get on the rock,
and that's the main thing."

Ruby and his friend now entered upon a long and earnest conversation as
to their peculiar duties at the Bell Rock, with which we will not
trouble the reader.

After breakfast they went on deck, and here Ruby had sufficient to
occupy his attention and to amuse him for some hours.

As the tide that day did not fall low enough to admit of landing on the
rock till noon, the men were allowed to spend the time as they pleased.
Some therefore took to fishing, others to reading, while a few employed
themselves in drying their clothes, which had got wet the previous day,
and one or two entertained themselves and their comrades with the music
of the violin and flute. All were busy with one thing or another, until
the rock began to show its black crest above the smooth sea. Then a
bell was rung to summon the artificers to land.

This being the signal for Ruby to commence work, he joined his friend
Dove, and assisted him to lower the bellows of the forge into the boat.
The men were soon in their places, with their various tools, and the
boats pushed off--Mr Stevenson, the engineer of the building, steering
one boat, and the master of the _Pharos_, who was also appointed to the
post of landing-master, steering the other.

They landed with ease on this occasion on the western side of the rock,
and then each man addressed himself to his special duty with energy.
The time during which they could work being short, they had to make the
most of it.

"Now, lad," said the smith, "bring along the bellows and follow me.
Mind yer footin', for it's slippery walkin' on them tangle-covered
rocks. I've seen some ugly falls here already."

"Have any bones been broken yet?" enquired Ruby, as he shouldered the
large pair of bellows, and followed the smith cautiously over the rocks.

"Not yet; but there's been an awful lot o' pipes smashed. If it goes on
as it has been, we'll have to take to metal ones. Here we are, Ruby,
this is the forge, and I'll be bound you never worked at such a queer
one before. Hallo! Bremner!" he shouted to one of the men.

"That's me," answered Bremner.

"Bring your irons as soon as you like! I'm about ready for you."

"Ay, ay, here they are," said the man, advancing with an armful of
picks, chisels, and other tools, which required sharpening.

He slipped and fell as he spoke, sending all the tools into the bottom
of a pool of water; but, being used to such