to the merchant service.  The simple people who inhabited this district were concerned about the intentions of what they regarded as a mysterious visitor, and the firing of a small cannon from the taffrail did not lessen their perplexity.  At last the national flag was hauled up and down, and the squire, who had come from his mansion amongst the woods, told the fishermen that those aboard the cutter were really asking for a boat to be sent to them.

The flood tide had covered the rocks.  A volunteer crew of five fine specimens of English manhood were promptly got together, and a large coble was wheeled down the beach and launched into the breaking sea.  They struggled with accustomed doggedness until they had passed the most critical part of the bay and got safely within speaking distance of the vessel.  Two good-looking fellows in naval uniform stood on the quarter-deck, and one of these, the commander, asked the fishermen to take one of his officers ashore.  To this they readily agreed, though they said it would be most difficult to land, as it was much safer to go off than come in, but they would risk that.  The officer jumped into the boat, the rope was slipped, and then commenced a struggle between the endurance and skill of the hardy fishermen on the one hand and the angry cross seas which threatened to toss the boat and its occupants to destruction on the other.  The officer suggested that the reefs should be let out of the sail to rush her over the dangerous corner of the entrance.

“I have used this plan often,” said he, “and it always succeeded.”

The coxswain demurred, although these men are very skilled in the handling of their boats; but at last he was prevailed upon by his crew to allow the officer to try the experiment.  The latter only agreed to do so on condition that he was in no way interfered with, and his orders were strictly carried out.  Up went the close-reefed lug; the occupants were instructed to lie low to windward, the men at the main sheet were ordered in a quiet, cool manner to ease off and haul in as necessity required.  In a few minutes they had reached the crucial point.  The men began to express anxiety, when amid the shrill song of the wind and the noise of the breaking seas, the man now in charge called out with commanding vigour—­

“Steady your nerves, boys!  I know quite well how to handle her.”

The helmsman had barely finished his appeal when the combers began to curl up in rapid succession; the mass of water threatened to overwhelm the rushing craft, but she was manipulated with such fine seamanship that only the spray lashed over her in smothering clouds.  Suddenly orders were given to stand by to lower the sail, and in another minute the helm was put down to bring the boat head to sea and wind.  The sail was lowered, oars shipped, and she was manoeuvred stern on to the beach.  As soon as she struck, a rush to help was made by those who had watched with feverish