re and Honolulu to
stop the sweep o' it, she shows every one o' her reefs like a cat
barrin' her claws."

Kayak Bill looked about him once more before striking a match to light
his pipe. Then drawling something about the "ox-wee-nee-chal" gales,
he passed on to the bow of the schooner, leaving Harlan smiling.

Silvertip and his mate were kneeling in the stern, both busy with the
pully-blocks that held the steering cable of the _Hoonah_. Their low
tones did not carry beyond a few feet. Silvertip slanted uneasy
glances in the direction of the foaming shoals that ran far out into
the sea. His helper, evidently disagreeing with him on some point
shook his head. Harlan caught something about fog and getting off the
course in the night.

At last the man burst out:

"By yingo, I tank we are on wrong side of----"

"Shut up, you tarn squarehead," snapped Silvertip, with a glance in
Harlan's direction.

The man made a gesture as if he washed his hands of the whole affair,
then raised his head to look about him. A dark streak far toward the
southern horizon indicated a breeze from that direction.

"I guess we haf a beam wind home," he announced.

"Yas, tank God," assented Silvertip, with a last look at the rudder
cable. "Ant as kwicker ve leaf dis de'th trap, as better for me. She
blow up gale har in turty minutes. Ven Ay vas cook on _Soofie
Suderlant_----"

"Breakfast is ready, men!" interrupted Ellen's clear voice from the
cabin hatchway.

The Swedes came to their feet and after a moment of whispered
conversation, joined the others in the cabin. Half an hour later, when
Boreland and Silvertip came on deck again, the breeze had freshened
slightly and the sailor looked about him in a restless and worried
manner, his glance finally lingering on the sand-spit.

"Borelant, Ay tank ve lant you har right avay kwick. Ay tank she blow
by an' by like hal."

Shane, glancing at the clear sky and the sun-kissed waves, laughed.

"Nonsense, Silver! The island's got you buffaloed, just as it has all
the sailors in this section. . . . But it's up to you. I'm ready to
go ashore any time you say. The sooner you land me and show me our
cabin, the better I'll like it."

The whale-boat at the stern of the schooner was drawn alongside, and
another which had been carried on the forward deck was lowered.

The first one loaded, Kayak Bill and the two Swedes climbed down into
it and shoved off from the side. Boreland an