The Lighthouse | Page 3

reckless men were sailing
into the jaws of certain death, for the breakers burst around them so
confusedly in all directions that their instant destruction seemed
inevitable. But Davy Spink, looking over his shoulder as he sat at the
bow-oar, saw a narrow lead of comparatively still water in the midst of
the foam, along which he guided the boat with consummate skill,
giving only a word or two of direction to Swankie, who instantly acted
in accordance therewith.
"Pull, pull, lad," said Davy.
Swankie pulled, and the boat swept round with its bow to the east just
in time to meet a billow, which, towering high above its fellows, burst
completely over the rocks, and appeared to be about to sweep away all
before it. For a moment the boat was as if embedded in snow, then it
sank once more into the lead among the floating tangle, and the men
pulled with might and main in order to escape the next wave. They
were just in time. It burst over the same rocks with greater violence
than its predecessor, but the boat had gained the shelter of the next

ledge, and lay floating securely in the deep, quiet pool within, while the
men rested on their oars, and watched the chaos of the water rush
harmlessly by.
In another moment they had landed and secured the boat to a projecting
rock.
Few words of conversation passed between these practical men. They
had gone there on particular business. Time and tide proverbially wait
for no man, but at the Bell Rock they wait a much briefer period than
elsewhere. Between low water and the time when it would be
impossible to quit the rock without being capsized', there was only a
space of two or three hours--sometimes more, frequently less--so it
behoved the men to economize time.
Rocks covered with wet seaweed and rugged in form are not easy to
walk over; a fact which was soon proved by Swankie staggering
violently once or twice, and by Spink falling flat on his back. Neither
paid attention to his comrade's misfortunes in this way. Each scrambled
about actively, searching with care among the crevices of the rocks, and
from time to time picking up articles which they thrust into their
pockets or laid on their shoulders, according as weight and dimensions
required.
In a short time they returned to their boat pretty well laden.
"Weel, lad, what luck?" enquired Spink, as Swankie and he met--the
former with a grappling iron on his shoulder, the latter staggering under
the weight of a mass of metal.
"Not much," replied Swankie; "nothin' but heavy metal this mornin',
only a bit of a cookin' stove an' a cannon shot--that's all."
"Never mind, try again. There must ha' bin two or three wrecks on the
rock this gale," said Davy, as he and his friend threw their burdens into
the boat, and hastened to resume the search.
At first Spink was the more successful of the two. He returned to the

boat with various articles more than once, while his comrade continued
his rambles unsuccessfully. At last, however, Big Swankie came to a
gully or inlet where a large mass of the _débris_ of a wreck was piled
up in indescribable confusion, in the midst of which lay the dead body
of an old man. Swankie's first impulse was to shout to his companion,
but he checked himself, and proceeded to examine the pockets of the
dead man.
Raising the corpse with some difficulty he placed it on the ledge of
rock. Observing a ring on the little finger of the right hand, he removed
it and put it hastily in his pocket. Then he drew a red morocco case
from an inner breast pocket in the dead man's coat. To his surprise and
delight he found that it contained a gold watch and several gold rings
and brooches, in some of which were beautiful stones. Swankie was no
judge of jewellery, but he could not avoid the conviction that these
things must needs be valuable. He laid the case down on the rock
beside him, and eagerly searched the other pockets. In one he found a
large clasp-knife and a pencil-case; in another a leather purse, which
felt heavy as he drew it out. His eyes sparkled at the first glance he got
of the contents, for they were sovereigns! Just as he made this
discovery, Davy Spink climbed over the ledge at his back, and Swankie
hastily thrust the purse underneath the body of the dead man.
"Hallo! lad, what have ye there? Hey! watches and rings--come, we're
in luck this mornin'."
"_We!_" exclaimed Swankie, somewhat sternly, "you didn't find that
case."
"Na, lad, but we've aye divided, an' I dinna see what for we