outward-bound. That unclipperly craft, moreover, was a gallant vessel,
because its post was one of danger. When other ships fled on the wings
of terror--or of storm trysails--to seek refuge in harbour and
roadstead, this one merely lengthened her cable--as a knight might shake
loose the reins of his war-horse on the eve of conflict--and calmly
awaited the issue, prepared to let the storm do its worst, and to meet
it with a bold front. It lay right in the Channel, too, "i' the
imminent deadly breach," as it were, prepared to risk encounter with the
thousands of ships, great and small, which passed to and fro
continually;--to be grazed and fouled by clumsy steersmen, and to be run
into at night by unmanageable wrecks or derelicts; ready for anything in
fact--come weal come woe, blow high blow low--in the way of duty, for
this vessel was the Floating Light that marked the Gull-stream off the
celebrated and fatal Goodwin Sands.

CHAPTER TWO.

THE FLOATING LIGHT BECOMES THE SCENE OF FLOATING SURMISES AND VAGUE
SUSPICIONS.

It must not be supposed, from what has been said, that the Gull
Lightship was the only vessel of the kind that existed at that time.
But she was a good type of the class of vessels (numbering at present
about sixty) to which she belonged, and, both as regarded her situation
and duties, was, and still is, one of the most interesting among the
floating lights of the kingdom.

When the keen-eyed traveller stepped upon her well-scrubbed deck, he was
courteously received by the mate, Mr John Welton, a strongly-built man
above six feet in height, with a profusion of red hair, huge whiskers,
and a very peculiar expression of countenance, in which were united calm
self-possession, coolness, and firmness, with great good-humour and
affability.

"You are Mr Welton, I presume?" said the traveller abruptly, touching
his hat with his forefinger in acknowledgment of a similar salute from
the mate.

"That is my name, sir."

"Will you do me the favour to read this letter?" said the traveller,
selecting a document from a portly pocket-book, and presenting it.

Without reply the mate unfolded the letter and quietly read it through,
after which he folded and returned it to his visitor, remarking that he
should be happy to furnish him with all the information he desired, if
he would do him the favour to step down into the cabin.

"I may set your mind at rest on one point at once," observed the
stranger, as