." There was a general chorus of assent.

"I should think it would be a good thing, Ryan, to get the sail aft and
unlash it from the gaff and put it over our legs, it will make a lot of
difference in the warmth."

"I think that that is a very good idea," the mate assented. "Lay in your
oar for a minute, Johnson, and get that sail aft."

The sail was passed aft, unlashed from the yard, and spread out, adding
considerably to the comfort of all those sitting astern; and now that
the ship's guns were booming ahead, and they had become accustomed to
the thick curtain of cloud hanging round them, the feeling of uneasiness
that the girls had felt was entirely dissipated, and Mr. Atherton had no
longer any occasion to use his best efforts to keep up their spirits.
All laughed and chatted over their adventure, which, as they said, far
exceeded in interest anything they had been promised when they started
from the ship. The only drawback, as they all agreed, was the cold,
which was indeed really severe.

"We do not seem to come up to the guns as we ought to," Mr. Atherton
said to the mate after the boat had been rowing for some time.

"That is just what I was thinking," Mr. Ryan replied. "I fancy we must
have got a strong current out here against us."

"I expect we have. Ryan, I tell you what. The men have been rowing for
some hours now since they left the ship, I think it would be a good
thing if our youngsters were to relieve some of them for a spell. What
do you say, lads?"

Wilfrid, the Allens, Hardy, and Wilson all exclaimed that they should be
delighted to take a turn, as it would warm their blood. "We shall be
able to give them all a spell," Mr. Atherton said, "for there are just
six of us."

"I am certainly not going to let you pull, and you scarcely out of the
doctor's hand," the mate said bluntly. "Why, you must be mad to think of
such a thing! Here, do you take the tiller and I will row the
stroke-oar. Easy all, lads; put on your jackets. Four of you come aft,
and the other two go into the bows."

"I wish we could row," Marion said regretfully, as the new crew bent to
their oars. "I have done a lot of rowing at home, Mr. Atherton, and they
say I row very fairly."

"I am afraid you would not be of much assistance here, young lady," Mr.
Atherton said. "It's one thing to work a light well-balanced oar such as
you use in a gig up the river, but it is a very different one to tug
away at one of these heavy oars i