“The gale blew out by night, but we lay in smotherin’ cross-seas that made the auld _Kite_ chatter from stem to stern. I slowed to thirty-four, I mind—no, thirty-seven. There was a long swell the morn, an’ the _Grotkau_ was headin’ into it west awa’. “‘She’ll win to Rio yet, tail-shaft or no tail-shaft,’ says Bell. “‘Last night shook her,’ I said. ‘She’ll jar it off yet, mark my word.’ “We were then, maybe, a hunder and fifty mile westsou’west o’ Slyne Head, by dead reckonin’. Next day we made a hunder an’ thirty—ye’ll note we were not racin-boats—an’ the day after a hunder an’ sixty-one, an’ that made us, we’ll say, Eighteen an’ a bittock west, an’ maybe Fifty-one an’ a bittock north, crossin’ all the North Atlantic liner lanes on the long slant, always in sight o’ the _Grotkau_, creepin’ up by night and fallin’ awa’ by day. After the gale it was cold weather wi’ dark nights. “I was in the engine-room on Friday night, just before the middle watch, when Bell whustled down the tube: ‘She’s done it’; an’ up I came. “The _Grotkau_ was just a fair distance south, an’ one by one she ran up the three red lights in a vertical line—the sign of a steamer not under control. “‘Yon’s a tow for us,’ said Bell, lickin’ his chops. ‘She’ll be worth more than the _Breslau_. We’ll go down to her, McPhee!’ “‘Bide a while,’ I said. ‘The seas fair throng wi’ ships here.’ “‘Reason why,’ said Bell. ‘It’s a fortune gaun beggin’. What d’ ye think, man?’ “‘Gie her till daylight. She knows we’re here. If Bannister needs help he’ll loose a rocket.’ “‘Wha told ye Bannister’s need? We’ll ha’ some rag-an’-bone tramp snappin’ her up under oor nose,’ said he; an’ he put the wheel over. We were goin’ slow. “‘Bannister wad like better to go home on a liner an’ eat in the saloon. Mind ye what they said o’ Holdock & Steiner’s food that night at Radley’s? Keep her awa’, man—keep her awa’. A tow’s a tow, but a derelict’s big salvage.’ “‘E-eh!’ said Bell. ‘Yon’s an inshot o’ yours, Mac. I love ye like a brother. We’ll bide whaur we are till daylight’; an’ he kept her awa’. “Syne up went a rocket forward, an’ twa on the bridge, an’ a blue light aft. Syne a tar-barrel forward again. “‘She’s sinkin’,’ said Bell. ‘It’s all gaun, an’ I’ll get no more than a pair o’ night-glasses for pickin’ up young Bannister—the fool!’ “‘Fair an’ soft again,’ I said. ‘She’s signallin’ to the south of us. Bannister knows as well as I that one rocket would bring the _Kite_. He’ll no be wastin’ fireworks for nothin’. Hear her ca’!’ “The _Grotkau_ whustled an’ whustled for five minutes, an’ then there were more fireworks—a regular exhibeetion. “‘That’s no for men in the regular trade,’ says Bell. ‘Ye’re right, Mac. That’s for a cuddy full o’ passengers.’ He blinked through the night-glasses when it lay a bit thick to southward. “‘What d’ ye make of it?’ I said.