fast mail-steamer, or the slant-eyed steersman of a Hong Kong junk.

The ravager of the birds of plumage in Hawaii, as well as the mutineer in chains taken from the merchant ship, hated these regulators of the ocean pathways. And like the baby seal of Alaska and the birds of Hawaii, the tender sponges of the Bahamas had to be guarded from extinction at the hands of ruthless fishermen, and it was the coast guardsmen they had to reckon with if caught in depredations on the young sponge clusters.

But all this was in the regular schedule of the ocean patrolmen, and far more cheerfully they fired a life-line across a wreck, or sent a boat load of provisions and water to a famished crew in the North Atlantic.

And in the days when seamen's rights were not at the mercy of an outlaw nation, the coast guardsmen drew no lines. as to nationality; they cared not what colors flew at the peak halyards or what tongues were spoken in stateroom and forecastle. They jumped in their surfboats and ran kedge anchors to the British tramp that was wedged in tight on the Florida keys; they did the life-boat stunt to the French fishermen sinking on the Grand Banks; or they drove their cutter at breakneck speed toward the Dutch oiltanker ablaze out of sight of land, or the Japanese sealer being crushed to kindlingwood in an Arctic ice-pack. In the same spirit, they gambled with their lives in order to reach the German bark going to pieces on the Diamond Shoals or they fought through a West Indian cyclone to bring the crippled Austrian mail packet to a safe haven at St. Thomas. And all this was done as generously to the men of other flags as it was done to their own who sailed under the banner of the Stars and Stripes.

But when the grim shadow of war fell across the sea and our country called her sons and ships, then the coast guardsman immediately took his place on the battle line. His life-boats with their food-casks and medicine-chests were sent ashore to the boat-sheds; his steel towing hawsers

were coiled away and the Lyle-gun shooter with its life-line projectile, was stowed between decks. The search-light that was used to illuminate the wrecks on blackened seas was reserved for other uses and his rockets that would tell those hull down on the horizon that he was coming at top speed for their salvation, were stored away in the signal lockers.

Then the Coast-Guard ship became as the black night itself; her white paint disappeared under the lead color of war and she sped over the night sea screened in total darkness. War heads were screwed tight and torpedoes run into the big tubes above the ram bow and breechblocks slammed after the deadly messengers of steel had been rammed home in the guns of her main battery. The Treasury Department relinquished control of her as she went over to take her place with the "bull dogs" of the Navy.

The Coast-Guard cutter is now with the destroyer flotillas, giving good account of herself with her high speed, her gun power and unerring hits. With her ram bow-that characteristic feature of the Coast-Guard ship-she is making a fine record as she runs down and sinks the ruthless enemy U-boats.

The medium size of these vessels, their swift manoeuvring qualities, light draft, high freeboard and great propulsive power enable them to keep to the high sea as convoy to the transport, the ambulance ship and the cargo carrier. The cutter is a fine deep-sea scout, and when she returns to give the alarm of "enemy in sight", the history of the Coast-Guard will be repeated as she wheels to join the Allied fleet, to run on their flanks and to be in the thick of the next great naval battle with the Teuton squadrons.

So, in both peace and war, we find the coast guardsman equally at his best, giving all that he has to the destitute and shipwrecked at sea, and then, at the bugle call to sustain a free people, coming to the scratch with his Coast-Guard cutter turned into a terrible fighting machine, sworn to do a mighty battle with an unscrupulous and brutal foe.

derment, there came from out the wood to graze upon the green grass a wild horse.

As white as milk his satin coat,
And silver bright his mane;
With arching neck and flowing tail,
He pranced upon the plain.

So beautiful was this milk-white horse that the young squire caught his breath at the sight of him, and, for fear of startling him, sat upon his own steed as if he were carven of stone. But quiet though he was, the wild horse took fright at him, and, galloping into the woods, came forth no more that morn.

With such swiftness did he come and go that the young squire was fain to doubt his own eyes; and because of this, he determined to say naught to any one of his adventure. Nor did he; but on the morrow's morn he rode again beyond the wood to where the green plain shone, and watched there longingly.

And again he saw the horse with milkwhite coat and glistening mane come from the wood; and this time, if the horse saw the squire, he showed no fear, but ate his fill in peace.

The youth he looked, the youth he gazed. "No horse like this," quoth he, "Could e'er be found, though one should search

Through all the Kingdoms Three."

But on this day, as on the day before; the young squire kept his counsel and said naught to any one of what he had seen.

The third day he rode to the plain and watched and waited. But when, as before, the white horse came from the wood, he rose suddenly in his stirrups and with a cunning hand threw a rope that, turning and twisting across the plain like lightning across the sky, fell upon the neck of the wild horse and held him fast.

Then high in air the wild horse sprang;
From side to side he leapt;
With rage he ran, with terror plunged,
Yet still was captive kept.

Struggle as he would, the wild horse could not free himself, and at last he stood still, all a-quiver and weary, and fought no longer. Then went the young squire to him to stroke his flanks and smooth his mane and look into his eyes. And true as truth it is that from that very hour the two were friends.

And oh, it was a gladsome day,

A gala day indeed,
When proud as any king, the youth

Brought home the milk-white steed!

The news of the marvelous capture quickly spread, and many there were in the North Country who came to see the Wonder Horse in the squire's stable. And there were many who longed to possess the horse, and offered silver and gold enough for a man's ransom for him.

Even the king sent messengers to inquire of the youth his price. But for one and all he had the same answer:

"No hand but mine to guide his course

The Wonder Horse shall know; Alike we two shall fare and thrive,

Fast friends, come weal, come woe."

And thereafter, at chase or tournament or wheresoever gallant deeds were done, the young squire and his Wonder Horse were found.

And the fame of the two grew apace and spread so wide that at last an outlaw king in a far place heard of them.

"This is a doughty squire," quoth he,

"But, by my woodland throne, Before the moon shall shine again

That horse shall be mine own.”

And upon a dark night, when those who dwelt in the North Country were asleep in their beds and dreaming of no harm, the outlaw king, with a band of daring men, stole away the Wonder Horse from the squire's stable. Nor did the king leave any trace behind him to show whence he came or whither he went.

The morrow's morn was a sorrowful one for the young squire. Yet, though his heart was so heavy, he could but hope that he might find and win back his treasure.

gan to be afraid that his quest was in vain.

But one day, as he stood in a strange market-place, he heard a fellow say to another: "As much silver as my hat will hold will my master give to him who tames the wild horse in his stable."

And at the words the young squire's hopes leaped high.

"Good fellow," said he, "I am young in years, yet have I much knowledge of horses and their ways; and to tame your master's steed I will adventure."

"Not so fast, gentle youth," whispered one who stood near by; "for more than one man has tested his skill with this same horse and got nothing but broken bones." But when the young squire heard this he

"THAT HORSE SHALL BE MINE OWN."

And forthwith he began to devise ways and means by which he might accomplish this. Day after day he thought of little else, and at last, disguising himself as best he might, he left his home and friends and went from land to land seeking the Wonder Horse.

A weary way, a woeful way,

In doubt and dark despair The lonely youth, the seeking youth

Did wander here and there.

Wherever fine horses might be seen, at races, fairs, and market-places, he went; but of the milk-white horse he caught no glimpse and heard no word. And he be

"AS MUCH SILVER AS MY HAT WILL HOLD."

was all the more eager to see the horse, and he bade the fellow lead him to his lord.

Then by a winding way they went,
By stream and fearsome fell,
By hill and crag and tangled path,
And marshy moor and dell.

And as they went the young squire questioned the fellow concerning the horse, though with much caution.

"T is said among those who have observed," quoth he, "that a great spirit is often found in a black horse. Is the horse of your lord of such color?"

"Nay," said the fellow; ""T is white as a lamb newly washed; but never was horse of black or any other color whatsoever possessed of so evil a spirit. Ten men go limping because of him."

"White horses oft have manes of grey," said the youth. "Is it so with this one?" "Nay, the mane is silver white and dazzling to the eye," answered the man; "but what matters that? 'T is an ill-tempered beast for all its silver mane." But by now they had come to the forest lord's domain, and there was no time for further talk.

The kingdom of this lord was an awesome place; and no less forbidding than his kingdom was the lord himself.

As black as midnight was his hair, His sunburnt cheeks deep red; His eagle glance was cold and stern, And stern the words he said.

But when he had questioned the youth, he was fain to let him try his skill upon

the horse; and he bade his henchman show the way to the stable.

As white as moonlight there he stood;
His eyes were like a flame;
With stamping feet he greeted them
Right fiercely as they came.

But fierce as he was, no sooner had the young squire laid his hand upon his flanks and smoothed his mane and looked into his eyes, than the horse knew him and stood like a lamb beneath his touch.

Nor when at the youth's word a saddle was brought and strapped upon him did he resist, but bore all things in gentle wise. And the squire rode forth upon him.

The forest king astounded saw;

"Huzza!" loud called the men, Nor dreamed it was the doughty squire. They cheered and cheered again.

Three times he paced his steed before the king; then, with a loosened rein and whispered word, he of a sudden bade the good horse go, and sped away like bird set free from cage.