"'Bout balanced the creepers," said Josh. "It's a question of a pound weight at a time like this. There, take it steadily, my lads. We're safe now, and can see that the tide's carrying of us in. Lights look bigger, eh?" "Yes," said Will, who was working hard with his baler. "Where shall we drive ashore?" "Oh! pretty close to the point," cried Josh. "I say, youngster, this is coming fishing, eh?" "Oh! it is horrible," said Dick, piteously. "Not it, lad," cried Josh. "It's grand. Why, we might ha' been drownded, and, what's wuss, never washed ashore." Dick shivered as much from cold as misery, and gazed in the direction of the lights. "Wonder what steamer that was as run us down!" said Josh, as the vessel he used to bale began now to scrape the wood at the bottom of the boat. "French screw," replied Will. "An English boat would have kept a better look-out. Why, you are cold!" he added, as he laid his hand on Dick. "Ye-es," said the latter with a shudder. "It is horribly cold. Shall we ever get ashore?" "Ashore! yes," cried Josh. "Why, they'd be able, 'most to hear us now. Let's try." Taking a long breath, he placed both hands to his cheeks, and then gave vent to a dismal hail--a hail in a minor key--the cry of the sailor in dire peril, when he appeals to those on shore to come to his help, and save him from the devouring storm-beaten sea. "Ahoy--ah!" the last syllable in a sinking inflexion of the voice a few seconds after the first. Then again: "Ahoy--ah!" He went on baling till no more water could be thrown out, and the boat drifted slowly on with the tide. Away to their left there rose the lamp-lit windows and the pier light. Lower down, too, were a couple of dim red lamps, one above the other, telling of the little dock; but no answer came from the shore. "There's sure to be some one on the cliff, Josh; hail again," said Will. "Ay, if we had a flare now, we should bring out the life-boat to fetch us in," cried Josh. "Why, Will lad, we shall be taken a mile away from the town, and perhaps out to sea again. I wish I had an oar." "Ahoy--ah!" Then again and again; and still there was no response, while they drifted slowly on over the sea, which looked to Dick, as he gazed down into its depths, alive with tiny stars, and these not the reflections of those above. "Ahoy--ah!" shouted Josh again, with all the power of his stentorian lungs. "They're all asleep," he growled; "we shall have to drift ashore and walk home. If I only had one oar I'd scull her back in no time. Ahoy-- ah!" Still no response, and the boat floated on beneath the wondrous starry sky, while every time those in the boat made the slightest movement a golden rippling film seemed to run from her sides, and die away upon the surface of the sea.