A Chapter of Adventures

ran

, Jack," his mother said reproachfully, "so as t

the work until we had finished up to the water-line. U

oon finished, then he waited a littl

, "I have been waiting

ix," Mrs. R

We are only just goi

-guard station they c

ome to-mor

do without me. What time

can get down the creek till three anyhow,

going, I

e only came in this tide. That is the boat Tom Parker has had built at Brightlingsea. He expects she is going to beat the

ds. He is one of the lazy ones, he is. Half the times he never goes out at all. It is either too rough, or there ain't wind enough, or he don't think it is a likely day for fish. His mother

said. "Shall I knock at your d

he clock strikes three, Bill

his arm at the door of the boat-shed. Jack was very fond of talking to the coast-guardsmen. They had not, like the fishermen, spent all their lives between Gravesend and Harwich, but had sailed with big ships and been to foreign part

appened to be on duty. This afternoon, however, the men were busy burnishing up their arms and getting everything into apple-pie order, as the inspecting officer was to come on his rounds the next morning; so Jack after a time strolled along the path between the railway and the track, Lily prattling by h

eigh men could tell every boat afloat or ashore, even without looking at the numbe

d we were to be in at six, and it cannot be far off that now.

it is the Yarmout

k. I know pretty near all of them-the Ya

look to

y, and which will give way for us, and which will come right on without minding whether they run us down or not. The colliers are the worst for that; they just go straigh

it is right to

ey know very well that they are not likely to be recognized, and so steam straight on, and leave men to drown; and in the next, if they are recognized, they are ready to swear that black is white all round, and will take their oaths you hadn't got your side-lights burning, or that you changed your course, and that they did all in their power to preve

ng at any hour he chose, he was at the door when Bill Corbett and his brother Joe c

fine, Bill?

trong from the north, tho

flats and had sunk som

expected," Bill said

is she,

he foot of

ater with his high boots, shoved her off. The mast was stepped

an hour ago, I sup

se boats were down the channel didn't go for half an hour later. Father told

ider channel. They now turned the boat's head directly off shore, and jibed the

is morning?" Jack asked

come here. I suppose he thought that Joe, you, and me, made but a poor cocklers' crew. Of course, with the wind blowing off shore, it is all right anyhow; bu

nt more handling. However, I

, 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

twenty feet long, and would carry mor

, and the wind was working round to the east, knocking up a short ch

as 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 b

denly; "there is a big steamer

ed to knock off, and they now ran across to the outside of the s

e tide rises," Joe said; "but they

king hard astern now. Look how high her head is. She has run a long

nchors out astern," Bill said,

ight in it against wind and tide; and before they had got fairly away from the vessel she had already swung round a considerable distance, and was heeling o

e anchors ain't heavy enough to work her stern round. I expect when a tug comes a

ghest point of the sand-bank, and in watching the steamer had forgotten all about the tide, which, under the influence of a north-east wind

l, the boa

essly down on the sand when they last hauled the boat up, and as the full strength of the tide

be done?" Jo

wade along to the isl

channels where it would be over our heads

e boat, Bill, and t

l drift as fast as you can swim. But of course you can try if you like, it don't make any difference

," Jack said hopefully. "There are some

l take them three quarters o

e three of them coming in from the Nore, Bill.

ime. Water will be breast-high before they get up, and they may drop anchor

running from the coast-guard station," he said. "There! there are two

looking fixedly

ng her down the slip; now she is in the water." Another minute passed, and then a white sail appeared

up to their knees, and the waves

in time, do you thi

d be in plenty of time if it were not for the fo

r, and the waves increased fast in size. It was as much as

Jack said. "I have read that one man can carry anot

ow that I have got Joe on my shoulders. If you feel that you are going, leave go of me, you will only pull me backward holding on; a

I could not swim with you two, but if you would lie on your

k found it extremely difficult to keep his feet, the sand seemed to be scooped out from under them by the force of the tide

Bill said, "or you

h shall I do? Swim off alone, or hol

ere in five minutes now. I think I can hold o

e, as the sand gave way under their feet, they

u can shift Joe so as to sit on one shoulder? If

t shoulder, Joe. Now Jack, you climb up. Yes, I think that is better. I shou

ter and sway; he was fast being

selves on your backs, and I will try and hold

hundred yards away when B

!" Jack shouted as he we

ut with his legs, tried to keep them in a similar position with their faces above water. Bill lay quietly enough; but

and, and strove, not to loosen the grasp of his companions, which wa

d a rope fell across his face; but he could not free his hands to grasp it, and went under immediately. His senses were leaving him, when he