conch shell horn that
told the others they were to come to anchor. Whereupon there was more
or less hustling, as the crews got busy.

Presently the three little motor boats rode buoyantly to their anchors,
bobbing up and down on the rolling waves like ducks bowing to each
other. And as they had made out to select positions within the safety
zone of each other, it was possible for those aboard to hold
conversations, if they but chose to elevate their voices more or less,
in order to be heard above the shrieking wind and dashing waves.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE WIRELESS AS TRICKY AS EVER.

"We're in for a bad night, Jack!" called George, some time later on;
while poor Nick hung over the side of the wobbling speed boat, and
looked forlorn indeed.

"You are, in that contraption, George; but the rest of us don't give a
hang whether the old storm holds on or not. We expect to get busy
cooking supper right soon now, as these bully little Juwel stoves will
burn, no matter how the boats jump up and down."

"Oh! I wish Herb would only open his heart, and invite me to spend the
night on board the good reliable old _Comfort_!" groaned Nick.

"Sure! Come right along; plenty of room for three here. George can
tuck in, too, if he says the word," called Herb, cheerily.

"What! desert my boat in time of need? What do you take me for?" cried
George, with a great show of righteous indignation; but as for Nick, he
became so excited, Jack feared he would jump in, and try to swim across.

By letting out more cable George was enabled to swing his boat close
enough to the big craft to allow of Josh seizing hold; and while he
thus held on clumsy Nick managed to crawl aboard, though he came within
an ace of taking a bath, and would have done so, only that Herb gave
him a helping hand.

Then George pulled back again to his former position. If he felt that
he was making something of a martyr of himself, in thus determining to
stick by the madly plunging _Wireless_ all night, George was too proud
to indicate as much. He might suffer all sorts of discomforts, and
never breathe a word of complaint.

But the storm proved short-lived after all.

Before they began to think of making up their beds the wind had
slackened in violence, and the clouds showed signs of breaking.
Indeed, as Jack pulled the blanket over him, he could see that the moon
was peeping out from behind the black curtains overhead.

"It'll be a fairly decent nig