han live without them."

"I can't say that I've got so far as that," laughed Lester. "But I'm
sure I'd feel as bad about losing the _Ariel_ as you boys would if
you lost Star and Colonel."

"You'd feel mighty bad then," responded Teddy, as he thought of the
horses that he and Fred had brought with them from the West.

At this moment, his attention was attracted by a movement on the part of
the boy they had rescued. They had sheltered him as much they could, but
they could not prevent an occasional dash of spray from striking his
face and this had hastened his awakening. This time, his eyes were
lighted with intelligence, and it was clear that he had largely
recovered from the effect of his immersion.

Teddy bent over toward him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked with a friendly smile.

"Better," was the response in a faint voice. "I can't remember yet,
though, just what happened to me."

"A big wave threw you overboard," broke in Bill. "We happened to be
cruising near by, and we picked you up."

"I guess I must have hit my head against something when I went over,"
said the stranger. "I don't remember a thing that happened while I was
in the water. Did I swim?"

"You seemed to be swimming a little," said Teddy, "but I guess it was
more instinct than anything else. You went down before we got to you.
But you'd better not talk any more just now. We'll be on shore before
long I hope, and then we'll tell you all about it."

"There's the shore now," called out Bill in accents of relief, as he
pointed to a long dark line ahead of them.

On the right it seemed to be sandy and level, but a little to the left
there was a rocky elevation, against which the waves broke with a
thunderous roar, sending back sheets of crested foam.

The boat kept on with unslackened speed and the boys grew somewhat
uneasy as the tumbling breakers grew plainer to the sight. But that
uneasiness became consternation, when Lester with a quick twist of the
tiller headed the _Ariel_ straight toward two immense rocks that
seemed to stand out as sentinels on the coast.

"Lester!" shouted Bill in warning and then stopped. A look at the
strained intent face of the helmsman told Bill that he knew exactly what
he was doing.

They came nearer and nearer, and the faces of the boys blanched at the
fearful turmoil of the breakers. Then Lester threw the tiller to port.

"Sit tight!" he yelled, and the next moment the _Ariel_ dashed
straight for a poi