e had not calculated on our man's nautical
knowledge, for as we got further out he began to manoeuvre so as to make
shorter tacks, and at last, when the moon was rising high in the
heavens, and we were getting well out from under the influence of the
land, the easy way in which the course of the boat could be changed gave
us a great advantage, and towards midnight our hopes rose high.

"There," said our skipper, "what do yew say now? That's a little craft
to move, ain't she?"

"Move? she flies," said Gunson; "but with this wind, arn't you carrying
too much sail?"

"Not enough," said the skipper gruffly. "You let me alone. Only thing
that can hurt us is a spar going, and they won't do that. That there
mast and bowsprit both came from up where you're going--Vancouver
Island. There's some fine sticks of timber up there."

We eased off the way of the boat a little, for water was lapping over
the bows, and even he had tacitly agreed that we were heeling over more
than was quite safe.

"Swab that drop o' juice up," he growled; and one of the men quietly
mopped up the water, of which there was not enough to bale.

"She must see us now," said Gunson, after another long interval, during
which we all sat holding on by the gunwale.

"See us? Oh, she sees us plain enough."

"Then why doesn't she heave to?"

"Skipper's too obstint. Perhaps he don't think there's any one aboard,
for it's misty to make anything out in the moonlight, even with a glass.
P'r'aps he knows the boat again, and won't take no heed because it's
me. But you wait a bit; we're going through the water free now, eh,
squire?"

"You'll sink her directly," said Esau, who had already grasped the fact
that a vessel was always "she."

"Not I. I say, you didn't expect a ride like this t'night, did yew?"

"No," said Esau, whose attention was all taken up with holding on to the
side.

"No, not yew. Steady, my lass, steady," he said softly, as the boat
made a plunge or two. "Don't kick. Say, youngster, any message for
that there chap as you hit?"

"Yes; tell him I'll set the police to work if ever I come back here."

"Right. I'll tell him. I know where to find him."

"Where will that be?" I said, wondering whether he meant the very
worst; and I breathed more freely as I heard his answer.

"In the hospital, lad, in the hospital. They'll have to mend the crack
in his head, for I dessay your mate here hit as hard as he could."

"I did," sa