150 Studies in Rat Catching. 



waves; and the next it was a dancing, 

 tossing, roaring sheet of ever-changing liquid 

 silver ; or far away we would see the spray 

 like pearls rising high in the air before the 

 storm, and at our feet the waves curled up 

 like huge furious monsters, dashing at the 

 sands and shingle as if bent on destruction, 

 and then with a swirl sliding back, a mass of 

 foam, to meet and join the next wave, and 

 with its help again come on to the attack. 



Over and over again I fancied I could 

 hear the shrieks and groans of people in 

 distress, and I turned for confirmation of 

 my fancies to the faces of my companions ; 

 but all remained unmoved, but bore the 

 quiet determined look that assured me that, 

 had any unfortunate beings called for help 

 from the midst of those wild waters, at the 

 risk of those men's lives it would unhesita- 

 tingly have been given. Once for a moment, 

 when a thin mist swept before the moon and 



