again, and aching all over and very cold, stood up to see that the
schooner was tumbling over a spiteful sea with the hazy loom of land not
far away from her. He glanced at the gear and canvas, and was almost
appalled, while Charly, who was busy close by, saw his face and grinned.

"You don't want to look at her too much," he observed. "We took a swig
on the peak-halliards a little while ago, and had to let up before we
pulled the gaff off her. Boom-foresail's worse, and the jibs are
dropping off her, while the water just pours in through her top-sides
when she puts another lee plank down."

Wyllard made an expressive gesture, and leaned upon the rail. He
realized then something of the nature of the task he had undertaken.
They had no anchor, no fresh water, no fuel for cooking, and, so far as
he was aware, very few provisions, while it seemed to him that the
weathered, worn-out gear would not hold the masts in the vessel in any
weight of breeze. Still, the thing must be attempted, and there was one
want, at least, that could be supplied.

"Anyway," he said, "we'll beat her in. When we come abreast of the first
creek you and Tom and the Siwash will go ashore."

It was afternoon when they sighted a little stream, and they took most
of the canvas off the vessel before three of them pulled away in the
boat, leaving Wyllard at the helm. It was blowing moderately fresh off
shore, and it was with feverish impatience that he watched them toiling
at the oars, two of them pulling while the third man sculled. They
disappeared behind a point, and an anxious hour went by before the boat,
which now showed a very scanty strip of side above the tumbling foam,
crept out from the beach again. Having no breakers, they had brought the
water off in bulk, sitting in it as they pulled, and it was fortunate
that the boat lurched off shore easily before the little splashing seas.
They lost some of the water before they hove it into the big rusty tank,
and then they held a consultation when they had swung the boat in and
the schooner was running off to the east again.

"We've about stores enough to last two weeks--that is, if you don't
expect too much," Lewson pointed out. "There's an American stove in the
deck-house, and while we can't find anything meant to burn in it there's
an ax down forward, and we could cut out cabin floorings, or a beam or
two, without taking too much stiffening out of her."

Wyllard, who had inspected the stores,