f water that threatened to swamp them rolled toward the stern,
but before it had done so Harriet, acting upon a sharply uttered
command, had swung the sloop about until its nose met the oncoming
rush of wind and water. She gasped for breath as the flood of salt
water enveloped her; yet, bracing her feet, clung firmly to the
wheel, holding the craft on the new course. Afterward Harriet had a
faint recollection of having seen her companions swimming on the green
sea in the little cockpit, Tommy's pale face standing out more
prominently than all the rest.

"We made it," roared the skipper. "Now hold her steady, and she will
ride it out like a duck." He grabbed up a pail and began bailing with
all his might. Jane did likewise, then Miss Elting lent her
assistance. Tommy was clinging to the cabin roof with all her might.

Before the storm struck them they had not thought to light their
masthead and side lights. Now it was next to impossible to do so. The
sloop was rushing through the seas without a light to mark her
presence on the sea that was growing more wild with the moments. But
the binnacle light was burning steadily over the compass, so that the
helmswoman was able to see in which direction they were heading. The
compass told her that, instead of making headway toward land, they
were rushing along at a frightful rate of speed toward Europe. Still,
she realized that this was the only safe course to follow.

All at once Harriet Burrell uttered a sharp cry of alarm. She threw
the wheel over so suddenly that a wave smashing against the side of
the sloop nearly turned them turtle. Captain Billy, with quick
instinct, let go the mainsail, which swung out far to leeward, thus
saving the little craft from being upset. Up to this moment he did not
know what the sudden shifting meant, but just as he was about to
bellow to the helmswoman he caught sight of a towering mass of lights
that for the moment seemed to hang over them, then flashed on, missing
the "Sue" by a few scant rods of water. They had had a narrow escape
from being run down by a steamer. But for Harriet's quickness, nothing
could have saved them. It was plain that those on the bridge of the
steamer had not discovered the small boat in the sea under their bows,
for they did not even hail.

"Good work," bellowed the skipper.

"I thought we'd got to Europe," shouted Tommy.

"Lay her to. I've got to close reef that sail," commanded the captain.

Harriet pointed