wind blowing off
shore, it is all right anyhow; but men never think us boys can do
anything. Why, I would not mind a bit starting, us three, for Harwich. I
reckon these boats are just as safe as the bawleys?"

"I think so too; but they want more handling. However, I expect we could
manage it."

They had now got out their implements, consisting of a shovel, a large
rake, and a couple of baskets, on shore, and fastening the boat with a
grapnel, went to the place where experience had taught them it was best
to dig, and were soon at work. The cockles were for the most part buried
some five or six inches in the sand, and were found in great numbers;
the two elder boys digging and raking while Joe picked them up, and
threw them into the baskets. As these were filled Bill carried them down
on his shoulder to the boat, put the baskets into the water, gave them a
heave or two to wash some of the sand off the cockles, and then emptied
them into the boat.

It was a broad-beamed craft, of over twenty feet long, and would carry
more than a ton of cockles if filled up.

The sun had long been up, the clouds were flying fast across the sky,
and the wind was working round to the east, knocking up a short choppy
sea as it met the ebb, and covering the river with white horses.

The boys worked away sturdily, ceasing occasionally from their labours
to go down and shove the boat further off as the tide fell. At six it
was dead low. They had each brought with them a bag with some bread and
cheese, and a tin of cold tea, and now sat down on the gunwale of the
boat for breakfast. Having finished that meal, they continued their work
till nine o'clock, by which time they had got several bushels on board.

"Look there!" Joe exclaimed suddenly; "there is a big steamer has run on
to the Middle Ground."

The boys had just thrown down their spade and rake, and had agreed to
knock off, and they now ran across to the outside of the strip of sand,
which had by this time narrowed very considerably.

"She will get off easy enough as the tide rises," Joe said; "but they
won't be able to back her off now."

"No; she does not move in the least," Jack agreed. "Her screw is working
hard astern now. Look how high her head is. She has run a long way up
with wind and tide and steam. She must have gone on it hard."

"She had best get a couple of anchors out astern," Bill said, "before
she gets broadside on."

This was evidently also the view of the c