Produced by Al Haines. [Illustration: Cover] [Illustration: THE LIFEBOAT IN THE STORM] STORIES OF THE LIFEBOAT BY FRANK MUNDELL AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF THE VICTORIA CROSS" "INTO THE UNKNOWN WEST" ETC FOURTH EDITION [Illustration: title page illustration] LONDON: THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION 57 AND 59 LUDGATE HILL, E.C. VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES. BY FRANK MUNDELL, AUTHOR OF "THE HEROINES’ LIBRARY." _Crown 8vo, cloth boards, 1s. 6d. each._ WITH PORTRAITS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. STORIES OF THE FAR WEST. STORIES OF THE COAL MINE. STORIES OF THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY. STORIES OF THE FIRE BRIGADE. STORIES OF NORTH POLE ADVENTURE. STORIES OF THE VICTORIA CROSS. STORIES OF THE LIFEBOAT. _Of all Booksellers._ LONDON: THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION, 57 AND 59 LUDGATE HILL, E.C. PREFACE In sending forth this little work to the public, I desire to acknowledge my obligations to the following:--The Royal National Lifeboat Institution for the valuable matter placed at my disposal, also for the use of the illustrations on pages 20 and 21; to Mr. Clement Scott and the proprietors of _Punch_ for permission to use the poem, "The Warriors of the Sea"; to the proprietors of _The Star_ for the poem, "The Stranding of the _Eider_"; and to the proprietors of the _Kent Argus_ for so freely granting access to the files of their journal. Lastly, my thanks are due to the publishers--at whose suggestion the work was undertaken--for the generous manner in which they have illustrated the book. F. M. LONDON, _September_, 1894. CONTENTS CHAP. I. MAN THE LIFEBOAT II. LIFEBOAT DISASTERS III. THE WARRIORS OF THE SEA IV. THE GOODWIN SANDS V. THE BOATMEN OF THE DOWNS VI. A GOOD NIGHT’S WORK VII. THE "BRADFORD" TO THE RESCUE VIII. THE LAST CHANCE IX. HARDLY SAVED X. A WRESTLE WITH DEATH XI. A DOUBLE RESCUE XII. DEAL MEN TO THE RESCUE XIII. THE WRECK OF THE "BENVENUE" XIV. THE STRANDING OF THE "EIDER" XV. THE WRECK OF THE "NORTHERN BELLE" XVI. A GALLANT RESCUE XVII. A BUSY DAY XVIII. A RESCUE IN MID-OCEAN XIX. THE "THREE BELLS" XX. ON THE CORNISH COAST XXI. A PLUCKY CAPTAIN XXII. BY SHEER STRENGTH XXIII. WRECKED IN PORT