bag" them, as a sportsman does the
game he has brought down. I did not despair yet. From the wheel-house
I had surveyed the surroundings, and a plan had occurred to me by
which I hoped to work the Adieno out of her uncomfortable position.

"No go," said Vallington, as we met together on the main deck.

"Not yet; but we won't give it up. The bow had dug into the bottom
more than I supposed. We must carry a line ashore, and make fast to
one of those trees; then I think we can pull her off."

Bob Hale, with two others, was sent ashore on the North Sister in the
Splash, carrying the end of a long rope. When he had secured it to a
large tree on the shore, I took the other end, the line passing
through a round hawse-hole forward, and conveyed it aft to the shaft.
After winding it four or five times round the shaft, I told the boys
to haul it taut; and about twenty of them laid hold of the rope to
"take in the slack," if we were fortunate enough to obtain any.

"Bully for you," said Vallington, as he comprehended my arrangement.

"If the rope don't break, something will come," I replied.

I had been obliged to join several ropes, in order to form one long
enough; but having carefully avoided "granny knots," I hoped it would
hold. The bearing of the line was at the hawse-hole, near the bow of
the boat; and as the power was applied to the rope by turning the
wheel and shaft, the tendency was to haul the forward end of the boat
off the ground into the deeper water.

"All ready now, Vallington," I continued, when the preparations were
completed. "Back her slowly."

He started the engine, as I directed.

"Haul taut on that rope!" I shouted to the boys at the line.

The wheels turned, and the shaft revolved. The rope groaned and
strained.

"Stop her!" I added to the engineer, afraid to risk the strain. "Run
aft the chain-box."

My orders were obeyed; and as the boat floated at her stern, the
weight of the chain-box was sensibly felt.

"Back her slowly again," I continued.

Again the rope groaned and strained as though too much was expected of
it.

"She starts!" cried the boys forward. "She is coming off!"

I heard the keel scraping upon the bottom; and as the rope wound up,
the Adieno slid off into the deep water.

"Hurrah!" shouted the boys.

"Let go the rope!" I called to the boys aft. "Stop her, Vallington."

I hastened up to the wheel-house, the better to work her. I found she
lay in good position to go a