u mustn't hop up and down in a
boat that way. You set still and I'll fetch the compass."

He stumbled across the cockpit and disappeared in the dusk of the cabin.
Finding that compass took a long time. Sam lost patience.

"What's the matter?" he demanded. "Can't you find it? Shall I come?"

"No, no!" screamed Issy vehemently. "Stay where you be. Catch a-holt of
that wheel. We'll be spinnin' circles if you don't. I'm a-comin'."

But it was another five minutes before he emerged from the cabin,
carrying the compass box very carefully with both hands. He placed it in
the binnacle and closed the glass lid.

"'Twas catched in a bluefish line," he explained. "All snarled up,
'twas."

Sam peered through the glass at the compass.

"Thunder!" he exclaimed. "I should say we had spun around. Instead of
north being off here where I thought it was, it's 'way out to the right.
Queer how fog'll mix a fellow up. Trumet's about northeast, isn't it?"

"No'theast by no'th's the course. Keep her just there."

The Lady May, still at half speed, kept on through the mist. Time
passed. The twilight, made darker still by the fog, deepened. They lit
the lantern in order to see the compass card. Issy had the wheel now.
Sam was forward, keeping a lookout and fretting at the delay.

"It's seven o'clock already," he cried. "For Heaven's sake, how late
will you be? I've got to be there by quarter of eight. D'you hear? I've
GOT to."

"Well, we're gittin' there. Can't expect to travel so fast with part of
the power off. You'll be where you're goin' full as soon as you want to
be, I cal'late."

And he chuckled.

Another half hour and, through the wet dimness, a light flashed,
vanished, and flashed again. Issy saw it and smiled grimly. Bartlett saw
it and shouted.

"'What's that light?" he cried. "Did you see it? There it is, off
there."

"I see it. There's a light at Trumet Neck, ain't there?"

"Humph! It's been years since I was there, but I thought Trumet light
was steady. However--"

"Ain't that the wharf ahead?"

Sure enough, out of the dark loomed the bulk of a small wharf, with
catboats at anchor near it. Higher up, somewhere on the shore, were the
lighted windows of a building.

"By thunder, we're here!" exclaimed Sam, and drew a long breath.

Issy shut off the power altogether, and the Lady May slid easily up to
the wharf. Feverishly her skipper made her fast.

"Yes, sir!" he cried exultantly. "We're here. And no Black