"I can go quicker than you, Tobias Bassett," the girl declared through chattering teeth. "And I would rather keep moving than stand here idle. There is no shelter here." "I’ll bust in the door of Rube Kellock’s fish house——" "I am going with you," interrupted the girl with determination. "Where is the path up the bluff? Can you find it in the dark?" "I cal’late," replied the lightkeeper. "If you _will_ go, come on." Their eyes were now accustomed to the darkness. Besides, even on the gloomiest night there is always a faint glow upon the water. And the foaming of the wave-crests cast some radiance all about. When Tobias once found the path, Lorna mounted to the summit of the bluff much more quickly than he. "Oh, sugar!" the lightkeeper panted, when he finally caught up with her. "You’re just as quick on your feet, Lorny, as a sheep. I never see—— Dad fetch it! what’s that?" As had the girl, he had first turned to look off across the sea to the spot where they had last seen the laboring fishing schooner. A greenish-white light began to glow low down on the sea, and inshore. "It’s the schooner, Tobias!" cried Lorna. "Oh! She is ashore!" "I cal’late you’re right," the old man breathed. "Yep. On the outer reef. There!" The girl shrieked, crouching at his feet and hiding her eyes. Tobias stared. The growing Coston light picked out the broken spars and the slanting deck of the _Nelly G_. The banker had gone broadside on the submerged rocks not half a mile south of the Twin Rocks Light. CHAPTER XXIX DAYBREAK Thirty-six hours previous Ralph Endicott had boarded the schooner bound for the fishing banks and had been obliged, because of the rising sea, to cast Gyp Pellet’s catboat adrift. The _Gullwing_ was scarcely seaworthy, anyway, and Ralph had already agreed on a price to pay the Peehawket boatman if the old tub were lost. Captain Bob Pritchett of the _Nelly G._ would not have had his craft so far inshore with this rising gale, it is true, had he not received Ralph’s telegram announcing the young man’s delay, and that Ralph would be somewhere off the jaw of Cape Fisher awaiting the schooner’s coming. Nevertheless, it was not Ralph’s fault that the _Nelly G._ had got into serious trouble. He was not counted by the crew as a Jonah. It was one of those happenings that even the best seamanship could not have avoided. Not long after nightfall, and while the _Nelly G._ was heading almost into the wind but making good sea-room, a big, gray wave rose up out of the unexpected quarter of due east and smashed down upon the stern of the schooner. Her waist was filled and everything was washed overboard that was not lashed or that did not cling by main force.