In it were Ethel Lennox and Agnes , together with Little Ev , the sandy-haired , undersized Pointer who owned the boat . The evening was fine , and an off-shore breeze was freshening up rapidly . They did not notice the long , dark bank of livid cloud low in the northwest . `` Is n't this glorious ! '' exclaimed Ethel . Her hat was straining back from her head and the red rings of her hair were blowing about her face . Agnes looked about her more anxiously . Wiser in matters of sea and shore than her companion , there were some indications she did not like . Young Si , who was standing with Snuffy their skids , lowered his spyglass with a start . `` It is Agnes Bentley and -- and -- that boarder of theirs , '' he said anxiously , `` and they 've gone out with Little Ev in that wretched , leaky tub of his . Where are their eyes that they ca n't see a squall coming up ? '' `` An ' Little Ev do n't know as much about managing a boat as a cat ! '' exclaimed Snuffy excitedly . `` Sign 'em to come back . '' Si shook his head . `` They 're too far out . I do n't know that the squall will amount to very much . In a good boat , with someone who knew how to manage it , they 'd be all right . But with Little Ev -- '' He began walking restlessly up and down the narrow platform . The boat was now some distance out .
The breeze had stiffened to a slow strong wind and the dull-grey level XXXXX the sea was whipped into white-caps .
Bentley Ethel about as from in of that to with