with me to Fellness. Bob! Bob!" called his father, in the
same breath.

"Aye, aye," came an answering shout from the adjoining cabin.

"Slip into your things as quick as you can; we must be off to Fellness;
there's a ship out there on the bar sands."

"I'm a'most ready, dad; I heard mother call yer, and thought you'd let
me go along," replied Bob.

Before the fisherman put on his sou'-wester he took a black bottle from
a recess, and after taking a hearty draught, he said, "It's lucky we've
got a drop to-night," as he handed it to his wife; and with a parting
word to her not to be afraid, he and Bob stepped out of the boat-house
door, to meet the full fury of the blast, that threatened at first to
carry them off their legs. The three miles' walk to the little fishing
village of Fellness was no easy task such a wild night as this, for
although the road was inland, it was fully exposed to the sea, and
between the wilder outbreaks of the wind and rain they could hear the
guns of distress, and occasionally see a rocket piercing the midnight
blackness of the sky, appealing for help for the drowning men.

At the coastguard station, midway between the Point and the village,
they found the men on the alert, and two volunteered to go with Coomber
and help man the boat. Then the four plodded silently along the slushy
road, for talking was next to impossible in such a gale, and it needed
all the strength and energy they could muster to fight the wind and
rain.

They made their way to the beach as soon as they reached Fellness, and,
as they expected, found most of the men gathered there, watching the
distressed vessel.

"Halloo! here's Coomber from the Point," said one, as the new-comers
pushed their way in among them.

"What are yer standing here for?" shouted Coomber, in some impatience;
"looking won't do her no good."

"We can't do nothing else," said the man; "we've got Rodwell's boat
here--she's the best craft on this coast for such a trip, and we've made
three tries in her, but it's no good; nothing could live in such a sea
as this; we've been beat back every time, and well-nigh swamped."

"Well, mates, I don't say nothing but what yer may have tried; but
suppose now one of yer had got a boy out in that there ship--_I've_ got
a boy in that, or another, if he ain't gone to where there's no more
sea," said the old fisherman, with a groan; and before he had done
speaking, one or two had moved to where the boat had bee