ts, and shoes, as if my life depended on my
speed, wondering the while at the poker incident. There was unusual
need for clothing, for the night was bitterly cold.

On gaining the deck I found the two men on duty actively at work, one
loading the lee gun, the other fitting a rocket to its stick. A few
hurried questions by the mate elicited all that it was needful to know.
The flash of a gun from the South Sand Head Lightship, about six miles
distant, had been seen, followed by a rocket, indicating that a vessel
had got upon the fatal sands in her vicinity. While the men were
speaking I saw the flash of another gun, but heard no report, owing to
the gale carrying the sound to leeward. A rocket followed, and at the
same moment we observed the distress signal of the vessel in danger
flaring on the southern tail of the sands, but very faintly; it was so
far away, and the night so thick.

By this time our gun was charged and the rocket in position.

"Look alive, Jack; fetch the poker!" cried the mate, as he primed the
gun.

I was enlightened as to the poker! Jack dived down the hatchway and
next moment returned with that instrument red-hot. He applied it in
quick succession to gun and rocket. A grand flash and crash from the
first was followed by a blinding blaze and a whiz as the second sprang
with a magnificent curve far away into surrounding darkness. This was
our answer to the South Sand Head Lightship. It was, at the same time,
our signal-call to the lookout on the pier of Ramsgate Harbour.

"That's a beauty!" said our mate, referring to the rocket. "Get up
another, Jack. Sponge her well out, Jacobs; we'll give 'em another shot
in a few minutes."

Loud and clear were both our signals, but four and a half miles of
distance and a fresh gale neutralised their influence on that dark and
dismal night. The lookout did not see them. In a few minutes the gun
and rocket were fired again. Still no answering signal came from
Ramsgate.

"Load the weather gun!" said the mate.

Jacobs obeyed, and I sought shelter under the lee of the weather
bulwarks, for the wind seemed to be made of pen-knives and needles! The
sturdy Gull straining and plunging wildly at her huge cables, trembled
as our third gun thundered forth its summons, but the rocket struck the
rigging and made a low, wavering flight. Another was therefore sent up,
but it had scarcely cut its bright line across the sky when we observed
the answering