He was soon on board, and saw at a glance what was the matter. The crew of the brig, being benumbed by long exposure, had not strength to tie the heavy cable round the mast. This the Coastguardsman did for them at once, and, as he did so, observed that there were two little girls among the crew. Then he gave a well-understood signal with a ship's lantern to the men on shore, who fastened a slung lifebuoy to their whip line, hung it by a block to the thick cable, and ran it quickly out to the wreck. There was no time to lose now. Our hero seized the two little girls and put them into the bag which hung from the circular lifebuoy. "Take care of my darlings," gasped the captain of the brig, who clung to the ship's side almost quite exhausted. "Come, get into the buoy, and go ashore with 'em yourself," cried our hero. "No. The three of us would be too heavy; send the steward. He's a light man and brave," replied the captain. The steward was ordered to jump on the buoy and cling to it, so as to guard the little ones and prevent their being thrown out. A signal having been again given with the lantern, the lifebuoy was drawn swiftly to land. It was a terrible passage, for the brig had begun to roll on her rocky bed, and at every roll the hawser and the lifebuoy dipped into the sea, or were jerked violently out of it, while the risk of being let drop on the black rocks that came grinning to the surface was very great. But all went well. The three were received on the rocks with cheers, and conveyed up the cliffs to the Coastguard-house above, where warm welcome and shelter awaited them. The cheers were not heard by those in the wreck, but the re-appearance of the lifebuoy proved that the children had been saved, and a deep "Thanks be to God!" burst from their father's lips. Still the captain refused to go, when urged. "No," he said, "let the men go first." So, one by one, the men were safely hauled on shore. "Now, captain, it's your turn at last," said our hero, approaching him. He still hesitated. Then the stout Coastguardsman absolutely lifted him into the lifebuoy. "No time for ceremony," he said, with a smile, giving the signal with his lantern, "the brig's going fast. Tell 'em to look sharp on shore, for I'm gettin' used up with all this work."