, hopeful hearts were on the lookout. At last the
steamer and her warrior-boat appeared, and a feeling of great gladness
seemed to spread through the crowd when it was observed that a flag was
flying at the mast-head, a well-known sign of victory.

On they came, right gallantly over the still turbulent waves. As they
passed the pier-heads, and the crowd of pale faces were seen gazing
upwards in smiling acknowledgment of the hearty welcome, there burst
forth a deep-toned thrilling cheer, which increased in enthusiasm as the
extent of the victory was realised, and culminated when it became known
that at one grand swoop the lifeboat, after a fight of sixteen hours,
had rescued a hundred and twenty souls from the grasp of the raging sea!

Reader, there was many a heart-stirring incident enacted that night
which I have not told you, and much more might be related of that great
battle and glorious victory. But enough, surely, has been told to give
you some idea of what our coast heroes dare and do in their efforts to
rescue the perishing.

CHAPTER THREE.

LIGHT AND SHADE IN LIFEBOAT WORK.

But victory does not always crown the efforts of our lifeboats.
Sometimes we have to tell of partial failure or defeat, and it is due to
the lifeboat cause to show that our coast heroes are to the full as
daring, self-sacrificing, and noble, in the time of disaster as they are
in the day of victory.

A splendid instance of persevering effort in the face of absolutely
insurmountable difficulty was afforded by the action of the Constance
lifeboat, belonging to Tynemouth, on the night of the 24th November,
1864.

On that night the coast of Northumberland was visited by one of the
severest gales that had been experienced for many years, and a
tremendous sea was dashing and roaring among the rocks at the mouth of
the Tyne. Many ships had sought refuge in the harbour during the day,
but, as the shades of evening began to descend, the risk of attempting
an entrance became very great. At last, as the night was closing in,
the schooner Friendship ran on the rocks named the Black Middens.

Shortly afterwards a large steamer, the Stanley, of Aberdeen, with
thirty passengers (most of whom were women), thirty of a crew, a cargo
of merchandise, and a deckload of cattle, attempted to take the river.
On approaching she sent up rockets for a pilot, but none dared venture
out to her. The danger of putting out again to sea was too great. T