n the fellow who saved my life got
into trouble, from which I could help him out, I'm sure even Mr.
Hepburn would say I was bound to do it. Besides, I have found one
promising outcrop of copper, and now I'm off for Labrador; so perhaps
things will turn out all right after all. Anyway I'm learning how to
sail a boat, and that is something every fellow ought to know. I wish
it wasn't so awfully dark though, and that White would hurry up with
that supper, for I am powerful hungry. How good it smells, and what a
fine chap he is. Falling in with him was certainly a great bit of
luck. But how this confounded compass wabbles, and how the schooner
jumps off her course if I lift my eyes from it for a single instant. I
don't see why she can't go straight if I hold the tiller perfectly
still. There's a star dead ahead, and I guess I'll steer by it. Then
I can keep the sharp lookout White spoke of at the same time."

Thus deciding, the anxious helmsman fixed his gaze upon the newly risen
star that he had just discovered, and wondered admiringly at its rapid
increase in brilliancy. After a little he rubbed his eyes and looked
again at two more stars that had suddenly appeared above the horizon
directly below the first one.

"Never saw red and green stars before," Cabot muttered. "Must be
peculiar to this high latitude. Wonder if they can be stars, though?
Oh! what a chump I am. White! I say, White, come up here quick!"

In obedience to this summons the young skipper thrust his head from the
companionway.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Don't know exactly," replied Cabot, "but there is a lighthouse or a
dock or something right in front of us."

"Steamer!" cried White as he sprang on deck and glanced ahead. "Keep
her away, quick. I don't want them to sight us."

"Steamer," repeated Cabot as he obeyed this order and let the schooner
fall off to leeward. "I never thought of such a thing as a steamer
away up here. Do you mean that she is a frigate?"

"No," laughed White. "There are other steamers besides frigates even
in these waters, and that is one of them. She is the 'Harlaw,' from
Flower Cove, near the northern end of the island, and bound for
Halifax. It's mighty lucky she didn't pass us by daylight."

"Why?"

"Because she is already heading in for the Bay of Islands and would
have reported us as soon as she got there. Then we would have had a
frigate after us sure enough."

"But how do you know she's a