quietly, 'she will grind some of them to bits before we get her
out again.'

"'Don't I know her!' cries he, stamping his foot in a perfect fury. And
he out with his whistle to make that bothered tug get the ship's head
up again as quick as possible. He blew like mad, waving his arm to port,
and presently we could see that the tug's engines had been set going
ahead. Her paddles churned the water, but it was as if she had been
trying to tow a rock--she couldn't get an inch out of that ship. Again
the pilot blew his whistle, and waved his arm to port. We could see the
tug's paddles turning faster and faster away, broad on our bow.

"For a moment tug and ship hung motionless in a crowd of moving
shipping, and then the terrific strain that evil, stony-hearted brute
would always put on everything, tore the towing-chock clean out. The
tow-rope surged over, snapping the iron stanchions of the head-rail one
after another as if they had been sticks of sealing-wax. It was only
then I noticed that in order to have a better view over our heads,
Maggie had stepped upon the port anchor as it lay flat on the forecastle
deck.

"It had been lowered properly into its hardwood beds, but there had been
no time to take a turn with it. Anyway, it was quite secure as it was,
for going into dock; but I could see directly that the tow-rope would
sweep under the fluke in another second. My heart flew up right into
my throat, but not before I had time to yell out: 'Jump clear of that
anchor!'

"But I hadn't time to shriek out her name. I don't suppose she heard me
at all. The first touch of the hawser against the fluke threw her down;
she was up on her feet again quick as lightning, but she was up on the
wrong side. I heard a horrid, scraping sound, and then that anchor,
tipping over, rose up like something alive; its great, rough iron arm
caught Maggie round the waist, seemed to clasp her close with a dreadful
hug, and flung itself with her over and down in a terrific clang of
iron, followed by heavy ringing blows that shook the ship from stem to
stern--because the ring stopper held!"

"How horrible!" I exclaimed.

"I used to dream for years afterwards of anchors catching hold of
girls," said the man in tweeds, a little wildly. He shuddered. "With a
most pitiful howl Charley was over after her almost on the instant. But,
Lord! he didn't see as much as a gleam of her red tam o' shanter in the
water. Nothing! nothing whatever! In a moment t