ne down sufficiently to permit of the
catamaran being taken alongside the brig without danger. As soon,
however, as this was the case, Leslie went off again, accompanied by
Flora, and resumed his task of breaking up the brig's deck. It was
about the middle of the afternoon when Flora, who had been allowing her
gaze to wander out over the sea to the southward and westward, called
her companion's attention to a small object floating at a distance of
about a mile in the offing. Leslie, ever on the alert, at once brought
the telescope to bear upon the object, which appeared to be drifting
helplessly before wind and sea toward the surf beating on the weather
side of the reef, and immediately pronounced it to be a small canoe,
apparently empty.

"We must have that craft; she will be very useful to us," he exclaimed,
dropping the telescope and preparing to cast off the catamaran. "Will
you come with me, sweetheart? You can be useful to me by taking the
tiller, when we come alongside her, while I jump aboard and make fast a
rope. But we must be smart or she will be among the breakers before we
can reach her."

A minute later they were under way and slipping along toward the
entrance channel, upon clearing which Leslie at once hauled his wind,
standing to the eastward for about a mile, which took him far enough to
windward to enable him to fetch the canoe on the next tack. He then
hove about without a moment's delay, for the little craft was by this
time perilously close to the surf, and it was questionable whether they
would reach her in time to save her from being caught and dashed to
pieces in it. So close, indeed, was she that Leslie began to seriously
ask himself whether he was justified in taking the catamaran into a
situation of such danger for the mere sake of an insignificant canoe;
but reflecting that she was evidently light enough to enable Flora to
paddle about in her without much exertion, and that it would afford the
girl pleasure to do so; also that the little craft would be very useful
for fishing and other purposes, he decided to risk it; and accordingly
steered to shave just past her to windward. Then, when they were
drawing close up to her, he handed over the tiller to Flora--who was by
this time quite an expert helmswoman--instructing her to tack to the
eastward the moment that he sprang into the canoe. Then, taking the end
of a rope in his hand, he stood by to jump into the canoe as the
catamaran