"BREAD UPON THE WATERS"
fore the middle watch, when Bell whustled down the tube: 'She 's done it'; an' up I came.
"The Grotkau was just a fair distance south, an' one by one she ran up the three red lights in a vertical line—the sign of a steamer not under control.
"'Yon 's a tow for us,' said Bell, lickin' his chops. 'She 'll be worth more than the Breslau. We 'll go down to her, McPhee!'
"'Bide a while,' I said. 'The seas fair throng wi' ships here.'
"'Reason why,' said Bell. 'It 's a fortune gaun beggin'. What d' ye think, man?'
"'Gie her till daylight. She knows we 're here. If Bannister needs help he ’ll loose a rocket.'
"'Wha told ye Bannister's need? We 'll ha' some rag-an'-bone tramp snappin' her up under oor nose,' said he; an' he put the wheel over. We were goin' slow.
"’Bannister wad like better to go home on a liner an' eat in the saloon. Mind ye what they said o' Holdock & Steiner's food that night at Radley's? Keep her awa', man—keep her awa'. A tow 's a tow, but a derelict 's big salvage.'
"'E-eh!' said Bell. 'Yon 's an inshot o' yours, Mac. I love ye like a brother. We 'll bide whaur we are till daylight'; an' he kept her awa'.
"Syne up went a rocket forward, an' twa on the bridge, an' a blue light aft. Syne a tar-barrel forward again.
"’She 's sinkin',' said Bell. 'It 's all gaun, an' I 'll get no more than a pair o' night-glasses for pickin' up young Bannister—the fool!'
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