is next duty was to carry a rope from the sail that he had fastened to
the stump of the mast, back to the steering wheel, first having passed
the rope through tackle that he had made secure to a stanchion. Taking
it all in all, he had accomplished something that would have been a
credit to a much more experienced seaman.

But Dan had not quite finished with his preparations. He was eyeing
the heavy mast that lay lengthwise of the deck, amidst a tangled mass
of ropes and stays.

Procuring an axe from the deck house he cut the mast free; then,
rigging some tackle, he worked with the stick until at last he had
dumped it over the stern into the sea. Before doing so, however, he
had made fast a line to it, securing the line at the stern of the
schooner before launching the spar. The "Oriole" steadied considerably
under the influence of the dragging spar.

"Now, for the experiment!" cried Dan almost joyously. "I don't know,
but perhaps the minute I get some wind in the sail the whole outfit
will turn turtle. At least, that will be better than waiting for the
ship to do so of her own accord."

He drew the sail taut, after a long, comprehensive glance over the
deck, at the same time crowding the wheel over to port. Then followed
a minute of anxious suspense. The sail slowly filled, the shattered
bow gradually swung about. With a "splash, splash, splash!" the
battered hulk of the wrecked, shot-riddled "Oriole" began to move.

"Hip, hip, hurrah!" shouted Dan Davis. "Right side up with care! Now,
if we don't get any worse weather, we'll land somewhere, even if it's
on the rocks."

Dan decided upon the course that he would follow if he could, and,
watching the compass, held the "Oriole" to that course as closely as
possible.

All during that day the sea continued gray and angry, the clouds hung
low and the sea gulls swept screaming by him, bound for still water.
Dan remained steadfast to his vigil, watching sea and sky and sail with
keen, observant eyes. He could not tell how fast he was traveling, but
so long as the schooner was under motion he did not care particularly.
There was no sight of land, but still he might be within three or four
miles of the coast and yet be unable to sight it, for the "Oriole" was
low in the water.

Now and then, as the schooner rose on a swell, he would catch sight of
a wisp of smoke on the far-off horizon, showing that steamers were
working their way up or down the coast.

Da