246 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



" That was a danger in punt-shooting which I hadn't foreseen," 

 said Frank to the stranger. " It was a close shave for you as 

 well as for us. Will you come on board our yacht and have 

 some supper ? " 



The stranger assented, and proved to be a sporting lawyer 

 from Yarmouth, and a very pleasant fellow. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 



Drifted to Sea. A Perilous Position. Rescue. 



THE next day Bell went off to Yarmouth to sell some of the 

 fowl in the market, and unfortunately got fuddled, so that when 

 the evening came he was unable to accompany the shooters. 

 Frank and Jimmy resolved to go out by themselves. Making a 

 mistake as to the time of the tide, they found themselves carried 

 swiftly down Breydon Water on a tide which had yet four hours 

 to ebb. The night was clear, cold, and starlit, with a stinging 

 north-easter sweeping over the broad water, and whisking the 

 snow on the land into fantastic drifts. The new moon had not 

 yet risen, but every star was blazing brightly, and glimmering 

 reflections shone in the water. As they listened they found 

 that the night was full of strange noises, of quackings and 

 wnistlings, and that the air was cleft by the sweep of wings. 

 It was a night of nights for a wild-fowl shooter, and the boys 

 resolved to stop at Yarmouth until the tide turned. As they 

 neared the twinkling lights of the town a flock of wild geese 

 took wing, out of shot, and made for the estuary. 



" Oh, do let us follow them, they are sure to alight before 

 they reach the bar," said Frank. 



" Very well ; but we must take care not to drift out to sea." 

 " There is no danger of that, we can always run ashore." 

 So they passed by the quays and fish-wharves, and one by one 



