watch. "It lacks ten minutes
of nine," he said.

Then they embarked. The boat was not a mere row-boat, but was found to
be of good size and about equal to a whale boat. It was staunch, too,
and sea worthy. The mooring was cast off. Jim was at the bow oar, and Jo
at the one back of him on the other side, while the Indian, Yaquis,
steered. The tide favored them as they glided quickly between the banks,
and they were not long in reaching the channel.

At first, there was a slow, heavy swell, while in the lee of the land,
that did not bother the boys but within a half hour they were in a
choppy sea with breaking crests, and now the real work for Jo and Jim
began. Fortunately, the Indian was a most skillful oar, and he kept them
from being swamped. As yet there was no breeze to help them.

"This is almost as good as running the Rapids in the Grand Canyon,"
cried Jim joyously.

The boys were in fine fettle for their work, notwithstanding their long
day in the saddle, and they buckled to it with a will, although wet
through with flying spray. They had enjoyed a good rest the night before
and after their long ride they were glad to get the kinks out of their
muscles. They really made remarkably good headway against the sea and
the stoical Indian grunted approval of their work. Ah, but it was fine,
battling with the waves through the darkness, while the boat thrashed
and beat its way ahead.

The boys stood to their oars and put all the strength of their lithe
young bodies into the stroke and they seemed tireless. The Spaniard had
made himself comfortable in the bow, where, sheltered by a short
overhead deck, he was soon fast asleep.

"Wake me when it is time to be drowned," he said. "I know it is my
fate." Jim remembered the Spaniard's melancholy of the day before, and
laughed heartily, as he promised.

"There are the lights of a vessel," cried Yaquis, who, though silent,
was ever on the watch. "Ahead of us to the Southwest."

"You are right," said Jim. The lights were like two faint, moving stars,
one aloft and the other below.

"That isn't the Pirate ship," declared Jo. "She wouldn't be showing any
light." After a while, the lights of the vessel were suddenly eclipsed,
but by the dull light of the moon, now risen, the vessel's bulk could
still be made out.

"She has gone into the further straits," said Yaquis, "between the two
islands."

A gentle breeze sprang up, but blowing directly toward them, it lent no
aid