please the Captain hugely, and his face beamed
like a nor'west moon every time he peered into the compass.

Dawn found us well to the norrard of the islands, and close-hauled,
standing into the land. From break of day all hands were busy getting
the anchors cleared and the cables ranged. Some were engaged painting
out the rusty bits on the starboard top-side. A 'work-up' job they
thought it was until the Mate ordered them to leave the stages hanging
over the water abreast of the fore-hatch. Here the iron plating was
hot, the paint was blistered off, and every time the ship heeled over
there was an unmistakable _sssh_ as the water lapped the heated side.
This, and the smell of hot iron, was all that there was to tell of our
smouldering coal below, but 'Frisco men from the Water Front are sharp
as ferrets, and very little would give them an inkling of the state of
affairs. Presently we raised the land broad on the port bow, and two
of us were perched on the fore-to'gal'nt yard to look out for the pilot
schooner; or, if luck was in our way, a tow-boat. The land became more
distinct as the day wore on, and the bearing of several conspicuous
hills gave the Captain the position he sought. Before noon we reported
smoke ahead, and the Mate, coming aloft with his telescope, made out
the stranger to be a tow-boat, and heading for us. We were called down
from aloft, and the ship was put about.

We were now, for the second time, heading away from our port; and when
the Mate set us to slap the paint on the burned patch, we understood
the Old Man's manoeuvre, which had the object of preventing the
tow-boat from rounding to on our starboard side. Her skipper would
there have assuredly seen evidences of our plight, and would not have
been slow to take advantage of it.

The tug neared us rapidly (they lose no time on the Pacific slope), and
the Captain recognised her as the _Active_.

"She's one of Spreckel's boats," said he, shutting his glass. "Cutbush
runs her, an' he's a dead wide ane. If he smells a rat, Mister, we'll
be damned lucky if we get into harbour under a couple o' thousand."

We were all excited at the game, though it mattered little to us what
our owners paid, as long as we got out of our hot corner. Straight for
us he came, and when he rounded our stern and lay up on the lee
quarter, the bo'sun voiced the general opinion that the Old Man had
done the trick.

"Morn, Cap.! Guess ye've bin a long time o