"Look out for the St. Bernard Shoals," assented Gerald. "Hold on, there's a tug ashore,—a wreck on the St. Bernard Shoals."
"Toot—toot—toot! puff—puff! choo—choo—choo!" This from the steam-tug Billy.
"Tug is off the shoals, no lives lost," commented Gerald. "Oh, fire! fire! fire! My deck is all in flames. Up goes my signal 'I'm on fire,' and now where's my 'Want a steam-tug' signal. Oh, right here. I shall be saved if the tug Billy doesn't burst his boilers before he gets here!"
It so happened that the tug fell sprawling over the St. Bernard Shoals, and but for the timely assistance of the steamship City of Elizabeth, the schooner Gerald of the White Star Line must have been lost with all on board. To be sure, Gerald emptied his pockets upon the floor, insisting that everything that fell, from his jack-knife to marbles, were frantic sailors, who either perished in the sea or were devoured by sharks.
In the meantime, the St. Bernard Shoals made trouble for the steam-tug Billy. "Can't even blow my whistle," puffed Billy. "Hero, let me get up. Don't keep tumbling me over and over. Don't you know I'm a boat? Go 'way, Hero. Open the door, Gerald, so he'll go out. Call him, Betty."
Outside the window, Hero tried his best to persuade the children to come out and play in the rain.
"Oh, dear, let's rest a minute," suggested Betty.
"And say over the verses we learned that day of the worst blizzard last winter," added Billy. "You know what I mean, Betty, the rules for steamers passing, and then, Betty, we'll play it is a dark night when we go on some more trips."
"Oh, I'll tell you," put in Gerald, "we'll cut lanterns out of paper, red and green and white ones, and pin them on."
"Begin the verses first, Betty; let's say them all together," suggested Billy, "and say them loud so Hero can hear."