te of speed! It was pouring down rain, and land was nowhere visible!

When Sam's questions drew out these facts, the boys were disposed to
be very much frightened.

"There's no cause for alarm, I think," said Sam, reassuringly. "I
think I know how to manage it, and perhaps it is better so."

"Of course you know how to manage," said Sid Russell, admiringly. "I'm
prepared to bet my hat an' boots on that, now or any other time. You
always do know how to manage, whatever turns up. That long head o'
your'n's got more'n a little in it."

Sam smiled rather feebly and replied:--

"Wait till I get you out of the scrape we're in, Sid, before you
praise me."

"Well, I'll take it on trust," said Sid, "an' back my judgment on it,
too."

"Let me have your compass, Tom," he said; and taking the instrument
which he had confided to Tom's hands at starting on the voyage, he
opened his map just enough to catch a glimpse of the coast lines
marked on it, having one of the boys hold a hat over it, to protect it
from the rain as he did so. After a little while he said:--

"Take the helm, Tom, and hold the boat due west. There, that will do.
Now let her go, and keep her at that. The wind is north-east, and
she'll make good time in this direction."

"Where are you aiming for, Sam?" asked Tom.

"The mouth of Mobile Bay."

"Does it lie west?"

"Not exactly, but a little north of west. We can sail faster due west,
however, and after awhile we'll tack to the north till we see land.
It's about forty miles from the mouth of Pensacola Bay to the mouth of
Mobile bay, and we're going, I think, about six or seven miles an
hour."

"But, how'll you find the mouth of the bay?"

"I don't know that I can, but I can find land easily enough, as it
stretches in a bow all along to the north of us. But I want to strike
as near the mouth of the bay as I can, so as to have as little
marching to do as possible. If I can get into the bay, I can sail
clear up to Mobile."

"But, Sam?"

"Well."

"What if it storms? It looks like it was going to."

"Well, I think we can weather it. This boat can't spring a leak, and
if she fills full of water she won't sink, for she's only a log
hollowed out."

"That's so, but won't she turn over like a log?"

"I think not. She's heaviest at the bottom, and I made her keel very
heavy on purpose."

"Why, did you expect to go to sea in her?"

"No, but I thought I might have to do it, to get away from Pensacola