t, whether we run ashore or stay afloat.
I'm going to put some potatoes on."

"All right," replied Steve quietly. "But if you feel a bump, put out
your alcohol flame the first thing you do, Ossie."

"Sure, but you can bet I won't wait down there to see whether the
potatoes are done!"

"How about it, you chaps?" asked Steve presently.

"Don't hear a thing," answered Phil.

"All right. I'm going to bring her around now. Yell the minute you see
anything. You needn't worry. She's only crawling and I'll have her going
astern before you can shout twice."

Very slowly Steve moved the wheel to starboard. In the stillness they
could hear the gear creak under the deck. No warning came from the two
lookouts and, after a moment, Steve again turned gingerly. For all the
watchers could tell, the _Adventurer_ never altered her course, but
Steve, his gaze on the compass card, knew that she was headed now
straight east. Now and then he peered questioningly forward, but his
gaze was defeated by the fog. At intervals Perry sent a groaning wail
from the fog-horn. Presently Steve heard the boys talking on the bow and
in a moment Neil's voice hailed him:

"Surf off to starboard, Steve! Not very near, though."

The others listened, but there was just enough noise from the engine to
drown the sound heard by the lookouts.

"Tell me if it gets louder," called Steve. "Still hear it?"

"Not so well," answered Phil. "I think we're going away from it."

"Waves against the end of the jetty," explained Steve. "I think we're
all right now." He moved the wheel over slowly, spoke by spoke. "Keep
your horn going, Perry. We're entering the harbour. Watch for buoys,
fellows. Take it on this side, Joe."

Followed a dubious five minutes during which the only sounds that
reached them from outside the boat were distant fog signals and, once,
the unmistakable moo of a cow!

"Gee," murmured Perry, "that's the best thing I've heard all day! That
means we really are in the harbour, doesn't it?"

"Might be a sea-cow," suggested Ossie, from the companion.

"Ready with the bow anchor!" called Steve.

Han scuttled forward into the mist. "All right, sir!" he announced in
his best nautical manner.

Steve disengaged the clutch. There was a moment of silence aboard the
_Adventurer_. Then: "Over with it, Han," directed Steve. There was a
splash, followed by the rasping of the cable through the chock and then
a cheerful whistle from the crew as he made f