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Ford was getting pretty red in the face just then, with his unaccustomed exercise; and his friend added, "You needn't pull so hard: we're almost there. Hullo! if there isn't Dick Lee, in his dry-goods box. That boat'll drown him some day, and his dad too. But just see him pull in crabs!" Ford came near "catching" one more as he tried to turn around for the look proposed, exclaiming,
There was a landing to the left, a rather narrow ledge, with a low, heavy door, bossed with iron, in the wall beyond. Shaking his head, he lifted himself cautiously out of the boat. "You stay right there, Dulla Dad," he warned the native, "until I see what happens. If I catch you trying to get away the boat'll show up nicely against the opening, you know I'll give you cause for repentance."
As his manly form in the western sunlight attracted their attention, both the girls were struck with admiration. Both waved their handkerchiefs, and Henry returned the adieu by swinging his hat. So intent was he on watching them that he forgot his duty, and one of the men was obliged to call out, "Swing her round, captain, or the mail boat'll sink us."
Here we are clear of ice, and I'm thinkin' there'll soon be signs of fish down at the tickle. To-morrow marnin', and the weather holds fine, we'll be cruisin' down. In another week, or fortnight, whatever, the mail boat'll be comin' and blowin' her whistle in the offing.
"Well, well, the old boat'll hold the boys for many a day yet," said the fisherman; "you go in and stop their noise, while I get help for the poor souls that are surely perishing out there." "But what can you do for them?" asked his wife; "there ain't a boat besides ours at Bermuda Point, nor a man to help you manage it besides Bob."
"Keep still, can't you, girls?" cried Johnny; "if you fuss round so the boat'll be sure to upset." Johnny looked as dignified as if he had navigated ships across the Atlantic Ocean over and over again; but then, alas! his arms were so little!
As if loath to leave the devil-island they had guarded throughout the long night, they contracted slowly, niggardly exposing a line of rugged cliffs which shone bleak and gray in the strengthening light of early morning. "It's breaking up at last. Look!" Dickie Lang pointed to the dark blot on the horizon. "Can't. If I take my eyes from this needle for a second the boat'll run all over the ocean."
"We'll not make un!" Jamie protested. "The wind's gettin' too strong! We'll have to go ashore and make camp!" "The boat'll stand un," laughed David. "She's a sturdy craft in a breeze." "I'm afeared," said Jamie. "'A scout is brave," quoted Andy. "'Tisn't meant for a scout to be foolish," Jamie insisted. "I'm afeared of bein' foolish." "You was braggin' of havin' grit," Andy taunted.
"Aw, he handed 'em a lemon!" commented the wiseacre. "That boat'll never run it won't even float!" But Harry Stanton's cruising launch was no lemon. It proved to be staunch and solid. There wasn't a rotten plank in her.
"Ay, ay," said he, "he passed me word of that. But, ye see, the boat'll set ye ashore at the town pier, and that's but a penny stonecast from Rankeillor's house." And here he suddenly leaned down and whispered in my ear: "Take care of the old tod; he means mischief. Come aboard till I can get a word with ye."
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