to the firm; and for the rest of the night was heard the shouting and singing of the numerous volunteers, who were hard at work clearing the vessels, and mooring the newly launched one.
The shipwrights sat comfortably in the yard, just near enough to the fire to feel its warmth.