ssed against the gravel, appeared to be
making efforts to force her way through the island. Every now and then,
as if irritated by failure, she leaned heavily over to one side.

"I think," said Miss Rutherford, "I'll stand in the water and hold her
till Priscilla comes back. It's not deep."

Frank's sense of chivalry would not allow him to sit dry in the boat
while a lady was standing up to her ankles in water beside him. He
struggled overboard and stood on one leg holding on to the gunwale of
the _Tortoise_. Priscilla was to be seen on the point of the island
watching Flanagan's old boat.

"Let's eat some peppermint creams," said Miss Rutherford. "They'll keep
us warm."

"I'm awfully sorry about all this," said Frank. "I don't know what
you'll think of us. First I run into you and then Priscilla wrecks you
on this island."

"I'm enjoying myself thoroughly," said Miss Rutherford. "I wonder what
will happen next. We can't go on without a rudder, can we?"

"She'll get it back. It's quite near us."

"So it is. I see it bobbing up and down against the rocks there. I think
I'll go after it myself. It will be a pleasant surprise for Priscilla
when she comes back to find that we've got it. Do you think you can hold
the boat by yourself? She seems quieter than she was."

Miss Rutherford waded round the stern of the _Tortoise_ and set off
towards the rudder. The water was not deep in any part of the channel,
but there were holes here and there. When Miss Rutherford stepped into
them she stood in water up to her knees. There were also slippery
stones and once she staggered and very nearly fell. She saved herself
by plunging one arm elbow deep in front of her. She hesitated and looked
round.

"Thank goodness," she said, "here's Jimmy Kinsella coming in the other
boat. He'll get the rudder."

CHAPTER XIII

Beyond the rock-strewn passage of Craggeen lies the wide roadstead of
Finilaun. Here the water is deep, and the shelter, from every quarter,
almost complete. Across the western end of it stretches like a bent bow,
the long island of Finilaun. On the south, reaching almost to the point
of Finilaun, is Craggeen, and between the two is a shallow strait. On
the east is the mainland, broken and bitten into with long creeks and
bays. On the north lies a chain of islands, Ilaunure, Curraunbeg and
Curraunmor, separated from each other by narrow channels, through which
the tide runs strongly in and out of the roadste