y about. Lee, oh!" for
which the men at the sheets and bowlines were keenly waiting.

A single slip, and she would have cracked like a nutshell against
those adamantine walls. But to get into the harbour it was the only
way, and as the skipper said afterwards, when I remonstrated on his
apparent foolhardiness, "Needs must, when the devil drives."

"There's a big crowd of men on deck, Doctor," said my companion.
"Reckon she's been delayed with her freighters, and that there's a
load of women and children in t' hold on t' fish."

I had been so absorbed in watching his seamanship, that I had not been
thinking about the stranger. Jake's remark changed the current of my
thoughts; and soon the vessel's lines seemed to assume a familiar
shape, and I began to realize that I must have seen her before. Then
suddenly it flashed upon me--the Water Lily, of course.

Yes, it was the Water Lily. Then Joe was on board, and the flag was
because Nancy was in trouble. The reasoning was intuitive rather than
didactic; but the conviction was so forcible that I instinctively rose
to return to the hospital for the black bag that is my _fidus Achates_
on every emergency call.

"You isn't going till she rounds t' point of t' Chain Rocks, is you,
Doctor? It's all she'll do with the wind and tide against her--if she
does it. I minds more than one good vessel that's left her bones on
them reefs."

"As well stay, I suppose, Jake, for I'll be in time if I do. My! look
at that!" I could not help shouting, as a flaw of wind struck the
schooner right ahead as she was actually in stays, and it seemed she
must either fall in sideways or drive stern foremost on the cliffs.
But almost as quick as the eddy, the staysail and jib were let run and
off her, and her main boom was pushed by a whole gang of men away out
over the rail, so that by altering the points of pressure the good
ship went safely round on her heel, and before we had time to discuss
it, her head sails were up again, and she was racing on her last tack
to enable her to claw through the narrow channel between the Chain
Rocks and the Cannons, which form the last breakwater for the harbour.

"I think she'll do it, Jake!"

"If she once gets in t' narrows and can't fetch t' point, it's all up
with her. I 'lows 'tis time to get them women out of t' hold, anyhow,"
he replied laconically, his eyes riveted all the while on the scene
below. "There's a crowd standing by t' boat, I sees, and them