"Ah, the young flibberty-gibbets!" In company with the Captain and Dick, as it still continued fine, all presently sallied down to the sea, where the young holiday-makers were much surprised at the size of the waves, which seemed much bigger on nearer view than they had appeared from the drawing-room windows in the morning.
Now they were so close to the waves that the spray splashed over the little party; and, it being high-water, the incoming tide, aided by the stiff south-easterly wind, which was still blowing half a gale, rolled the billows in upon the shore, dashing them against the sea-wall and rampart at the back of the castle with a mighty din, and breaking them into sheets of foam that flew over the moats and fortifications, reaching to the Common beyond--the spent water, driven back by the rocky embankment, sullenly retiring, a seething sea of soapsuds, as if Davy Jones were having a grand "washing-day." Much as this sight pleased them, strange and wonderful to their unaccustomed eyes, they were not allowed long to enjoy it; for, the Captain declaring that another squall was coming, presently made them hurry back to the house, laden, however, with sea-wrack and spindrift.
It was the same on the following day and the day after, the gale lasting until the close of the third; when it completed its course and died away as suddenly as it began, winding up with a grand thunderstorm, in which the lightning flashed and the thunder pealed through the heavens in a manner whose like, the Captain affirmed, he had never seen on that coast before.
"No, never, ma'am," cried he, emphasising the assertion with a thump of his malacca cane that almost made a hole in Mrs Gilmour's best drawing- room carpet.

"Not since I first joined the service at Portsmouth here, forty years ago, or more!" Satisfied apparently with the `blow' it thus had, the weather subsequently was all that could be desired; setting in bright and fine, while it was warm enough to be almost tropical.
Thenceforth, therefore, there was no more confinement to the house for the young people.
Bob started off early every morning across the common to the beach, where, under the superintendence of the Captain, he and Dick were taught how to swim, the boys, it may be mentioned, learning the art all the more quickly from the fact of the old sailor's telling them that "until they were able to keep afloat," to use his own words, "he'd think twice before he would take 'em afloat!" So, as both were anxious to go out rowing and sailing, this threat acted as a spur to their efforts.
Nellie, too, had a bathe each day; and, much she liked bobbing up and down in the usual girl-fashion from the end of the rope of the machine.
By and by, also, when she had gained a little courage, she learnt to swim like Bob, whose boastings on the point had put her on her mettle; and the bathing-woman informed Mrs Gilmour one fine morning, when she accompanied Nellie to the beach and entered into conversation with her teacher, that she was "the smartest young leddy to learn as ever was." This fact Miss Nell at once proved by swimming there and then some forty yards, more than double the distance Master Bob could accomplish, in spite of all his `tall talk,' after a similar period of tuition.
"You ladies can always beat us if you only try," said the Captain gallantly, when he heard this.

"I believe a woman can do anything she likes." "You're too complimentary, I'm afraid," remarked Mrs Gilmour.

"You don't mean all you say." "Don't I, by Jove!" replied he.

"Lucky for us men you do not set your mind to it; for, if you did, no poor fellow would ever have a chance of commanding his own ship!" "That's a base slander," cried Mrs Gilmour, laughing.