a
shudder of disgust, or fear, I do not know which, she turned her back
upon me and was silent. I went forward to the cuddy, found the tin horn
which, until that moment, I had forgotten, and, returning, blew strident
blasts upon it at intervals. There was little danger of other craft
being in our vicinity, but I was neglecting no precautions.

The bell at Crow Point sounded further and further astern. The twilight
changed to dusk and the dusk to darkness. The fog was as thick as ever.
It was nearly time for the tide to turn.

Suddenly there was a jerk; the launch quivered, and swung about.

"Oh! what was that?" demanded Miss Colton, shortly.

"The anchor," I answered. "We have reached the outer shoal."

"And," hesitatingly, "shall we stay here?"

"Yes; unless--"

"Unless what?"

"Unless . . . Hush! listen!"

There was an odd rushing sound from the darkness astern, a sort of hiss
and low, watery roar. I rushed to the bow and dragged the anchor inboard
with all my strength. Then I ran to the wheel. I had scarcely reached it
when I felt a hand on my arm.

"What is it?" asked the young lady, her voice quivering. "Oh, what is
it?"

"Wind," I answered. "There is a squall coming. Sit down! Sit down!"

"But--but--"

"Sit down."

She hesitated and I seized her arm and forced her down upon the bench
beside me. I threw the helm over. The rushing sound grew nearer. Then
came a blast of wind which sent my cap flying overboard and the fog
disappeared as if it had been a cloth snatched away by a mighty hand.
Above us was a black sky, with stars showing here and there between
flying clouds, and about us were the waves, already breaking into foam
upon the shoal.

The Comfort rocked and wallowed in the trough. We were being driven by
the wind away from the shoal, but not fast enough. Somehow or other we
must get out of that dangerous neighborhood. I turned to my companion.
She had not spoken since the squall came.

"Miss Colton," I said, "give me your hands."

I presume she could not imagine what I meant. No doubt, too, my tone and
the request frightened her. She hesitated. I seized her hands and placed
them on the spokes of the wheel.

"I want you to hold that wheel just as it is," I commanded. "I must go
forward and get steerage way on this craft somehow, or we shall capsize.
Can you hold it, do you think?"

"Yes; I--I think so."

"You must."

I left her, went to the cuddy and dragged out the small canvas