aking advantage of the rising tide, cut the inner angles
of the channel to keep apace.

With flood tide to help us, we made good progress. The press of shipping
gradually dropped astern till only the troop transport, our
sea-neighbours of the convoy, kept company with us. Satisfied with the
speed made, the pilot reckoned up the mileage and the tide. We were for
Hull and, with luck, he expected to make Yarmouth Roads before darkness
and the Admiralty regulations obliged us to bring up. Like all who serve
the tide, he was prepared for an upset to his plans. "Not much use
figuring things out in these days, Capt'n," he said. "A lot o'
happenings come our way. In spite o' these fellows out there"--he
pointed to a group of destroyers lining out on our seaward beam--"the
U-boat minelayers get in on the channels to lay 'eggs'; as fast as we
can sweep them up, sometimes. But"--cheerfully--"they don't always get
back for another load: saw the bits o' one being towed into Harwich last
week."

Happenings came our way. At the Edinburgh Channel, where the troop
transports parted company and turned away for London, we were halted by
an urgent signal from a spurring torpedo-boat. 'Ships bound north to
anchor instantly,' was the reading of her flags; we rounded to and
obeyed. In groups and straggling units, we were joined by the larger
number of the fleet that had left the Downs with us. Some few were for
the Thames and steamed ahead in wake of the troop-ships, but the most
were bound for east-coast ports and anchored near the Channel Lightship.
Two hours of precious daylight were lost to us as we rode out the last
of the flood. High water came and we swung around on the cant of the
wind. The pilot grew visibly impatient. The traverse of his reckoning
lessened in mileage with every hasty step or two up and down the bridge.
Yarmouth Roads receded into the morrow; Lowestoft (if the chief could
crack her up to thirteen) was possible, but unlikely. Time passed, with
no clearing signal--we were to be 'nipped' on the long stretch with no
prospect but to dodge into Hollesay Bay before black night came.

By some mysterious agency, the coasters developed a foreknowledge of
permission to proceed. Feathers of white steam curled from their
windlasses, and their anchors were awash before the block was signalled
clear. They had start of us. Less handily, we got under way and stood on
into the Black Deep, where the smaller craft were throwing green