s," and he motioned to an old can that he had
rummaged from the hut, and that hung by two forked sticks over the fire,
giving off a most appetizing odor.

"Clams," pronounced Fred, as he bent over it. "Lester, you're a wonder.
Where did you get them?"

"Found a bed of them up the cove a bit," answered Lester. "Oh, I'm some
little hustler, if any one should ask you."

The boys needed no further urging, and after plunging their faces into
the waters of the cove, they ranged themselves round the fire and
sampled Lester's cooking. The clams were delicious as a beginning, and,
topped off with the bacon and the rest of the bluefish, together with
the fragrant coffee, furnished a meal that would have made a dyspeptic
green with envy.

"Now, fellows," said Lester, when the last crumb and last drop had
vanished, "the storm has gone down, although the water's still pretty
rough. But we can start all right. I'll swim out to the _Ariel_,
get up the anchor, and bring her in far enough so you can wade out to
her and get aboard. Then we'll make a break for open water and take a
look around for Ross' motor boat."

"I'm none too sure we'll find her," said Ross, dubiously. "She may have
been swamped or dashed against the rocks."

"Oh, I don't know," remarked Fred. "It's a wonder what a boat will go
through sometimes, and then she was so far out that I don't think she
got near the rocks."

"Even if we don't find her, it won't be any proof that she went under,"
added Teddy. "Some other boat may have caught sight of her and taken her
in tow."

"Not in such a blow as we had last night, I'm afraid," answered Ross.
"Still, I'm not going to begin to grizzle now. There'll be plenty of
time to do that if we don't find her."

In a few minutes they were all on board, and the _Ariel_ made for
the narrow passage between the sentinel rocks at the mouth of the cove.

"A little different from what it was when we came scooting in last
night," remarked Teddy, as the sturdy little boat danced out on the
waves that sparkled in the sunshine.

"Well, rather!" answered Lester, as he swung the _Ariel_ round to
her course. "I don't mind telling you fellows now that I felt mighty
shaky yesterday afternoon. I've been out in many a stiff blow, but I've
usually had warning and been able to make a dash for home. It takes
pretty careful work to get a boat into that cove between those two big
rocks even in ordinary weather; but it's a case of nip and tuck