ten, his life was a misery. From Hull he
went up to the Tyne on a coaster, where he joined the Campbell. He
assured Paul with tears in his eyes, that several times before the
outbreak in the forecastle he had concluded to dive overboard and swim
far down in the sea to end his misery. He is a type of the many boys who
think there is nothing but pleasure and romance in connection with life
on the sea.

About this time heavy westerly winds set in against the Campbell and
drove her far out of her course and for weeks she beat about in the
most horrible weather. To add to their discomfort some of the water
casks were stove, so that the crew were placed on short allowance
until they were relieved by a barkentine named, The Girl of the Period.
She was from Palermo with fruit, sixty-three days out and bound for New
York.

In exactly seventy-one days after the Campbell had made sail out of the
mouth of the Tyne she tied up at the docks at Philadelphia. Paul left
this ship thoroughly satisfied with his experience and with the firm
resolution never again to tread the plank of a ship either as sailor
or officer.

CHAPTER VII.

While in Philadelphia he met the President of the Camden & Atlantic
Railroad Company, who was desirous of negotiating with him in regard
to taking charge of the life saving service at Atlantic City, a great
watering place at the ocean terminus of the road. After a few
interviews, the arrangements were made and the contract signed. Paul was
installed as captain of a station built out on the beach and equipped
with all kinds of life saving apparatus. During the seasons of 1873 and
1874 he held this position and so careful his watch and so efficient his
system that not a single life was lost, and when he left the service he
had the glorious record of having saved seventy-one lives. He also spent
much of his time perfecting his appliances. It was while in this service
that his attention was first attracted to the life saving dress in which
he afterwards became so famous. As this dress will often be alluded to
in the pages to follow, it may be well at this time to give
its description:

It was invented by C. S. Merriman of Iowa, and consists of a pants and
tunic made of highly vulcanized rubber. When the pants are put on the
tunic is pulled over the head and down over a steel band at the upper
part of the pants where it is firmly secured by a rubber strap. All
po