k well out of the way."

"Of course we will, sir, if we are really in the way," Darrin smiled.

"You're not in our way," Hartley promptly denied. "But you will hardly
care, should the tackle still be defective, to be loitering at the point
of danger."

"I want to see you repair the tackle," Dave replied. "Then I want to see
you make the grapple again and bring the mine safely on board."

"All right, gentlemen, if you love danger well enough to take the risk
twice when you're only spectators," Hartley answered, with a shrug of his
shoulders.

Again the mine was caught, grappled, and this time successfully hoisted
on board.

All of this Darrin and his junior officer noted carefully, even giving a
hand at the work.

Through the day at least one of the mine-sweepers continued over this
line of shoal, trying constantly with the sweeps. Farther out to sea
Dalzell and the "Reed" accompanied others of the craft. By nightfall it
was reported that more than sixty mines had been picked up.

"The mine-layers must be actively at work in these waters," said Dave.
"Undoubtedly they plant the mines at night, then toward daylight move in
toward the shoal and hide there during the day. We'll try that shoal
again after daylight to-morrow morning--weather permitting."

This last Darrin said because there were now lurking indications of a
coming storm. Dave returned to his own craft in time.

By nine o'clock that night, or an hour after the new watch had gone on,
the wind was howling through the rigging in a way that made conversation
difficult on the bridge.

"Mr. Fernald, at the rate the weather is thickening I shall be on the
bridge all night. I shall be glad, therefore, if after your last rounds
of the ship, and after you have turned in your report, you will seek your
berth and get all the sleep you can until you're called."

"Very good, sir," agreed the executive officer.

He would have liked to stand watch in Darrin's place, but he knew that,
with a gale coming, Darrin would not consent.

By this time the destroyer was rolling at such an angle that the order
was passed for the life-lines. Soon after that a second order was issued
that all men on outside duty must don life-belts. Even up on the bridge,
with an abundance of hand-holds, Dave and Ensign Andrews wore the belts.

With a nearly head wind from the northeast the "Grigsby" labored in the
running seas, spray dashing over the bridge and against the rubber coats