peat the signals. Everywhere along the
coast the salvors of life and property were on the alert--many of them
already in action, out battling in midnight darkness with the raging
sea. The signal was at once replied to from Ramsgate.

Truly it was a dreadful night; one of those tremendous hurricanes which
visit our shores three or four times it may be in a century, seeming to
shake the world to its foundations, and to proclaim with unwonted
significance the dread power of Him who created and curbs the forces of
nature.

But the human beings who were involved in the perils of that night had
scant leisure, and little inclination, perchance, to contemplate its
sublimity. The crew of the Gull light were surrounded by signals of
disaster and distress. In whichever direction they turned their eyes
burning tar-barrels and other flaring lights were seen, telling their
dismal tale of human beings in urgent need of assistance or in dire
extremity.

Little more than an hour before midnight another craft was observed
driving down on the hawse of the Gull. There was greater danger now,
because it happened to be near the turn of the tide, or "slack water,"
so that the rudder could not be used to advantage. All hands were once
more turned out, and as the vessel drew near Mr Welton hailed her, but
got no reply.

"Let go the rudder-pendants!" cried the mate as he shipped the tiller.

The order was promptly obeyed, and the helm shoved hard a-port, but
there was no responsive sheer. The sea was at the time currentless.
Another moment and the vessel, which was a large deserted brig, struck
the floating light on the port-bow, and her fore shrouds caught the
fluke of the spare anchor which projected from the side.

"An axe, Jerry; look alive!"

Jerry required no spur; he bounded forward, caught up an axe, and leaped
with it into the chains of the vessel, which had already smashed part of
the Gull's bulwarks and wrenched the iron band off the cat-head.

"Cut away everything," cried the mate, who observed that the decks of
the brig were full of water, and feared that she might be in a sinking
condition.

The other men of the Gull were busy with boat-hooks, oars, and fenders,
straining every nerve to get clear of this unwelcome visitor, while
Jerry dealt the shrouds a few telling blows which quickly cut them
through, but, in sweeping past, the main-topsail yard-arm of the brig
went crashing into the lantern. Instantly the lamp