ld reach it."

"Even now that ship might be saved, or, at all events, the lives of her
people, if she had a pilot on board to carry her into Yell Sound,"
shouted Captain Maitland. "What say you, Rolf?"

"That if mortal power could carry a man on board her, I would go,"
answered Morton. "But what boat could live in such a sea as that?"

"If a boat built and manned by human hands can live in this sea, there
is one this moment in Hamna Voe as well able to do so as any which
floats on water," answered Maitland. "Some of her crew may be at their
hut even now, though the gale will have given those who live nearest a
holiday, and they probably have gone to their houses."

The voe alluded to was a small but deep one, forming a good harbour on
the north side of Navie Grind. High rugged rocks formed the sides, but
there was a pathway down them to the water. Towards the inner end there
was a piece of level ground, sloping up from the beach; here the
fishermen had built a shed, which served them as a dwelling during the
fishing season. It was a long, low edifice, composed both of mud and
blocks of rock, but chiefly of timber, fragments of wreck cast up on the
beach. The doorway was the only aperture, and this served not only for
the ingress and egress of the inhabitants, but to admit light, and to
allow such part of the smoke from the fire in the centre as ever found
its way into the open air to escape; a considerable portion, it appeared
clinging to the walls and rafters, which were thoroughly blackened by
it, giving it a somewhat gloomy aspect. On one side were piled up
masts, and spars, and oars; and sails, and nets, and coils of rope were
hung against the walls or on the beams overhead; while, on the other,
were a row of bunks or standing bed places, formed out of fragments of
wreck-wood. Three or four men, seated on casks or three-legged stools,
were busily plying their netting-needles, while several others were fast
asleep on the bunks. The pathway, down which Morton and his companions
hurried, led close down to the shed. His announcement, as he entered,
that there was a ship in sight, partly dismasted, made all hands, the
sleepers as well as the workers, spring to their feet. They looked
rather blank, however, when Captain Maitland, who entered directly
after, added:

"Remember, lads, we must have none of the old customs of the island put
in practice, understand that. We want to save the ship if we can, or