The Thorogood Family | Page 4

women and boys, stood
ready at the launching-ropes. The word was given. There was a strong
and a long pull altogether, and the lifeboat sprang into the sea as if it
had been alive, with her crew seated and the oars out. A huge wave
caught her bow and raised her up almost perpendicular. She seemed as
if about to dance a reel upon her rudder. Our man-of-war's man had
rode in many a wild sea, but never before had he seen the like of that.
Nevertheless, he clung to his seat like a limpet, and pulled at his oar
with all his might. The others were more accustomed to that special
work. Just as she seemed about to topple over, the boat dropped

forward and plunged out to sea. The next wave caught her in the same
way, but with less power. Another stroke of the short, stout oars, and
they had got fairly off into deep water.
Then did the heart of the young sailor beat wildly, for, besides rejoicing
in that fierce struggle with the storm, he knew that his mission was one
of mercy as well as danger. But how much more wildly did his heart
beat when he reached the wreck, and, by the light of the blazing
tar-barrel, beheld about twenty human beings--some of them women
and children--clinging to the wreck, which was buried in foaming water
by every sea.
One by one they were got into the lifeboat with great difficulty. Then
the boat was pushed off and rowed towards the land. What a
deep-toned shout there was on shore when her light form was dimly
seen coming in on the crest of a great billow! And what a mighty cheer
rang out when she drew closer, and the man at the bow-oar stood up
and cried, "Thank God, all saved!"
Just then a monster wave fell on the stern of the boat and filled it. One
little girl was swept overboard and went away with the backward rush
of water, as the boat was hauled out of danger. Every one saw this, and
a terrible cry went up, but only one man moved. Our young sailor
sprang after the child. He knew that it was almost certain death to enter
that surf without a rope, but a spirit of self-sacrifice--founded on the
great example of Jesus--urged him on. He had no time to think--only to
act. He caught the child and was dragged along with her into the wild
sea. At that moment another Coastguardsman, who chanced to be a
friend of the man-of-war's man, came upon the scene. Seeing what had
occurred, he seized the end of a rope which some men had just brought
down, tied it round his waist, dashed into the sea, caught the sailor and
the girl in the wide grasp of his strong arms--and then all three were
hauled to the land in safety.
The poor child was nearly insensible, and had to be carried to a
neighbouring cottage; and the young sailor staggered so from
exhaustion that his friend and another man were obliged to support him
as he went.

"Who is he?" inquired one of the fisherwomen, as she followed behind.
The Coastguardsman looked over his shoulder with a proud glance in
his sparkling eye, and said aloud, "His name is Richard Thorogood."
A statement which was received with three loud and ringing cheers.
CHAPTER THREE.
But what of the wreck under the Sunland cliffs, which had sent up
rocket-signals of distress on that same dismal night?
When our Coastguardsman with the black beard reached the scene, he
found, as he had expected, that his comrades of the Coastguard had not
been idle. They had brought down the famous rocket apparatus, with
which so many lives are saved every year on our stormy shores.
The wreck was in a very different position from that in the bay. Instead
of being far away from shore, among rolling billows that raged over the
flat sands, this vessel, a brig, lay hard and fast among the rocks, not a
hundred yards from the foot of the cliffs. Against these frowning cliffs
the wild waves thundered as if they wished to beat them down. Failing
in that, they fell back and seemed to go mad with disappointment;
leaping, hissing, and whirling among the rocks on which the brig had
been cast. The brig was so near, that the men on shore could see the
forms of her crew as they clung to the rigging, frantically waving their
arms and sending up shrieks of despair and loud cries for help. Truly
there was urgent need for help, for the sea broke over the vessel so
furiously that it was evident she must soon go to pieces.
There was only one little