Part 1 (1/2)

Grenfell: Knight-Errant of the North

by Fullerton Waldo

I

A BOY AND THE SEA

”I wonder if Jiet back! My, isn't it an awful storm!”

Wilfred Grenfell, then a sland, looking out across the sea-wall at the raging, seething waters of the Irish Sea

The wind howled and the snowflakes beat against the -panes as if they were tiny birds that wanted to get in

”Mother,” he pleaded, ”can I put on o down on the beach and see if I can find Jim?”

”Yes,” said his --and don't take any risks, will you, dear?”

Almost before the words were out of her mouth, Wilf was down the stairs and out in the roadhere fisher out the storrizzled mariner he knehom every one called Andy

”Andy, have you seen Jim?”

”Jim who?”

”Jim Anderson”

”Was he the chap that went out in the _Daisy Bell_ about four hours ago?”

”Yes,” said Wilf, trying to control hio with hireat wave that hurled itself against the wall The spray leapt high over the stones and drenched Andy and the boy

”It's lucky ye didn't go, boy,” said Andy, solemnly ”We're watchin'

for the boat now My brother was on her, and two cousins o' my wife

She was a little craft, and a leaky one We were goin' to patch her up an'An' now----” He drew his rough sleeve across his eyes

The wind howled round their ears and the hail was sh the storm had a devilish o out in a boat and get them?” pleaded Wilf

Andy shook his head ”It ain't that we're afraid,” he said ”But there ain't a boat we have here that could ride those waves The coast-guard tried--and now look!” He pointed to a heap of broken, white-painted ti in the roadway, half-hidden fro veils of snow before their eyes

”That's the coast-guard's boat!” exclaiht over the sea-wall as if she was an egg, an' mashed her flat That sho et back, supposin' we could find 'eot to wait”

”Look!” cried the lad, excitedly ”Please look, Andy What's that bobbing up and down in the surf?”