eboats 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 shilling 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 ship, 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
Institution--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 Institution.
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
shipwrecked crews. At least one-third of the medals awarded by the
Lifeboat Institution 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 ship and the shore by means of a rope
attach