The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-27

! by the open fireplace, run down to the
cove and pull up your skiff high and dry.
You'll never sail the little Sea Gull again
if to-Dight's storm strikes her"
GAN right, father" the boy piled, with
| alacrity for he would not lose his swift
and beautiful little pleasure boat for the
world. "Ill take care of the Sea Gull.
Will you light the lamp?'
Yes. Hurry up. my boy, for the storm
is breaking already. God help those at
sea tonight! The wreckers will be happy
in the morning."
| 1t may be well to remark here that along
| the barren shores Of Cape Hurricane were
scattered the cabins OF fugitive Indians,
! ou.casts from their tribes and here and
| there might be seen the shanty of some
fisherman, who could also act the roles of
| smuggler and wrecker when occasion re.
qured.
! Hale found his task of placing the Sea
| Gull beyond danger more difficult than he
imagined.
Hence, it was some time before he was
ready to return 10 the cottage, and when
he turned his steps in that direction the
| wind was bowling dismallv, the waves
were already dashed into fury, and the
spray from the rocks dashed over the boy,
drenching him to the skin.
The lighthouse lamp constructed on
the revolving plan, now flashed its radi-
ance through the intense darkness of the
night, at intervals of a minutes duration.
| love lighthouse. whether glistening
white and beautiful, kissed by the puriing
ripples of a gentle sea, and batned i'll the
golden sunshine of summer day, OF
standing firm and invincible, lashed by
the angry surge, breasting the tempest
wrath, and lifting its fire-crowned head
into the black numbering midnight sky.
| To me it is at once an EN- blem of the in
finite peace which accompanies virtue, and
| of the grand, suDlime courage which re-
sists emptation.
Hale stopped suddenly with an excla-
nation of surprise and fear as he APP
preached the cottage. Something had
happened which made the boys blood rum
cold, and drove the ruddy color from his
healthy face.
He crept up to the window and looked
in One glance and he understood all.
Four wreckers, awkwardly disguised with
masks of canvas. had captured and bound
time the great iron key of the lighthouse
These men, for the sake Of the booty
cast up by the hungry. merciless waves,
intended TO sacrifice hundreds of human
lives.
A thrill of horror ran through the boy S
frame as he thought of the enormity Of
the crime that these men were about to
commit. A cold perspiration broke over
his brow, and be trembled like leaf.
He crouched down in the shadows I'M
der the window-sill, and in a few seconds
had regained his presence of mind. His
father was helpless. 1t was his duty to
act-to outwit these men-to save hun
dreds Of lives now at the mercy OF the
wreckers.
Hale had not long to wait. Two men
were left to guard the PROSTATE form OF
old Samuel Johnstone, while two others
cautiously left the cottage and ran swiftly
toward the lighthouse.
They turned the key in the lock and
both entered. The next instant Hale had
followed them.
The storm was raging fercely. At in
tervals lightning qrivered through the
sky, and rolling thunder seemed to shake
the very battlements of heaven. The wind
| howled like savage monster in search OF
prey, and flung foam-crested waves upon
the beach, like packs of yeiping wolves