96 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



" Well, it's reasonable enough," said Frank ; " I vote we go." 

 So they stepped on board and were soon tacking merrily about, 

 a mile or two from land. 



" Did you ever see two uglier fellows than our boatmen ? " 

 said Dick in a whisper to Frank. 



" No but what are they staring at that steamer so hard for ? " 

 A large yacht was making direct for Lowestoft harbour. 



" I say," said Frank " is not that steamer standing too close 

 in shore ? There is a bank of sand somewhere about there. 

 1 remember seeing remains of a wreck there not long ago." 



" Hush ! hold your tongue," answered the steersman. 



" What do you mean, sir ? If she goes on in that course 

 she'll strike." 



The man looked savagely at him, and replied, 



" Look here, young man, if she strikes there will be no harm 

 done. The sea is too smooth, and we shall be the first on the 

 spot to help them off, and we shall get a good long sum of 

 money for salvage, If you hold your tongue and say nothing 

 you shall go shares. If you don't, I'll crack your head for you, 

 so mind you don't give her any signal." 



" You unfeeling fellow ! " said Frank. " Shout, Jimmy and 

 Dick, with all your might. I will settle this blackguard." 



Jimmy and Dick obeyed and waved their hats to the ad- 

 vancing yacht. The man at the helm could not let go the 

 tiller, but his mate made the sheet fast, and rose to strike 

 Frank. Frank seized the stretcher from the bottom of the boat 

 and raised it in the air. 



'' Touch me, if you dare ! " he said. 



The brute struck at him, enraged at the prospect of losing so 

 large a sum of money as his share of the salvage would amount 

 to. Frank avoided the blow, and with all the strength of his 

 lithe young body, brought the stretcher down on the fellow's 

 skull. He dropped to the bottom of the boat, and lay there as 

 still as a log. 



" Now we are three to one," he said to the steersman, " so 

 you must do as we tell you." 



The man was a coward at heart, though a bully by nature, 

 so he dared make no objection. 



Meanwhile the yacht sheered off, but not soon enough 

 to avoid just touching the end of the shoal, and getting a 

 bump, which threw the people on her deck down, and gave 



