again. It was
the wonder of Harriet Burrell that the "Sue" kept afloat at all, for
she was more under water than above it, and the seas were breaking
over her.

"Please get back and look after the girls. Where is your life-line?"
asked Harriet of Miss Elting.

"I threw it off when I went into the cabin."

"Get back! Stay there until I call you, or--"

Harriet did not finish the sentence, but the guardian understood and
turned back into the cabin, where she did her best to comfort the
panic-stricken Camp Girls.

"Whoop!" shrieked Jane.

The "Sue" righted with a violent jolt. Jane had freed the side of the
boat of the rigging which, attached to the broken mast and sail, was
holding the craft down and threatening every second to swamp her. Jane
crept down into the cockpit, and was about to cut away the stays that
held the wreckage, which was now floating astern of the sloop.

"Stop!" commanded Harriet. "Wait till we see what effect it has on us,
but stand by to cut away if we see there is peril. Oh, I hope we shall
be able to ride it out. That poor captain! He must have been stunned
by a blow of the boom. It seems cruel to stand here without lifting a
hand to save him. But what can we do? Jane, is there anything you can
think of that we can do?"

Crazy Jane shook her head slowly.

"Nothing but to tell his family, if we ever get back to land," was
her solemn reply. "But, darlin', we aren't on land ourselves yet, and
I doubt me very much if we ever shall be. See the waves breaking over
this old tub. How long do you think she will stand it?"

Harriet did not answer at once. She was peering forward into the
darkness. Holding up her hand, she noted the direction of the wind.

"Do you see, Jane, the 'Sue' is behaving better! She isn't taking
nearly so much water. Do you know what has happened?"

"What is it, darlin'?"

"The wreckage that you cut away is holding the stern and acting as a
sea anchor, and it has pulled the bow of the boat around until we are
headed right into the gale. I am glad I didn't let you cut loose the
wreckage. It may be the very thing that will save us, but I don't
know. I wish you would get some one to help you bail out the pit. The
water is getting deep in here again, and the cabin is all afloat."

"But more will come in," objected Jane.

"And more will swamp us, first thing we know. You take the wheel. I
will bail."

"I'll do it myself, darlin'."

Jane asked Hazel to assist her,