ure make Fort Pelican this evenin' early," Andy shouted back.

"We'll not make un!" Jamie protested. "The wind's gettin' too strong!
We'll have to go ashore and make camp!"

"The boat'll stand un," laughed David. "She's a sturdy craft in a
breeze."

"I'm afeared," said Jamie.

"'A scout is brave,'" quoted Andy.

"'Tisn't meant for a scout to be foolish," Jamie insisted. "I'm
afeared of bein' foolish."

"You was braggin' of havin' grit," Andy taunted.

"I has grit and a stout heart," Jamie proudly asserted, "but there's
no such need of haste as to tempt a gale. 'Tis time to lie to and
camp."

David's answer was lost in the smother of a great roller that chased
them, and breaking astern nearly swept him from the tiller. When the
lads caught their breath there was a foot of sea in the bottom of the
boat.

"Bail her out!" bellowed David, shaking the water from his eyes.

"Jamie's right! 'Tis blowin' too high for comfort!" shouted Andy, as
he and Jamie, each with a kettle, bailed. "We'd better not risk goin'
on! Find a lee to make a landin', Davy."

"'Tis against reason not to take shelter!" piped Jamie.

"Fort Pelican's only ten miles away!" David shouted back in protest.
"We'll soon make un in this fine breeze!"

The boat was riding on her beam ends. White horses breaking over her
bow sent showers of foam her whole length. A sudden squall that nearly
capsized her roused David suddenly to their danger.

"Reef the mains'l!" he shouted.

"Make for the lee of Comfort Island!" sputtered Andy through the
spray, as he and Jamie sprang for the mainsail to reef it.

"Make for un!" echoed Jamie. "'Tis against reason to keep goin'."

The wind shrieked through the rigging. Another great roller all but
swamped them. The sudden fury of the wind, the ever higher-piling
seas, and the rollers that had so nearly overwhelmed the boat brought
to David a full sense of their peril. He had been foolhardy and
headstrong in his determination to continue to Fort Pelican. He
realized this now even more fully than Andy and Jamie.

David was a good seaman and fearless, with a full measure of faith in
his skill. Now that his eyes were open to the peril in which he had
placed them, he knew that all the skill he possessed and perhaps more
would be required to take them safely into shelter.

Comfort Island with its offer of snug harbour lay a half mile to
leeward. David brought the boat before the wind, and headed directly
for the