now; and, as soon as the wind chops
round--as it has already done in the upper currents of air, a sure sign
that it will presently blow along the water from the same quarter--why,
we can up anchor and away home!"

"How shall we ever know the proper direction in which to steer?" asked
Fritz, who was still faint-hearted about the result of the adventure.

"We won't steer at all," said Eric. "There are no currents to speak of
about here; and as we have run south-westwards before the north-easter,
if we run back in an opposite direction before the south-wester, which
is not far off now from setting in, why we must arrive pretty nearly at
the same point from which we started."

"But we may then pass the island by a second time and be as badly off as
we are now."

"What an old croaker you are!" cried Eric impatiently. "Won't I be on
the look-out to see that such an accident as that shan't happen? We'll
have to be very careful in turning the boat however--so as to bring the
wind abeam when we get up abreast of the island, in order to beat into
the bay--for the poor craft is so leaky and cranky now that she'll not
stand much buffeting about."

"Can't I do anything?" asked Fritz, beginning to regain his courage and
bestir himself, now that he reflected that their chances of getting back
to the island were not so precarious and slight as he had at first
imagined.

"Yes, you can bale out the boat, if you like," said Eric. "She's nearly
half full of water now and continues leaking like a sieve. The seams
strain and yawn awfully when she rides, even worse than when she was
flying along at the mercy of the wind and waves. Still, we must try to
keep her clear if possible, as the lighter and more buoyant she is, the
better chance have we of getting out of this mess."

"I'll do the baling gladly," rejoined Fritz, really pleased at doing
something, and beginning at once with the job, using a large tin
pannikin that they had taken with them.

"Then, fire away," said Eric. "It will be as much as I can do to attend
to the steering of the boat. Look sharp, old fellow, and get some of
the light ballast out of her! I see a light scud creeping up from
leeward, behind us, with the waves fringing up into a curl before it.
The wind has chopped round at last and we'll have to cut and run as soon
as it reaches us."

Fritz baled away with the tin pannikin for dear life.

"Now, brother," cried Eric, a moment later, "get your knif