er the gale it was cold weather wi'
dark nights.

"I was in the engine-room on Friday night, just before the middle watch,
when Bell whustled down the tube: 'She's done it'; an' up I came.

"The Grotkau was just a fair distance south, an' one by one she ran up
the three red lights in a vertical line--the sign of a steamer not under
control.

"'Yon's a tow for us,' said Bell, lickin' his chops. 'She'll be worth
more than the Breslau. We'll go down to her, McPhee!'

"'Bide a while,' I said. 'The seas fair throng wi' ships here.'

"'Reason why,' said Bell. 'It's a fortune gaun beggin'. What d' ye
think, man?'

"'Gie her till daylight. She knows we're here. If Bannister needs help
he'll loose a rocket.'

"'Wha told ye Bannister's need? We'll ha' some rag-an'-bone tramp
snappin' her up under oor nose,' said he; an' he put the wheel over. We
were goin' slow.

"'Bannister wad like better to go home on a liner an' eat in the
saloon. Mind ye what they said o' Holdock & Steiner's food that night
at Radley's? Keep her awa', man--keep her awa'. A tow's a tow, but a
derelict's big salvage.'

"'E-eh! 'said Bell. 'Yon's an inshot o' yours, Mac. I love ye like a
brother. We'll bide whaur we are till daylight'; an' he kept her awa'.

"Syne up went a rocket forward, an' twa on the bridge, an' a blue light
aft. Syne a tar-barrel forward again.

"'She's sinkin',' said Bell. 'It's all gaun, an' I'll get no more than a
pair o' night-glasses for pickin' up young Bannister--the fool!'

"' Fair an' soft again,' I said. 'She's signallin' to the south of us.
Bannister knows as well as I that one rocket would bring the Breslau.
He'll no be wastin' fireworks for nothin'. Hear her ca'!'

"The Grotkau whustled an' whustled for five minutes, an' then there were
more fireworks--a regular exhibeetion.

"'That's no for men in the regular trade,' says Bell. 'Ye're right,
Mac. That's for a cuddy full o' passengers.' He blinked through the
night-glasses when it lay a bit thick to southward.

"'What d' ye make of it?' I said.

"'Liner,' he says. 'Yon's her rocket. Ou, ay; they've waukened the
gold-strapped skipper, an'--noo they've waukened the passengers. They're
turnin' on the electrics, cabin by cabin. Yon's anither rocket! They're
comin' up to help the perishin' in deep watters.'

"'Gie me the glass,' I said. But Bell danced on the bridge, clean
dementit. 'Mails-mails-mails!' said he. 'Under contract wi' the
Government for the due c