he mouth of the channel and tell them
where the wreck is and they'll come and take the people off the ship.
See him going there, along the shore?"

In the gray darkness which followed the flash of light they could just
barely make out the figure of a man running.

"I don't see how he ever got that torch lit in this wind," said Hinpoha.

"That wasn't an ordinary torch," explained the Captain, eager to display
his knowledge of life-saving methods. "That's what they call a Coston
signal. It's a patent torch that flares up when you strike the cap
against something hard. The life-saving crew back in the station see it
and get the apparatus ready and the people on the ship see it and know
they have been sighted and help is coming."

"Oh, I'm so glad," said Hinpoha in relieved tones. "Now the poor people
on the boat won't be so frightened if they know they are going to be
saved. It must be fine to be a life saver!"

"Maybe I'll be one when I grow up," said the Captain.

"Oh, how grand!" said Hinpoha admiringly. "We'll be so proud----" Then
came a fiercer gust of wind and drowned the remainder of her sentence in
its shriek, and they plodded on in silence, covering their faces to
shield them from the whirling sand. Only a little way farther they came
upon the beach patrol sitting on the ground and rubbing his knee.

"What's the matter?" they asked, pressing around.

"Hullo!" he exclaimed in astonishment, "what are you kids doing out on a
night like this?"

"We're taking a walk," replied Sahwah and then giggled nervously when
she thought how funny that must sound. "What's the matter?" she
repeated.

"Tripped over a stone," replied the beach patrol, "and kinked my leg."
He stifled a groan as he spoke.

"Are you badly hurt?" asked Hinpoha anxiously.

The man rose to his feet and limped resolutely on his way toward the
station, but his progress was very slow. "Of all times to go lame!" he
exclaimed in bitter vexation. "There's the _Huronic_ out there on
the reef with two hundred passengers on board and there's not a minute
to lose!"

"We'll take the word to the station!" said the Captain promptly. "We can
get there lots faster than you can."

"All right," said the beach patrol briefly. He wasted no words in this
emergency when seconds were things of consequence, but made prompt use
of the assistance which had apparently been sent from heaven in the nick
of time. "Tell them she's struck on the reef off Sister Point,"