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[Illustration: FRONTISPIECE--"_Away went the shot_" (p. 319).]




                           FIGHTING THE SEA

                                  OR

                  Winter at the Life-Saving Station.

                                  BY
                            EDWARD A. RAND

                              _AUTHOR OF_

     "HER CHRISTMAS AND HER EASTER"; "UP THE LADDER SERIES,"--"THE
     KNIGHTS OF THE WHITE SHIELD," "THE SCHOOL IN THE LIGHTHOUSE,"
       "YARDSTICK AND SCISSORS," "THE CAMP AT SURF BLUFF," "OUT
         OF THE BREAKERS", "SCHOOL AND CAMP SERIES,"--"PUSHING
             AHEAD," "ROY'S DORY AT THE SEASHORE," "LITTLE
              BROWN-TOP," "NELLIE'S NEW YEAR," ETC., ETC.

                               New York
                           THOMAS WHITTAKER
                          2 AND 3 BIBLE HOUSE
                                 1887

                           Copyright, 1887,
                         By THOMAS WHITTAKER.




                               Dedicated

                                TO THE

                             BRAVE SURFMEN

                                OF THE

                       U.S. LIFE SAVING SERVICE

                                  AND

                    THEIR EFFICIENT SUPERINTENDENT,

                          HON. S. I. KIMBALL.




PREFACE.


Visiting a Life Saving Station on our coast, and passing a night
there, I became deeply interested in the work of the hardy crew. I
have examined with an absorbing gratification various reports of the
Service. We may fittingly have a national pride in the intent and
achievement of this department. The element of the heroic runs through
and makes luminous the pages of what on the face are only ordinary
governmental reports. May the accompanying story interest our young
people in the work of the Life Saving Service. While they accept,
make theirs, and build upon the principles of honesty, reverence, and
temperance laid down in this story, may they extend their sympathy
and prayers also to the brave men who watch the sea while we are
sleeping, and whose generous daring may well provoke us to courage and
self-sacrifice in other spheres.




CONTENTS.


   CHAP.                               PAGE

      I. THE MAN ON THE STEEPLE           7

     II. THE WINTER RIDE                 16

    III. THE LIFE-SAVING STATION         26

     IV. THE PATROL                      38

      V. TURNING THE CORNER              49

     VI. THE STORE                       62

    VII. STANDING FIRM                   82

   VIII. AT THE STATION                 117

     IX. THE HALL SERVICE               130

      X. THE BOAT-RACE                  156

     XI. THE SURF-BOY                   179

    XII. ON HIS BEAT                    193

   XIII. UNDER FIRE                     207

    XIV. TWO BAD CASES                  220

     XV. THE BARNEY LITERARY CLUB       231

    XVI. AN UGLY NIGHT                  249

   XVII. A SOUL IN NEED                 274

  XVIII. DARK DEPTHS UNCOVERED          286

    XIX. A WILD STORM                   309

     XX. CHRISTMAS                      339




FIGHTING THE SEA.




CHAPTER I.

THE MAN ON THE STEEPLE.


"Oh--oh, grandfather! There's--that--man--on the--steeple--and
he--can't--get--down!"

"Why, yes, he can! He's got a ladder!" said the old boat-builder,
Zebulon Smith, looking up from the boat he had partly framed, and
addressing his grandson, who had run excitedly into the shop and was
now making an almost breathless appeal.

"No, he--hasn't;--he dropped--it!"

"Ladder dropped from the steeple?"

"Yes--gone--all--all--to smash!"

"You don't say, Cyrus!"

Feeling it might be the man who had come down thus abruptly, and "gone
all to smash," the boat-builder ran outdoors and gave a hasty look
up at the steeple. He breathed more easily when he saw the