YULETIDE ON A 15-TONNER 171 



rigging are as sound as any 15-tonner afloat," replied 

 the owner of the Seamew, who thought the world of his 

 somewhat old-fashioned but seaworthy Httle cruiser. 

 " But can you find your way into the Crouch through 

 this infernal blizzard, Gilson ? " he continued, as he 

 shovelled overboard a heap of snow from the cock- 

 pit with the coal-shovel. 



" Well, this yer pesky snow be very nigh as puzzling 

 as a sea -fog. But I doubt not it will clear afore we fetch 

 the ' Buxey,' and if so be, 'tis a clean reach right up to 

 Burnham town, sir," replied the old gunner, whose 

 grizzled head was white with frost-rime. " But, good 

 God ! look up to windward ! " shouted Gilson, as he 

 pointed to a huge white, phantomlike liner, which, to 

 our horrified amazement, came bearing down upon us, 

 bows on, through the blinding whirl of snowflakes. 



" The dinghy ! the dinghy ! " cried M . The cry 



came too late, however, for scarcely was the warning 

 uttered than the sharp, towering stem of the steamer 

 crashed into the dinghy, which we were towing astern. 

 But we thanked our lucky stars that no more serious 

 calamity befell us than the loss of our little tender. 



" Hang the ugly, mud-churning old tramp for running 

 down the very best dinghy that was ever turned out of 



Forrest's yard ! " angrily exclaimed J , shaking his 



fist towards the spot where he imagined the magnificent 

 and speedy floating palace to be. 



It was no use " crying over spilt milk," or, rather, a 

 spilt dinghy, however, and having hove the yawl to, 



