devils caught the rotten, age-eaten, untested canvas--whoosh! countless
strips of dirty, rusty canvas were riding the clouded heavens like some
unwashed witches.

[Illustration: By and by he caught an answering call]

Tide and wind were taking her toward the beach, and Bowen, everybody,
even the unimaginative viking in command, could picture that beach and
the surf piling up on it. High as the light above their heads it would
be, and they would live just about ten seconds in it. Yes, if they were
lucky, they might last that long.

Bowen was one of those workmen who like to make a good job of a thing.
He was not ready to send his first wireless message. Another morning's
work and he had hoped to be ready, and that first message was to be a
Christmas greeting to his wife; but now he made shift to get a message
away in some fashion. With limber wrist and fingers he began to snap out
his signal number. A dozen, twenty, surely a hundred times he repeated
the letters, holding up every half minute or so to listen. By and by he
caught an answering call. It was the Navy Yard station. Feverishly he
sent:

"Light-ship 67. Tide Rip Shoal. Have parted moorings. Drifting toward
beach. Send help."

He waited for an answer. None came. He repeated. No answer. Over and
over he sent it. At last he caught: "OK. Been getting you. Go on."

"Drifting fast. West by south. Before morning will be in surf."