Part 5 (2/2)

”I've got bags, boxes, _bucketfuls_ of gold in the hold,” roars Brown.

”Only save her, and it's all yours!”

The shrieking blast will not allow even _his_ strong voice to reach the men in the lifeboat, but they need no such inducement to work.

”The gold won't be yours long,” remarks Jones, with another smile.

Neptune'll have it all to-night. See! they've got her into the boat all right, sir. Now don't struggle so; you'll get down to her in a minute.

There's another lady to go before your turn comes.

During these few moments of forced inaction the self-possessed Jones remarks to Brown, in order to quiet him, that they'll be all saved in half an hour, and asks if he lives near that part of the coast.

”Live near it!” gasps Brown. ”No! I live nowhere. Bin five years at the diggings. Made a fortune. Going to live with the old folk now--at Blunderton, far away from the sea; high up among the mountains.”

”Hm!” grunts Jones. ”Do they help to float the lifeboats at Blunderton?”

”The lifeboats? No, of course not; never think of lifeboats up there.”

”Some of you think of 'em down _here_, though,” remarks Jones. ”Do _you_ help the cause in any way, sir?”

”Me? No. Never gave a s.h.i.+lling to it.”

”Well, never mind. It's your turn now, sir. Come along. We'll save you. Jump!” cries Jones.

And they do save him, and all on board of that ill-fated s.h.i.+p, with as much heartfelt satisfaction as if the rescued ones had each been a contributor of a thousand a year to the lifeboat cause.

”Don't forget us, sir, when you gits home,” whispers Jones to Brown at parting.

And _does_ Brown forget him? Nay, verily! He goes home to Blunderton, stirs up the people, hires the town-hall, gets the chief magistrate to take the chair, and forms a _Branch_ of the Royal National Lifeboat Inst.i.tution--the Blunderton Branch, which, ever afterwards, honourably bears its annual share in the expense, and in the privilege, of rescuing men, women, and little ones from the raging seas. Moreover, Brown becomes the enthusiastic secretary of the Branch. And here let me remark that no society of this nature can hope to succeed, unless its secretary be an enthusiast.

Now, reader, if you think I have made out a good case, let me entreat you to go, with Brown in your eye, ”and do likewise.”

And don't fancy that I am advising you to attempt the impossible. The supposed Blunderton case is founded on fact. During a lecturing tour one man--somewhat enthusiastic in the lifeboat cause--preached the propriety of inland towns starting Branches of the Lifeboat Inst.i.tution.

Upwards of half a dozen such towns responded to the exhortation, and, from that date, have continued to be annual contributors and sympathisers.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

THE LIFE-SAVING ROCKET.

We shall now turn from the lifeboat to our other great engine of war with which we do battle with the sea from year to year, namely, the Rocket Apparatus.

This engine, however, is in the hands of Government, and is managed by the coastguard. And it may be remarked here, in reference to coastguard men, that they render constant and effective aid in the saving of s.h.i.+pwrecked crews. At least one-third of the medals awarded by the Lifeboat Inst.i.tution go to the men of the coastguard.

Every one has heard of Captain Manby's mortar. Its object is to effect communication between a stranded s.h.i.+p and the sh.o.r.e by means of a rope attached to a shot, which is fired over the former. The same end is now more easily attained by a rocket with a light rope, or line, attached to it.

Now the rocket apparatus is a little complicated, and ignorance in regard to the manner of using it has been the cause of some loss of life. Many people think that if a rope can only be conveyed from a stranded s.h.i.+p to the sh.o.r.e, the saving of the crew is comparatively a sure and easy matter. This is a mistake. If a rope--a stout cable-- were fixed between a wreck and the sh.o.r.e, say at a distance of three or four hundred yards, it is obvious that only a few of the strongest men could clamber along it. Even these, if benumbed and exhausted--as is frequently the case in s.h.i.+pwreck--could not accomplish the feat. But let us suppose, still further, that the vessel rolls from side to side, dipping the rope in the sea and jerking it out again at each roll, what man could make the attempt with much hope of success, and what, in such circ.u.mstances, would become of women and children?

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