n him.

It still blew hard when they drew near to land, but the wind had changed
its direction, blowing more on the shore, and increasing at last to a
gale which lined the whole coast with breakers. Before the _Evening
Star_ could find refuge in port, night had again descended.
Unfortunately it was one of the darkest nights of the season,
accompanied with such blinding sleet that it became a difficult matter
to distinguish the guiding lights.

"A dirty night, Billy," said David Bright, who himself held the tiller.

"Ay, father, it'll be all the pleasanter when we get home."

"True, lad; the same may be said of the heavenly home when the gales of
life are over. D'ee see the light, boy?"

"No, father, not quite sure. Either it's not very clear, or the sleet
an' spray blinds me."

"`Let the lower lights be burning,'" murmured the skipper, as a
tremendous wave, which seemed about to burst over them, rushed beneath
the stern, raising it high in the air. "You see the meanin' o' that
line o' the hymn now, Billy, though you didn't when your dear mother
taught it you. Bless her heart, her patience and prayers ha' done it
all."

For some minutes after this there was silence. The men of the _Evening
Star_ were holding on to shroud or belaying-pin, finding shelter as best
they could, and looking out anxiously for the "lower lights."

"There'll be some hands missin', I doubt, in the Short Blue fleet
to-morrow, father," remarked Billy, with a solemn look.

"Likely enough; God have mercy on 'em," returned Bright. "It wasn't a
much stiffer gale than this, not many years gone by, when twenty-seven
smacks foundered, and a hundred and eighty souls were called to stand
before their Maker."

As David spoke a sullen roar of breaking water was heard on the port
bow. They had been slightly misled, either by their uncertainty as to
the position of the true lights, or by some false lights on shore. At
all events, whatever the cause, they were at that moment driving towards
one of the dangerous sand-banks in the neighbourhood of Yarmouth. The
course of the smack was instantly changed, but it was too late. Almost
before an order could be given she struck heavily, her main-mast went
over the side, carrying part of the mizzen along with it. At the same
time a wave broke just astern, and rushed over the deck, though happily
not with its full force.

Even in that moment of disaster the bold fishermen did not quail. With
thei