away again, swingin' over the seas as easy as
a bird.

"'That's good boatmanship,' I remar-rks.

"'It's young Carson in command,' says me bould bhoy leader.

"'Twas fifteen minutes before the boat came back, and thin there was a
man in it, with two women. Whin it swung alongside Tad helped out the
ladies and thin pushed at the man with his foot. 'Back ye go!' he says.
'No room on this craft for min.'

"'But you're only a lot of bhoys!' says the man in a rage. 'Who are you
to give orders? I'll come aboard.'

"'Ye will not,' says me bould Tad, and I reached into the engine room
for a spanner whereby to back him up, for I admired the spunk of the
young sprig. But the man stared into the lad's face and said nothin'.
And the boat pulled away with him still starin' over his shouldher.

"The nixt boatload was all the rest of the womenfolks and childher and
Tad ordered the dingy swung in and secured. Thin he tur-rned to me. 'We
will go in.'

"'Which way?' I demands.

"He put his little hand to his ear. 'Hear it?' he asks calmly. I
listened and by the great Hivins there was a whistlin' buoy off in the
darkness. I wint down to me machines.

"I've run me engines many a long night whin the devil was bruising his
knuckles agin the plates beneath me. But the nixt hour made me tin years
ouldher. For we hadn't more'n got well started in before it was 'Stop
her!' and 'Full speed ahead!' and 'Ease her!' Me assistant was excited,
but kept on spillin' oil into the cups and feelin' the bearin's like an
ould hand. Once, whin the sea walloped over our little craft, he grinned
across at me. 'There ain't many soft places to-night!' says he.

"'Ye're a child of the Ould Nick,' says I, 'and eat fire out of an
asbestos spoon.'

"''Tis the scouts' law not to be afraid,' retor-rts me young demon. But
me attintion was distracted be a tremenjous scamperin' overhead. 'For
the love of mercy, what is that?' I yelled.

"'Tis the leader puttin' out the drag,' says me crew. 'Whin the breakers
are high it's safer to ride in with a drag over the stern. It keeps the
boat from broachin' to.' And to the dot of his last word I felt the
sudden, strong pull of something on the launch's tail. Thin something
lifted us up and laid us down with a slap, like a pan of dough on a
mouldin' board. Me machines coughed and raced and thin almost stopped.
Whin they were goin' again I saw me assistant houldin' to a stanchion.
His face was pasty white and he gulped