The Coxswain's Bride, by R.M. Ballantyne

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Title: The Coxswain's Bride also, Jack Frost and Sons; and, A Double Rescue

Author: R.M. Ballantyne

Release Date: June 7, 2007 [EBook #21725]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

THE COXSWAIN'S BRIDE, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER 1.

THE RISING TIDE--A TALE OF THE SEA.

The coxswain went by the name of Sturdy Bob among his mates. Among the women of the village he was better known as handsome Bob, and, looking at him, you could not help seeing that both titles were appropriate, for our coxswain was broad and strong as well as good-looking, with that peculiar cast of features and calm decided manner which frequently distinguish the men who are born to lead their fellows.

Robert Massey, though quite young, was already a leader of men--not only by nature but by profession--being coxswain of the Greyton lifeboat, and, truly, the men who followed his lead had need to be made of good stuff, with bold, enthusiastic, self-sacrificing spirits, for he often led them into scenes of wild--but, hold! We must not forecast.

Well, we introduce our hero to the reader on a calm September evening, which blazed with sunshine. The sun

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