Page:Silver Shoal Light.djvu/114

96 the rocks yesterday! Why, she's yonder, man; you can almost see her!'

"As he pointed up the beach, the two men hurled themselves upon him at once and bore him down. Despite his struggle—for he was a strong lad—they bound him hand and foot.

It's best for you not to look again at no wrecks about here, sir," said the taller of the two fellows, and off they strode.

"After Roger had struggled vainly for a time, and his first fury had passed, he looked about him and saw that he was in a very unlikely position. He lay upon the utmost edge of the shingle, and the tide was rising, creeping ever nearer and nearer to him with wet, hungry fingers.

At least,' thought Roger, 'I must get me away from the water.'

"For well he knew the quick flood of the Cornish tides that pursued swiftly and relentlessly. By dint of much rolling and wriggling he hitched himself farther up the sand, where, luckily enough for him, he found a great strip of rusted iron from a ship's keel. Feverishly he set about rubbing the cords that bound his hands against the edge of this. There was no time to lose, for the place where he sat was far