nce back at the south point, and
worked away at the baling.

"Now," he said suddenly, "I want to go on, but I'm getting slow. Be
ready to jump into my place and scoop it out. I'll catch hold of the
oar. Ready?"

"Yes."

"Now then."

The exchange was quickly effected, the water sent flying with more
energy, and Vince pressed upon the oar as he rested himself, and sent
the brave little boat faster through the sea.

"You're giving it to her too hard," remonstrated Mike, as the gunwale
went down dangerously near the surface.

"No, I'm not. You hold your tongue and bale," said Vince fiercely.
"Keep it down."

Mike worked as he had never worked before, but he could not get the
water an inch lower than Vince had left it. Still he never slackened
his pace, though he felt sure that it was gaining upon him, and that
before long the boat would begin to sink.

At last he could contain himself no longer, and with a hoarse gasp he
cried:

"It's of no use, Vince; she's going down."

"No, she isn't," said the boy quietly; "and she can't go down if we
pitch out those two big pieces of iron ballast. She'll go over on her
side, and we shall have to hold on if it comes to the worst; but I think
I can send her in, Ladle, if you can keep on baling."

"Yes, I can keep on," said Mike faintly.

"Tell me when you're beat out, and I'll begin again."

Mike nodded.

"But keep on till you're ready to drop, so as to give me all the rest
you can, for my arms feel like bits of wood."

Mike jerked his head again, and the water went on flying out, looking
like a shower of gold in the late afternoon sunshine, till Vince shouted
to his companion, in regular nautical parlance, to stand by with the
sail.

Mike sprang up and loosened the sheet, standing ready to swing the yard
over to the other side. Vince threw the boat up in the wind, the sail
swung over, filled for the other tack, and they both began to breathe
freely as they glided now toward the south point of the island, where a
jutting-up mass of rock, looking dim in the distance, showed where the
archway and tunnel lay which led into old Joe's little natural dock.

"Shall we do it, Cinder?" said Mike faintly, as he made fast the sheet
on the other side.

"Do it?--yes, of course," cried Vince stoutly. "There, my arms are not
so numb and full of pins and needles now. Come here and steer."

"No, I can do a little more," said Mike.

"No, you can't. Obey orders always