“Boat ahoy!” some one shouted, and Sam replied, standing up as he did, so that his uniform might be seen. “Are you a member of a life-saving crew?” “Ay, sir; the station is a mile and a half away around the point. Are you in need of assistance?” “We want tugs. Can you telephone from your quarters?” “Ay, sir.” “Ask that two steamers be sent at once. We’re not heavily aground; but to such an extent that our engines are of no avail.” “Shall we take off your passengers?” “There’s no need of it. We can lie here easily enough, if it isn’t possible to haul us off before morning.” “I’m not so certain of that, sir. The tide will fall twelve inches or more before the ebb, and the water hereabouts is rough.” “Send a message for me to the city, and that will be enough,” the master replied curtly, and Sam took up the oars again, pulling vigorously toward the station. “There’s what you call a pig-headed captain,” he said when the dory was some distance away. “It stands to reason he doesn’t know anything about this coast, else he’d never gone on that shoal, an’ he had too good an opinion of his own abilities to so much as look at the chart. There are no tugs around here that can pull him off before high tide, and in the meanwhile he’s likely to find that the steamer won’t lay as easy as he’s countin’ on.” “There comes our surf-boat!” Benny cried, pointing toward a projecting cliff which hid the station from view, and around which the life-saving crew were just appearing. “I knew they’d answer the steamer’s signal as soon as it could be done.” “Of course they would, lad, there are no sleepy heads among us, if I do say it. Tom Downey will read that captain a lecture, I reckon.” The dory and the surf-boat were soon side by side, and the keeper asked for information concerning the steamer. Sam repeated the conversation he had had with the captain, and Mr. Downey replied: “Send the message as soon as you get back, and then go on duty at once, taking up a station directly opposite where the steamer lies. Flash the Coston twice if she’s likely to need us between now and midnight. Joe Cushing shall cover the remainder of your beat.” Then word was given for the crew to “pull away,” and Sam bent to his oars as if time was very precious. “Does Mr. Downey think it is possible the steamer can come to any harm in such pleasant weather?” Benny asked in surprise. “There’s no telling what may happen, lad, and Downey don’t intend to get himself into trouble if it can be prevented.” “What trouble can come to him if the captain of the steamer won’t allow the crew to do anything?” “In case there should be loss of life, even after what’s been said and done, all hands of us would be called for an explanation as to why we didn’t do our duty. Let any trouble come to that steamer, an’ we’re bound to stand an investigation, for the Superintendent of the Service is mighty sharp in such affairs.”