of that sum."

"But is a lightship just as good?"

"N-no," the other answered dubiously, "a lightship, as such, is not as
good as a lighthouse, supposing both were at the same point. But a
lightship can always be placed in a more advantageous position than a
lighthouse, and in places where a lighthouse is impossible, a lightship
is invaluable. I should be inclined to say that the Diamond Shoals
Lightship off Cape Hatteras, the Frying Pan Shoals Lightship off Cape
Fear and the Nantucket Shoals Lightship off Montauk Point would take
rank as three of the most important lightships in the world."

"But I should think they would get blown off their stations every once
in a while," suggested Eric.

"They do," said the other; "not very often, but they do."

"Then what happens?"

"They steam back to their station and lie to as near it as possible. At
one time lightships used to be without any kind of propelling machinery,
and sometimes they were driven ashore. That happened to a German
lightship at the mouth of the Elbe, not so long ago, and all the crew
were lost."

"The Columbia River lightship went adrift, too, I remember," said the
boy; "they had to haul her back through the woods in order to get her
floated again and taken to her station."

"Exactly," said his friend, "that was another case of a lightship not
having her own steam. It's not only to enable a lightship keeping to
her station, or running to safety in the event of being blown off her
moorings, but you can see that in a severe storm, if a lightship can
steam ahead into the eye of the wind, she can take a lot of the strain
off her anchors. To tell you the truth, it's my private opinion that the
Diamond Shoals Lightship will need to-night every pound of steam she can
get. Look for'ard!"

The lieutenant pointed with his finger. The _Miami_, starting off to
help the disabled steamer in trouble, had turned her stern to the easy
anchorage and safe haven not more than two miles away, and was headed
for the open sea. Still under the lee of Cape Fear, the force of the
wind was greatly moderated and the sea was not more than ordinarily
rough. But where the lieutenant pointed, it was easy to see that the
storm was raging in its full fury. The waves were running high, their
crests whipped into spray by the gusts.

"You're right, sir," Eric agreed, "we're in for it! And, what's more,
here it comes now!"

Almost with the word the _Miami_ got into the full reach