iance that lent a
mystic spectral effect to all the surroundings.

What a difference the vessel presented to her appearance of the morning!

Then she was high and dry on the shingle, with the retreating tide going
out to sea to flood coasts elsewhere, only indicating that it had not
quite gone yet by a faint splash and ripple on the shore; and, deserted
by the element that should have supported her and did when she moved and
had her being, gliding through the waters "like a thing of life," the
wretched steamer stood up so gaunt and grim that she seemed more than
twice her natural size.

That was in the morning, barely twelve hours ago! But, now, where was
she? The tell-tale light of the moon explained all, without a word
being wanted.

At first no doubt, the breakers!--how aptly named!--had begun their
attack against the poor crippled thing's hull by degrees, little billows
leading the assault that could only leap half-way up the side of the
stranded steamer, falling back with impotent mutterings in a passion of
spray; then, as the tide rose, these were succeeded by bigger waves
rolling in from the eastwards, which, swollen with pride and brimming
with destruction, beat and blustered all about the vessel from cutwater
to sternpost, seeking ingress through the timbers that they might fall
upon her and devour her.

Through it all the poor _Bembridge Belle_ battled bravely, holding her
own as long as she could keep her head above the boisterous billows;
but, when the tide rose yet higher, and the waters flowed through her
fore and aft, her upper deck became submerged, the sea made a clean
breach over her, the waves took her in their rough hands and shook her
so that she trembled, her hull working to and fro in the shingle, the
blustering billows dashed against her, and she began to break up. The
loose upper or hurricane-deck parted. Then the contents of the main
saloon below, of which this deck formed the roof, commenced washing
adrift, the broken water round the deck pitching and tossing about
cushions and chairs, flaps of tables, and all sorts of pieces of
furniture, some of which were cast up ashore near by, and others carried
out by the tide to goodness knows where!

The Captain and Mrs Gilmour, with Bob and Nell, and Dick and Rover,
too, watched this sad ending of the steamer's career with almost as
heavy hearts as if they were her owners. Rover, indeed, took such a
very deep interest in her that he assist