ere was a fine sailing breeze, so by exercising special
care, Eben was able to make good progress as he beat from side to side
of the river. He was well acquainted with the course, and he was
greatly helped by the steady gleam of a lighthouse ahead. He made up
his mind to keep on sailing all night, and thus reach the city early
the next morning. If the wind held firm, he knew that he could run on
longer tacks where the river was wider in the lower part of the Reach
and in Grand Bay. He was certain that his father would be very anxious
in the morning when he found that the "Eb and Flo" had disappeared.
But he would show the folks at home that he could be depended upon, and
could handle the boat in an emergency. He would go to the city,
discharge his cargo and return in triumph to Beech Cove. Just what to
do with his passengers he was not sure. At first he felt inclined to
report them to the police. But upon second thought, he decided to let
them go. But for their assistance he would not have been able to save
the boat, and he was somewhat grateful to them now. In fact, he felt
quite friendly with his visitors.

"How d'ye feel?" he at length called out, just after he had taken
another tack for a long run across the river.

"Wet to the skin," Donaster angrily replied. "When are we to let up on
this job? I'm sick of it."

"Same here," his companion agreed.

"Well, I guess ye'll have to make the best of it, me hearties. We'll
reach the city early in the mornin', if the wind holds. Ye kin change
yer clothes then."

The men made no reply, but Donaster, leaving Bill to manage the sheet,
scrambled over to Eben's side.

"My, it's confoundedly dark and nasty to-night," he growled. "It's
absolutely beastly."

"Don't like it much, eh?" Eben queried. "Ye got more'n ye expected,
didn't ye?"

"Should say I did. But I thought you had Miss Randall on board. Where
in h---- is she, anyway? You know, don't you?"

"So it's her ye was lookin' fer, was it?"

"Certainly. Didn't I tell you so?"

"No, ye didn't. Ye only asked me if I had a woman on board."

"Oh, well, you understood all right, so you needn't make believe you
didn't. You knew I was looking for Miss Randall."

"But she's dead, isn't she?"

"Dead! When did she die?"

"Why, they was searchin' fer her body down river."

Donaster laughed, and reaching out laid his hand upon Eben's arm.

"Say, stop your fooling, will you? Miss Randall's not