lost his oars," suggested Eline.

"Maybe that is the trouble," remarked Cora. "Well, we'll soon see."

She changed the course of the _Pet_, though it was a bit risky for the
seas were quartering now, and the spray came aboard in salty sheets. But
the girls could not get much wetter.

Cora slowed down her engine by means of a throttle control that extended
up near the wheel. She veered in toward the tossing dory.

"What is it?" she cried. "What's the matter?"

"Out of gasoline! Can you lend me a bit so I can run in? I came out to
lift my lobster pots, but it's too rough."

"Gasoline? Yes, we have plenty," said Cora. "I'll give you some."

"Don't come too close!" warned the fisherman. "Can you put it in a can
and toss it to me? That's the best way."

"I'll try," promised Cora, as she cut off all power. The _Pet_ was now
drifting, rising and falling on the swells. Belle looked very pale, and
Bess was holding her.

"Find something, and run some gasoline into it from the carbureter drip,"
directed Cora, as she clung to the wheel.

"What shall I find?" asked Bess.

"Would an empty olive bottle do?" asked Eline.

"The very thing!" cried Cora. "Has it a cork?"

"Yes, and one olive in it."

"Throw out the olive, and poke your handkerchief down in the bottle to
dry it out before you put in the gasoline. Even a drop of the salt water
the olives come in will make trouble in the gasoline. Hurry!"

"Look out!" cried the fisherman. "Fend off!"

"You'd better do it!" directed Cora. "We have no boat hook!"

"All right, I'll attend to it."

The two boats were drifting dangerously close together. The fisherman
caught up an oar he carried for emergencies, and skillfully fended off
the _Pet_, which was drifting down on him. In the meanwhile Bess, with the
help of Eline, had dried out the olive bottle, and had filled it with
gasoline.

"What shall I do with it?" she asked Cora.

"Throw it to the man."

"I never can throw it."

"Then give it to me," and, holding to the wheel with one hand, with the
other Cora tossed over the bottle of gasoline. The lobsterman caught it,
called his thanks and gave the _Pet_ a final shove that carried her past
him.

"Can you crank her?" asked Cora to Bess, nodding toward the engine.

"I'll try!"

It needed three tries, but finally the motor started, and the boat surged
forward again. Cora, bringing her head up to the seas, noted that Jack
had started to turn around to come back