170 Studies in Rat Catching, [cii. x. 



day break at any time, but I especially like 

 to watch it over a stormy angry sea; and 

 therefore sheltering myself a little behind a 

 boulder, I stood gazing for a while, when 

 presently, like a thing of life, came plunging 

 and driving from the very gates of the morn- 

 ing the same yacht that had so puzzled us. 

 On and on it came, close-hauled to the wind, 

 straight for the narrow rock-bound jaws of 

 the cove ; and I saw at a glance that, if it 

 kept its course, it must strike on a group of 

 rocks some half-mile out at sea ; and, parson 

 as I am, I knew, should she strike them, no 

 human aid could save the lives of those on 

 board. 



'* I hardly know what I did, except that I 

 took off my coat and waved it frantically, 

 and mounted the highest pinnacle on the 

 rocky point to make myself seen by the 

 fated crew ; but though at last I could 

 actually distinguish two men at the wheel 



