ng
low down; the wind moaned as it came across the dull, leaden-looking
ocean, and found its way among the sand-hills, making the tall rushes
bend before it. Sheets of cold mist came rolling in every now and then
towards the land; and, though they swept by, they were quickly succeeded
by others, till they grew denser and denser, and a regular heavy wetting
mist settled down over the face of the land and the water.

John Hadden was about to turn his steps homeward, when one of his sons
came to remind him that it was time to return home to tea. Just then a
heavy squall burst on the land from the eastward, and the clouds and
mist breaking away left a clear space all the way to the horizon.

"I'll come, Bill, I'll come, my boy," he answered, lifting, however, his
glass to his eye, to take another last look over the troubled waters
before he went in for the evening. Just then he caught sight of a
stranger in the offing, where, outside the sand-banks, a high sea was
running. He looked earnestly through his glass for half a minute.

"There is a large ship," he said to his son, "driving on towards the
banks, and totally dismasted. Unless there is a pilot aboard who knows
his way through the passage, he'll be on the bank to a certainty, and
then, with such a night as we shall have presently, Heaven have mercy on
the unfortunate people! Even if the wreck should hang together till the
morning, they will be washed overboard and be lost. Though we missed
saving the people from the wreck last year, through their own folly, we
must not be dispirited. Perhaps we may be able to save these. Bill, go
and find your brothers, and tell them that there's a ship will be on
shore directly, and that we must do something to help. Say nothing,
though, to your mother, boy." Bill hastened away, and old John still
watched the ship.

As he had foreseen, the stranger very soon drove on to a dangerous part
of the sand-banks, and the sea before long was evidently making a clean
breach over the deck. In a short time all the young Haddens, and
several other men, came down on the beach, bringing old John's
rough-weather coat and boots, which he put on while they were getting
ready to launch the boat. Little Ben came with his brothers.

Old John put his hand on the boy's shoulder, and looked earnestly into
his face. "No, Ben, I'll not take thee, my child, to-day," said he;
"it's over-rough work we are going on; I couldn't even tell thy moth