The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jeff Benson, or the Young Coastguardsman, by R.M. Ballantyne This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Jeff Benson, or the Young Coastguardsman Author: R.M. Ballantyne Release Date: June 7, 2007 [EBook #21743] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JEFF BENSON *** Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England R.M. Ballantyne "Jeff Benson, or the Young Coastguardsman" Chapter One. Our Hero Introduced with some of his Friends. A poor schoolmaster named Benson died, not long ago, in a little town on the south-east coast of England, which shall be called Cranby. He left an only son, Jeffrey, and an elder brother, Jacob, to mourn his loss. The son mourned for his father profoundly, for he loved him much. The brother mourned him moderately, for he was a close- fisted, hard-hearted, stern man of the law, whose little soul, enclosed in a large body, had not risen to the conception of any nobler aim in life than the acquisition of wealth, or any higher enjoyment than a social evening with men like himself. The son Jeffrey was a free-and-easy, hearty, good-natured lad, with an overgrown and handsome person, an enthusiastic spirit, a strong will, and a thorough belief in his own ability to achieve anything to which he chose to set his mind. Up to the time of his father’s death, Jeff’s main idea of the desirable in life was—fun! Fun in all its more innocent phases seemed to him the sum of what was wanted by man. He had experienced it in all its scholastic forms ever since he was a little boy; and even when, at the mature age of fifteen, he was promoted to the rank of usher in his father’s school, his chief source of solace and relaxation was the old play-ground, where he naturally reigned supreme, being the best runner, rower, wrestler, jumper, gymnast, and, generally, the best fellow in the school. He had never known a mother’s love, and his father’s death was the first blow that helped to shatter his early notions of felicity. The cloud that overshadowed him at that time was very dark, and he received no sympathy worth mentioning from his only relative, the solicitor. “Well, Jeff, what d’you think of doing?” asked that austere relative, two days after the funeral. “Of course at your age you can’t carry on the school alone.” “Of course not,” answered the boy, with a suppressed sob. “What say you to entering my office and becoming a lawyer, Jeff?” “Thanks, uncle, I’d rather not.” “W hat will you do, then?” demanded the uncle, somewhat offended at this flat rejection of his proposal. The lad thought for a moment, and then said quietly but decidedly, “I’ll go to sea.” “Go to the world’s end if you like,” returned the uncle, who was proud and touchy, and hated the sea; “but don’t ask me to help you.” “Thank you, uncle,” replied the lad, who was as proud as himself, though not touchy, and had a strong affection for the sea; “having no particular business at the world’s end just now, I’ll put off my visit to a more convenient season.” They parted, and we need scarcely add that the brief intercourse of uncle and nephew which had thus suddenly begun as suddenly ceased. It is not usually difficult for a strong, active lad, with merry black eyes and cheery manners, to obtain employment. At least Jeffrey Benson did not find it so. A few miles from his native town there was a seaport. Thither he repaired, and looked about him. In the harbour lay a small vessel which looked like a yacht, it was so trim and clean. On the quay near to it stood a seafaring man with an amiable expression of countenance. “Is that your schooner?” asked Jeff of this man. “Yes, it is.” “D’you want a hand?” “No, I don’t.” Jeff turned on his heel, and was walking away, when the seafaring man recalled him. “Have ’ee ever bin to sea, lad?” he asked. “No, never.” “D’ye know anything about ships?” “Next to nothing.” “D’ye think you could do anything, now, aboard of a ship?” “Perhaps.” “Come along, then, wi’ me to the office, an’ I’ll see to this.” Thus was Jeff introduced to the skipper of the coasting vessel in which he spent the succeeding six years of his life. At the end of that time his schooner was totally wrecked in a gale that sent more than two hundred vessels on the rocks of the British Isles. The skipper was washed overboard and drowned, but Jeff was saved along with the rest of the crew, by means of the rocket apparatus. By that time our hero had become a tall, powerful man, with a curly black beard and moustache. Through the influence of a friend he was offered a situation in the coastguard; accepted it, and, to his great satisfaction, was stationed in the neighbourhood of Cranby, his native town. Now, near to that town Jeff had a confidante, into whose sympathetic bosom he had poured his joys and sorrows from the days of little boyhood. Of course this confidante was a woman—a thin, little, elderly creature, with bright blue eyes, and grey hair that had once been golden, who had a sort of tremble in her voice, and whose frame was so light that the fishermen were wont to say of her that if she was to show her nose outside when it was blowing only half a gale she’d be blowed away like a fleck of foam. Nevertheless Miss Millet was a distinct power in Cranby. Being off duty one fine afternoon, our coastguardsman walked along the beach in the direction of Cranby, bent on paying a visit to Miss Millet, whom he had not seen for several years. On his way he had to pass a piece of common close to the town, where he found that a number of the townsmen and some of the fishermen from the neighbouring hamlet had assembled to hold high holiday and engage in athletic exercises. The memory of school-days came strong upon him as he watched the sport, and he longed to join, but was modest enough to feel that his offering to do so in connection with games which seemed to have been already organised might be an intrusion. Two men were wrestling when he joined the circle of spectators—one was a fisherman, the other a huge blacksmith of the town. They were well matched; for, although the fisherman was shorter than the blacksmith, he was an unusually powerful man. Great was the excitement as the two herculean men strove for the mastery, and loud was the cheer when at last the blacksmith prevailed and threw his adversary. But the enthusiasm was somewhat damped by the boastful manner in which the victor behaved; for it is not easy to sing the praises of a man whose looks and words show that he greatly overrates himself. “You don’t need to look so cocky, Rodger,” cried a cynical voice in the crowd. “There be lots o’ men as could throw thee, though they ben’t here just now.” Rodger turned sharply round, intending to give an angry defiance to the speaker; but seeing that it was only Reuben Drew, a white-haired old shoemaker of small stature, he burst into a sarcastic laugh. “Well, I don’t deny,” he said, “that there may be many men as could throw me, but I defy any of ’ee now present to do it.” This was an opening for Jeff Benson, who was not slow to avail himself of it. Stepping into the ring he threw off his coat. “Come along, Rodger,” he said, with a good-humoured look; “you’ll have to make good your words.” Of course our hero was received with a cheer of satisfaction; for although Jeff was two inches shorter than his adversary—the latter being six feet two—it could be seen at a glance that he was at least his match in breadth of shoulder and development of muscle. But in truth the young coastguardsman was much more than the blacksmith’s match, for at school he had received special training in the art of wrestling from his father, who was a Cornishman, and hard service in the coasting trade had raised his strength of limb to the highest possible point. “Surely I’ve seen that young man somewhere,” whispered one of the spectators to Reuben. “So have I,” returned the latter. “Don’t he look uncommon like the old schoolmaster’s son? Hallo!” And well might Reuben exclaim “hallo!” for Jeff, instead of grasping his opponent round the waist, had suddenly seized him with one hand by the neck, with the other by the leg, and lifting him completely off the ground, had flung him on his back. The people were too much astonished at first to cheer. They burst into a fit of laughter, which, however, extended into a hearty cheer when Reuben cried out, “It is Jeffrey Benson, as sure as I’m alive,” and claimed him as a townsman. “You’re right, Reuben,” said Jeff, as he put on his coat, “though I am a good bit changed, no doubt, since I was here last.” “Then the townsman have beaten the seaman after all,” exclaimed one who was inclined to triumph. “Not so,” returned Jeff quickly, “for I’m a seaman myself and take sides with the fishermen.” “Well said; give us your hand, mate,” cried John Golding, one of the latter, holding out his hand, which our hero grasped warmly, for he had known the man in former years. “You’ve done well in credit o’ the sea.” “An’ better still,” said little Reuben, “in doing credit to the land by refusin’ to boast.” Nevertheless, though Jeff Benson did not boast, it is but just to say that he felt considerable satisfaction in his triumph, and rejoiced in the possession of so powerful a frame, as he continued his walk to Miss Millet’s house. It did not occur to him, however, to thank God for his strength of body, because at that time “God was not in all his thoughts.” Miss Millet was a woman of action and projects. Her whole being was absorbed in one idea—that of doing good; but her means were small, very small, for, besides being exceedingly poor, she was in delicate health and getting old. She subsisted on quite a microscopic annuity; but, instead of trying to increase it, she devoted the whole of her time to labours of love and charity. The labour that suited her health and circumstances best was knitting socks for the poor, because that demanded little thought and set her mind free to form unlimited projects. The delight which Miss Millet, experienced in meeting with her old friend Jeffrey Benson was displayed in the vivacity of her reception of him and the tremulosity of her little cap. “It’s just like coming home, auntie—may I still venture to call you so?” Jeff had been wont to sit on a stool at the good lady’s feet. He did so now—on the old stool. “You may call me what you please, Jeff. It was your child-fancy to accord to me that honourable relationship; so you may continue it if you will. How you are grown, too! I could not have known you had I met you—so big, and with that horrible black beard.” “Horrible! Miss Millet?” “Well, terrible, if you prefer it. It’s so bushy and unnatural for one so young.” “That can hardly be, auntie,” rejoined the youth, with a smile that sent quite a ripple down the objectionable beard, “because my beard was provided by Nature.” “Well, Jeff,” returned the spinster promptly, “were not scissors and razors provided by—no, it was art that provided them,” she continued with a little smile of confusion; “but they are provided all the same, and— But we won’t pursue that subject, for you men are incorrigible! Now tell me, Jeff, where you have been, and why you didn’t come to see me sooner, and why your letters have been so few— though I admit they were long.” We will not inflict on the reader all the conversation that ensued. W hen Jeff had exhausted his narrative, Miss Millet discovered that it was tea-time; and, while engaged in preparations for the evening meal, she enlarged upon some of her projects, being encouraged thereto by Jeff, whose heart was naturally sympathetic. “But some of my projects are impossible,” she said, with a little sigh. “Some small things, indeed, I have accomplished, with God’s blessing; but there are others which are quite beyond me.” “Indeed! Tell me now, auntie, if you had Aladdin’s wonderful lamp, what would you ask for?” “I’d ask for—let me see (the old face became quite thoughtful here)—I’d ask for a library. You see, Cranby is very badly off for books, and people cannot easily improve without reading, you know. Then I would ask for a new church, and a school room, and a town-hall where we might have lectures and concerts, and for a whole street of model-houses for the poor, and a gymnasium, and a swimming- bath and—” “A swimming-bath, auntie!” exclaimed Jeff. “Isn’t the sea big enough?” “Yes, but children won’t learn in the sea. They’re too fond of running about the edge, and of romping in the shallow water. Besides, the bath could be used in winter, when the sea is too cold. But I’m praying for all these things. If God sees fit, He will give them. If not, I am content with what He has already given.” A somewhat sceptical smile rested for a moment on the young man’s lips. Happily his heavy moustache concealed it, and saved Miss Millet’s feelings. But she went on to vindicate the ways of God with man, and to impress upon Jeff the fact that in His good wisdom “ills” or “wells,” and things that seem to us only evil, work out gracious ends. Jeff listened, but said little, and evidently his difficulties were not all removed. Presently, observing that three cups were laid on the table, he asked, “Do you expect company?” “Yes, my brother the captain is coming to tea. He is about to start for China, and I’m so glad you happen to be here; for I’d like you to know each other, and you’re sure to like him.” Jeff did not feel quite so sure on that point, for he had counted on a long tête-à-tête with his old friend. He took care, however, to conceal his disappointment, and before he had time to reply, the door opened with a crash. “W hat cheer, old girl? what cheer?” resounded in bo’sun’s-mate tones through the house, and next moment a rugged sea-captain stood before them. Chapter Two. A Sea-Captain Relates his Adventures, and Refuses to Draw Morals. Captain Richard Millet, like his sister, was rather eccentric. Unlike her, however, he was large, broad, and powerful. It would have taken considerably more than “half a gale” to blow him away. Even a gale and a half might have failed to do that. “Glad to meet you,” he said, extending his solid-looking hand with a frank, hearty air, on being introduced to Jeff. “My sister Molly has often spoken of you. Sorry to hear you’ve left the sea. Great mistake, young man—great mistake. There’s no school like the sea for teaching a man his dependence on his Maker.” “The school is not very successful, if one may judge from the character of most of its pupils,” replied the youth. “Perhaps you misjudge their character,” returned the captain, with a look of good-natured severity. “I ’m sure he does,” cried Miss Millet, with enthusiasm. “Noble-hearted, simple men, who would probably never go wrong at all if it were not for their unsuspecting trustfulness and bad companions! Come, sit down, Dick. Tea is ready.” “Yes, young man,” continued Captain Millet “you misjudge ’em. You should not judge of a school by the shouting and mischief of the worst boys, who always flaunt their colours, while the good ones steer quietly on their course. You’ll understand that better when your beard is grey. Youth is fond o’ lookin’ at the surface, an’ so is apt to misjudge the character of men as well as the ways of Providence.” Jeff took the rebuke in good part, readily admitted that youth was prone to err, and slily expressed a hope that in his case coming in contact with age might do him good. “If you mean that for a shot at me,” cried the captain, with a loud guffaw, “you’ve missed the mark; for I’m only forty-five, an’ that isn’t age; is it, Molly?” “Of course not. W hy, you’re little more than a baby yet,” replied Miss Millet who greatly enjoyed even a small joke—indeed, she enjoyed almost everything, more or less, that was not wicked. “But now, Dick, I want you to tell Jeff some of your adventures in foreign parts—especially those that have a moral, you know.” “W hy, Molly, that’s a hard job—you don’t want me to draw the moral, do you? I never was good at that, though I’ve known fellows with that peculiar cast o’ brain as could draw a moral out of a marline-spike if they were hard put to it. Seems to me that it’s best to let morals draw themselves. For instance, that time when I was wrecked on the South American coast, I came to a shallow river, an’ had to wade across, but was too lazy to pull off my boots, ’cause they were long fisherman’s boots, right up to the hip an’ rather tight; so in I went boots an’ all. Just as I was gettin’ to the other side, a most awful alligator seized hold o’ my right foot. It’s wonderful how easy my boot came off just then! Although I was used to tug, an’ shove, and gasp, and pull, at that boot of a night, no sooner did the alligator lay hold on it than my leg came out like a cork out of a bottle, and I was out o’ the water and up the bank like a squirrel. Now, Molly, what would you say was the moral that should be drawn from that—Never use an alligator as a boot-jack—eh?” “I should say, Never wade across a South American river without your boots on,” suggested Jeff. “Well, now, I should say, Never wade across a South American river at all,” said Miss Millet; “but, brother, that’s not what I meant. Before you arrived, Jeff and I had been talking about God’s ways with man, and I was trying to show that disasters and what we call misfortunes are not necessarily evil, but are often the means of great blessing. I don’t think Jeff quite sees that. I can’t explain myself clearly, brother; but you know what I mean.” While the old lady was speaking, the captain had become thoughtful. “Yes, I know what you mean,” he replied, “and I agree with you heartily. Is it not written of our Saviour, ‘He hath done all things well?’ and is He not unchangeable? Of course it is not to be expected that we shall always see through and understand His ways though we can always trust Him; but sometimes He lifts a corner of the veil and lets us see. Very odd, Molly,” continued the captain, extracting a large black pocket-book with some difficulty from a breast-pocket, “very odd that you should have touched on this question, for I have somethin’ to say to you that bears on it. Look here. What’s that?” He handed an oblong piece of paper to his sister, who examined it slowly. “Why, Dick, it’s a cheque for 500 pounds.” “Just so, old girl, an’ it’s yours.” “Mine!” “Ay, I might have given it to you when I first came back, but I took a fancy to keep it as a little surprise for our last evenin’ together, so that I might leave you with a good taste in your mouth. Now, listen, an’ I’ll spin you an’ Jeff a yarn. But first fill up my cup. I’m fond o’ tea—nat’rally, bein’ a teetotaler. Up to the brim, Molly; I like a good bucketful. Thankee—now, let me see.” The captain put his hand to his rugged brow, became thoughtful for a few moments, and then resumed. “Just before startin’ on my last voyage to China I ran down to Folkestone to see Rosebud—that’s my little daughter, Jeff. Surely you must have seen her when knocking about here?” “You forget, Captain, I have not been in these parts for six years. Nevertheless, I did see Rosebud some ten or twelve years ago with her nurse in this very room.” “Yes, so you did,” chimed in Miss Millet. “She was six at that time, and the dearest little angel I ever saw.” “She was all that and a great deal more,” said the enthusiastic father. “It don’t become me to have much of an opinion about the angels, but I wouldn’t give my Rosebud for the whole lot o’ them, an’ all the cherubs throw’d into the bargain. Well, as I was sayin’, I ran down to Folkestone to the school where she is, and as we were partin’ she made me promise when I got to Hong-Kong to run up the river to see an old schoolmate o’ hers that had gone out there with her father. I was to give Clara Rosebud’s dear love, and her photograph, and get hers in exchange. I would have done this, of course, for my darlin’, anyhow, but I promised all the more readily because I had some business to do with old Nibsworth, the father. “Well, after I’d got to Hong-Kong an’ seen the ship all snug, I thought of runnin’ up the river in a small steamer that was ready to start. It so happened that I got a letter that very day from Nibsworth himself, who had heard of my arrival, askin’ me to come without delay, as there was a grand chance of doin’ a bit of business that might turn in some thousands of pounds. But it would have to be settled next day, or the chance would be lost. You may be sure I didn’t waste time after readin’ this, but when I got to the river-side, I found that the steamer had started, and there wasn’t another till next mornin’.” “What a pity!” exclaimed the sympathetic sister and Jeff in the same breath. “Yes, wasn’t it? Of course it wasn’t a personal loss, but it was the loss of a splendid out-o’-the-way chance to do a good turn to the owners. It was an ill wind—Jeff, almost a disaster. Hows’ever, I had to grin an’ bear it. But I couldn’t rest till next day; so I hired a native boat, determined to do my best in the circumstances, and you may be sure I wasn’t in the best of humours, as we went creepin’ slowly up that river, when I knew that the hours of opportunity were slippin’ away. “It was not till the evenin’ o’ the next day that I reached old Nibsworth’s house. Just before we rounded the bend of the river that brought it into view, I noticed smoke risin’ pretty thick above the trees. Of course I thought nothin’ of it till I found that it was the old man’s house was a-fire! Didn’t we bend to the oars then with a will! “As we drew near, we found that all the servants and work-people about the place were runnin’ here and there, shoutin’ and yellin’ for ropes and ladders. Most people seem to lose their heads in a fire. Anyhow those people had; for nobody could find a ladder long enough to reach a top window, where I could see that someone was waving his arms for help. The moment we touched the beach, I jumped out o’ the boat and ran up to the house. It was blazin’ fiercely in the lower rooms, and I soon found that old Nibsworth and his daughter were inside—driven to the attics by the fire and smoke. They soon left the window where I had first seen the arms waving, and threw open another that was further from the fire. “I saw that the old man was frail. The girl, they told me, was delicate. ‘Get straw, hay, branches— anything soft,’ I shouted, ‘an’ pile ’em under the window.’ “‘Him’s too weak for jump,’ gasped a native servant. “‘Do as I bid ye,’ said I, with a glare that sent ’em all off double-quick. Happily I found a rope handy in a storehouse hard by. I made a coil of it. You know a seaman can usually heave a coil of rope pretty well. I made a splendid heave, an’ sent it right in at the window. The old man caught it. “‘Make fast to a bed-post,’ I roared, ‘or a table, or chest o’ drawers—anything big.’ “He understood me, I could see, and presently he looked over the window an’ shook his head. Then I could see the face of a dark-haired, beautiful girl. Even through the increasing smoke I could tell that she was deadly pale, and drew back with a shudder. By this time a big pile of straw lay under the window. I saw there was no hope of such an old man lettin’ himself or his girl down by a rope, so up I went hand over hand. Many a time had I done the sort o’ thing for a lark when I was a youngster; but bein’ out o’ practice, and a good deal heavier than in old days, I found it hard work, I can tell you. Hows’ever, I managed it and got in at the window, an’ didn’t my heart give a jump when I saw that the old chap had only made the rope fast to a light bedroom chair. If I’d bin a stone heavier, I’d have pulled that chair right over the window! “‘God bless you!’ cried the tremblin’ old man; ‘save my Clara!’ “There was no time for pretty speeches. I made fast the end of the rope to the leg of a table, made a loop on the other end, threw it over the girl, caught her round the waist an’ swung her over the window. I was in such a hurry that the rope nearly took the skin off my hands; but I landed her safe on the straw below. The old man was heavier, and not so easy to manage; but I got him lowered safe, and then, slipping over myself, began to descend. The flames had by that time got headway, and were dartin’ like fiery serpents’ tongues out o’ the windows below. One o’ them gave me a wipe in passin’, an’ cleared eyelashes, eyebrows, and half the hair o’ my head away. Another twined round the rope and singed it; so that when I was half-way down, it snapped, and I came to the ground with a thud that damaged my canvas ducks, though they were by no means delicate. Hows’ever, the pile of straw broke the fall, and I was none the worse. “The gratitude o’ that poor old man and his daughter knew no bounds, specially when he found I was the father of his Clara’s favourite schoolmate. “‘Now, Captain Millet,’ says he at partin’, ‘nothin’ in this world can repay what we owe you. I know it would be insultin’ to offer you money for such service, but sometimes men like you like to help a good cause. Will you accept of five hundred pounds for such a purpose?’ “‘No sir,’ says I, ‘I won’t! But I’ve a sister at home who spends all her time in tryin’ to do good. If you’ll be kind enough to send it to her, she’ll consider it a blessed windfall, and will lay it out to the best possible advantage.’ “‘Good,’ said he, seizin’ his pen an’ writin’ out the cheque. ‘Is your sister well off?’ “‘She might be better off,’ said I. “‘Then pray beg her in my name to accept of a few shares in an Australian tin-mine which came to me a few days ago. They are not worth much, but I don’t want to be troubled with them; indeed, will consider it a favour if she will take them off my hands.’ “The old fellow said this with a laugh—so there you are, Molly, 500 pounds to the credit of your charity account an’ I don’t know how much tin transferred to your own.” “O brother, how good—how kind!” Miss Millet paused here, and gazed in silence at the cheque, for she had already begun to calculate how far that sum would go towards the library, and the church, and the town-hall, and the model-houses, and the gymnasium, and the swimming-bath. “And now, young man,” said the captain, turning to our coastguardsman, “the missin’ of that steamer, at which I growled so much that day, turned out to be a great blessin’ after all, although it seemed such a misfortune. For it caused me to arrive just in the nick of time to save two human lives— besides givin’ the old girl here somethin’ to think about and work upon for the next twelvemonth to come—whereas, if I had arrived the day before, I would have bin sleepin’ in the house, and mayhap have bin burnt alive wi’ old Nibsworth and his daughter. Seems to me as if that little story had some sort o’ bearin’ on the subject you was discussin’ wi’ Molly. But I’m not good at drawin’ morals, so I’ll leave you to draw it for yourself.” Chapter Three. Our Coastguardsman Meets with a Serious but very Common Fall. W hether Jeff Benson drew the moral of Captain Millet’s story for himself or not, we cannot tell; but it is certain that his mates found him after that date a man who was prone to solitary meditations, with occasional fits of absence of mind. They also found him a pleasant companion and a most active comrade in all the duties of his station. Sometimes these duties involved great hardship, and frequent risk to life and limb; for, as is well known, our coastguardsmen not only perambulate our shores in all weathers, but often work the rocket apparatus for saving life from shipwreck, and are frequently called upon to assist the lifeboat- men by putting off to the rescue in their own boats when others are not available. In all these duties Jeffrey Benson did his work with tremendous energy, as might have been expected of one so strong, and with reckless disregard to personal safety, which was appropriate in a hero. One evening, about a year after the period of which we have been writing, Jeff was returning along shore with a party in charge of the rocket-cart, after having rescued the crew of a small coasting vessel—four men and a boy, with the skipper’s wife. The service had been prolonged and pretty severe, but feelings of exhaustion were, for the time at least, banished from the coastguardsmen’s breasts by the joy resulting from success in their heroic work. On the way, the party had to pass close to Miss Millet’s cottage—her “cottage by the sea,” as the romantic old lady was fond of calling it. Jeff—although fatigued and hungry, besides being drenched, dishevelled about the hair, bespattered with mud, and bruised, as well as lacerated somewhat about the hands—determined to pay a short visit to the cottage, being anxious to “have it out” with his confidante about that matter of good being made to come out of evil. “O Jeff!” exclaimed the horrified old lady when he entered, “wounded? perhaps fatally!” “Not quite so bad as that, auntie,” replied Jeff, with a hearty laugh, for Miss Millet’s power to express alarm was wonderful. “I’ll soon put myself to rights when I get back to the station. I ought to apologise for calling in such a plight, but I’ve been thinking much since I last saw you, and I want to have a talk.” “Not till I have bound up all your wounds,” said Miss Millet firmly. Knowing that he would gain his end more quickly by giving in, Jeff submitted to have several fingers of both hands done up with pieces of white rag, and a slight cut across the bridge of his handsome nose ornamented with black sticking-plaster. He not only enjoyed the operation with a sort of reckless joviality, but sought to gratify his friend by encouraging her to use her appliances to the utmost, intending to remove them all when he quitted the cottage. The earnest little woman availed herself fully of the encouragement, but could scarcely refrain from laughing when she surveyed him after the operation was completed. “Now, auntie, have you finished?” “Yes.” “Well then, tell me, do you really think that at all times, and in all circumstances, God causes events that are disastrous to work out good?” “Indeed I do,” returned Miss Millet, becoming very serious and earnest as she sat down opposite her young friend. “No doubt there is much of mystery connected with the subject but I can’t help that any more than I can help my beliefs. Of course we know, because it is written, that ‘all things work together for good to them that love God;’ but even in the case of those who do not love Him, I think He often sends sorrow and trouble for the very purpose of driving them out of trust in themselves, and so clearing the way to bring them to the Saviour. And is it not written, ‘Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee?’” The young man remained silent for a few moments. “Well, now,” he said, “what think you of this case? The skipper whom we rescued this afternoon, along with his wife, told me that he has been reduced to beggary. He owned the vessel which now lies out on the rocks there, a total wreck. It was his last venture. He had put all that he possessed into it, and not a scrap of the cargo will be saved. Having been a lucky man all his life previously, he said he had determined to ‘chance his luck’ this time, and did not insure vessel or cargo: so that all is gone. His wife and several children are dependent on him. He has no relatives rich enough, or willing enough, to help him; and, poor fellow, he has received injuries while being rescued, which will probably render him helpless for the rest of his life. Now, do you think that good will come out of all that?” “I am sure it will,” returned Miss Millet confidently, “and good to him too if he seeks it; though of course I know not how or when.” “But why are you so sure?” “Because, Jeff, it is written that God does not ‘afflict the children of men willingly.’ He does it for their good, and that good cannot fail of accomplishment, unless they refuse the good and choose the evil.” Again Jeff became silent and thoughtful. “I have meditated much of late,” he said, “about Captain Millet’s adventure in China—” “By the way,” interrupted Miss Millet, “that reminds me that the captain’s little girl Rose—Rosebud, as he calls her—is to come here this very evening to stay with me for a week.” “Indeed? that will be pleasant, auntie. I must come and see her as an old acquaintance.” “Oh yes, you must, Jeff. You’ve no idea what a sweet girl she has become. I am quite charmed with her—so modest, and unselfish, and clever, and good, and—and, in short, I call her the four F’s, for she is fair, fragile, fervent, and funny.” “W hat a catalogue!” exclaimed the youth, laughing; “you may well be charmed with her. But what do you mean by funny? Does she try to make people laugh?” “Oh dear, no! In company she can scarce be made to speak at all, but she is so fond of fun—has such a lively appreciation of humour, and laughs so heartily. She has grown quite into a woman since I last saw her when her father went to sea. There she is!” Miss Millet sprang from her chair with the agility almost of a young woman, and ran to open the door, for a cab was heard pulling up in front of the cottage. There was a delighted little shriek from “Auntie!” and the warmest salutations of welcome; and the next moment Miss Millet, with the captain’s daughter, arm in arm, embracing one another, entered the parlour. The coastguardsman was transfixed, for there, before him, flushed and panting, stood— “A maid with eyes of heavenly blue, And rippling hair of golden hue; With parted lips of Coral too, Disclosing pearls—and—” All the rest of it! Yes, no wonder that Jeffrey Benson was transfixed. Still less wonder that Rosebud stood in much the same condition; for, a young giant in pilot-cloth, damp and dirty, dishevelled, bespattered with mud, tied up about the fingers and plastered over the nose, was not precisely what she had expected to find in Aunt Millet’s parlour. They were soon introduced, however, and on the best of terms; for the shrinking from Jeff’s filthy appearance changed in a moment to hero-worship in the romantic heart of Rose, when she was told the cause of the youth’s condition, and heard all the details of the rescue from his own manly lips. It was love at first sight with both of them; more than that, it was first love at first sight! We have profound sympathy with young people thus circumstanced, especially when they are reticent, and don’t give way to sentimental silliness. A good manly and womanly case of this sort of love, in which the parties concerned take a serious header and go deep down, without the smallest intention of ever coming up again, is pleasant to contemplate and agreeable to record. Of course it must not be supposed that Rose Millet understood what had happened. She was fully aware, indeed, that something unusual had occurred within her inexperienced breast, but she quietly set it down to hero-worship. She had read Carlyle on that subject. She had seen occasional reference in newspapers and magazines to lifeboat work, and she had been thrilled by the record of noble deeds done by heroic seamen and coastguardsmen. At last it was her lot to come athwart one of those heroes. He quite came up to her conception—nay, more than came up to it! She regarded Jeff with feelings approaching to awe. The idea of love in connection with a damp, dirty, wounded, nose- plastered, hair-ravelled giant, with beard enough to make an average hearth-broom, never entered her fair head. If suggested to her she would have laughed it to scorn—had it been possible for one so bright and “funny” to become scornful. As for Jeff—he more than suspected what had happened in regard to himself. His experience of life had been varied and extensive for his years—at least in a nautical direction—and that is saying a great deal. “Done for!” he remarked to himself that evening, as he left the residence of Miss Millet and sauntered slowly homeward, divesting his fingers of the wrappings in an absent manner as he went along; but he forgot the plastered nose, and was taken to task about it by his comrades. “W hy, wherever did you get the stickin’-plaster?” asked David Bowers, an Anglo-Saxon much like himself in form and size, only that his locks and beard were yellow instead of dark brown. “From a friend,” replied Jeff. “A female friend?” asked Bowers, with a sly glance. “Yes,” replied Jeff, so promptly, and with a look of such benignity, that the Anglo-Saxon felt constrained to give up his intended badinage. That night curiously enough, Rose and Jeff were beset by dreams exactly similar in kind, though slightly modified in form. Both were in the midst of howling blasts and raging billows; but while the one was saving a fair and slender girl in circumstances of great but scorned risk, the other was being rescued by a young giant with a brown beard, in a style the most heroic, and in the midst of dangers the most appalling. Next day, when Jeff—having got rid of the nose-plaster, and removed the mud, and brushed the dishevelled hair, and put on dry garments—paid another visit to Miss Millet, the Rosebud formed a more correct estimate of her condition, became alarmed, and shrank like a sensitive plant before the gaze of the coastguardsman; insomuch that she drove him to the conclusion that he had no hope whatever in that quarter, and that he was foolish to think of her seriously. W hat was she, after all? A mere chit of a school girl! It was ridiculous. He would heave her overboard forthwith, and trouble his head no more about her. He would not, however, give up visiting his old confidante on her account— oh dear, no! It was wonderful what an amount of guarding seemed to be required by the coast in the vicinity of Miss Millet’s cottage during the following week! Any one observing the frequency of Jeff’s visits to it, and his prolonged earnest gazing at the sea, would have imagined that the ancient smuggling days had revived, or that the old tendency of the French to suddenly come o’er and find the Britons awaiting them on shore, was not yet extinct. One evening our hero, after paying a little unwonted attention to his toilet prepared to set out for Miss Millet’s cottage. He had obtained leave of absence for the evening, and had made up his mind to spend an hour or two in metaphysical discussion. Rose had not yet left her aunt but no matter. If she could not assist in the conversation, she could at all events listen, and might be benefited. In passing through the station, the officer on duty called to him. “I want you, Benson, to take W ilson’s place to-night. He is unwell and off duty. We may possibly require all our force, for the barometer has suddenly fallen much lower than usual.” No shade of disappointment betrayed itself on the grave countenance of the well-disciplined Jeff as he replied, “Very well, sir,” and went out; but profound disappointment nevertheless harrowed his broad bosom, for he had promised himself such a long and pleasant evening of discussion; possibly of benefit to the young girl for whom he cared nothing now—a mere passing fancy, pooh! But even while ejecting the “pooh!” he wondered why the disappointment was so severe. Was it possible that he was being taught by experience the lesson which Miss Millet’s reasoning powers had failed to inculcate? It was blowing hard when Jeff reached the cliffs, and, bending forward to the increasing blast made his way to the rugged coast which was to be the scene of his night vigil. As he stood on the shore with hands in pockets and legs apart, to steady himself, and gazed out upon the darkening sea, he saw plainly enough that the prophetic barometer was right. Far out on the water a ledge of rocks, barely covered at high water, caught the billows as they rolled shoreward, broke them up, and sent them spouting into the air in volumes of foam. On the horizon the clouds were so black that the shrieking sea-birds passed athwart them like flakes of snow. Low muttering thunder was heard at intervals; and as night drew on, gleams of lightning flashed in the obscurity. During one of these flashes Jeff thought he saw a vessel labouring heavily. He could not be quite sure, for by that time spray, borne on the whistling wind, was blinding him. Suddenly a red flash was seen, followed by a report. It was a signal of distress. Every thought and feeling save that of duty was instantly banished from the mind of our coastguardsman, as he hurried away to give the alarm and join in the rescue. Chapter Four. A Wreck and Rescue. Terrible was the gale which burst that night upon the shores of old England, and awful the fate that awaited many of the vessels which were nearing port at the time. Better far for many of them had they met the foe in the open field of what seamen term blue water, for no place is so dangerous as the shallow waters off the coast when the storm-fiend is abroad. Perhaps it may be news to some readers that the losses of this country by shipwreck form a perennial drain of life and wealth as regular and certain as the recurrence of the seasons. Nearly two thousand ships, two millions sterling, and little short of a thousand lives are lost each year on the shores of the United Kingdom—sometimes more, sometimes less,—each and every year. We give round numbers, because they are more easily remembered. On the particular night of which we write, many a gallant ship was driving over the sea, making for her port, nearing home and friends, rushing to her doom! Passengers and crews alike had by that time, doubtless, become so familiar with whistling gales and heaving seas, that they had ceased to fear them; but some among them had yet to learn, when too late, that the dangers of the deep are insignificant compared with the perils of the shore. Among these hapless ships was one to which we direct the reader’s particular attention. She was a large ship, with a crew of between twenty and thirty men, bound from China to the Thames. She carried no passengers, and was commanded by our friend, Captain Millet. No captain in the mercantile navy of Britain was better qualified than he to take his ship across the trackless main, and, if need be, carry her safely into port; but seamanship and knowledge of channels and bars and currents avail nothing when the sails and cordage of a ship are unseaworthy and her timbers worn out. The owners of the North Star cared little for human lives. They were economists of the strictest kind. Hence her condition was bad. The gale overtook the North Star when she was not far from the coast where nestled her captain’s native town of Cranby. A pilot had been signalled for in vain, for the night was thick as well as stormy. At last one was obtained, and all went fairly well until the vessel was off the black rocks on which the eyes of Jeff Benson had been resting for some time. Fearing that he was too near that point of danger, the pilot gave orders to go about. W hile the vessel was in stays, one of the ropes parted, and she missed. At the same moment a squall came down on her, and carried away the main and fore-topmasts with the jib-boom. Instantly the vessel was unmanageable, and drifted bodily towards the rocks. Captain Millet and his men toiled like heroes to clear away the wreckage, and orders were given to fire the signal-gun. As we have seen, our coastguardsman was swift to carry the alarm to his station, and without delay the lifeboat was launched. At the same time orders were given to get ready the coastguard boat, in case its services should be required. The regular crew of the lifeboat had, as usual, been on the alert, and the bright blue boat of mercy was at once run down to the beach, until her carriage reached the edge of the foaming sea. “Now, lads, jump in!” shouted the coxswain. It was found, however, when they had taken their places and seized the oars, that two of the crew were missing. Volunteers were instantly called for, and Jeff, with his friend David Bowers, answered to the call. They put on the cork life-belts, took the vacant seats, and grasped the oars. Then the transporting carriage, with the boat and crew on it, was pushed by many willing hands as far into the sea as possible, the men bending forward with the oars out, ready to pull at a moment’s notice. The launching ropes were already manned. At another signal from the coxswain, the boat plunged into the boiling surf, the oars were dipped, ten strong backs were bent, and away they shot on their errand of mercy—drenched and filled by the first great billow through which they cut their way, but not swamped, for the water ran out through the discharging tubes as fast as it came in. An hour of hard toil brought them within sight of the wreck. Keeping well to windward, the coxswain cast anchor, and the bowman, taking a turn or two of the cable round the bollard, allowed the boat to drop down to the wreck, stern foremost. “Can’t you get round to leeward of the wreck?” asked Jeff, who sat near the stern of the boat, keeping a firm grasp of his oar, which the rushing and breaking seas well-nigh forced out of his hands. “No, not as the rocks lie,” replied the coxswain curtly. On drawing a few yards nearer, it became evident that no boat could live in the seething caldron of rocks and foam that lay under the lee of the wreck. Their only chance lay in approaching from the weather side, which was not only a difficult and dangerous operation, but was rendered doubly so by the violent swaying of the wreck from side to side. The roaring of the gale and thunder of the seas, combined with the darkness and the hurtling spray, rendered it impossible for the men in the life-boat to distinguish anything clearly, until close to the wreck. Then it was seen that the whole crew had taken to the rigging of the mainmast—the topmast of which had been carried away by the fall of the foremast and mizzen. A lusty cheer told that the shipwrecked men were still strong in hope, though their situation was terrible; for every lurch of the hull shook the swaying top so violently as almost to tear even the strong seamen from their grasp. “Jeff,” said Bowers, who sat on the same thwart with his friend, “did ye not recognise a voice in that cheer?” “Ay, that I did,” returned Jeff, with feelings of great anxiety. “’Twas uncommon like Captain Millet.” “Look out for the rope!” roared one of the lifeboat men, as he swung and discharged the loaded stick with a line attached. The heave was successful. The men on the maintop of the wreck caught the line, and by means of it passed a stout warp between the mast and the boat, down which they began to shin like squirrels, for the prompt appearance of their rescuers had not left time for the exhaustion of their strength. “Is your vessel the North Star, commanded by Captain Millet?” shouted Jeff in the ear of the first arrival, for the noise of raging elements rendered ordinary tones almost useless. “Ay, she is,” replied the man; “but you won’t see him till the last of us is safe aboard.” “Hallo! Captain Millet!” cried Jeff, with a roar that almost equalled the elements. “Ay, ay, is that you, Jeff?” came back in a similar roar (but greatly softened by distance) from the swirling spray-clouds that raged above the wreck. “Cheer up, Captain; we’ll save you all right,” returned our coastguardsman in another enthusiastic roar, which of itself did something to cheer up all who heard it. About a dozen of the sailors had been got into the lifeboat, when a tremendous rending sound was heard, followed by a loud cry of alarm, as the mast broke off a few feet above the deck, and plunged, with the men still upon it, into the boiling sea. To add to the confusion and terror, some part of the cordage caught the lifeboat, and completely sank as well as overturned it. To an ignorant observer it might have seemed that all hope was gone—that every man must perish. But this was not so. The buoyant qualities of the magnificent lifeboat brought it to the surface like a cork the instant it was freed. Its self-righting qualities turned it on its keel. The self-acting discharging tubes emptied it in less than two minutes; and the crew, supported by their cork life- belts, caught the life-lines festooned round the boat’s side for this very purpose, and clambered into her. Of the men of the wreck who had been tumbled into the sea along with them, some clung to their rescuers, whose belts could easily sustain two. Others were able to lay hold of the boat, and a few held on to the floating wreckage till they were saved. Suddenly the voice of Captain Millet was heard, “Hold on, lads; don’t go without me. My foot’s jammed here, and I can’t—” He stopped abruptly, for the head of the mast plunged under water at the moment, taking the captain along with it. W ithout a word Jeff rose and sprang into the sea at the spot where his friend had disappeared. Almost at the same moment the end of the mast re-appeared, and struck our hero on the side with terrible violence. In spite of the blow, however, he was able to free the captain, who was caught by several strong arms, and hauled inboard at the same moment that his rescuer laid hold of one of the hanging life-lines. While they were still heaving at the captain, David Bowers heard Jeff’s voice— “Your hand, Davy!” The stout coastguardsman was not slow to obey and he received a grip like that of a drowning man; but his...