He made a curious sound as if he were half choking then, and turned
sharply to run forward to the cook's galley.

By the time breakfast was over, land could be seen from the deck to
starboard, port, and right forward--misty-looking land, like clouds
settled here and there upon the surface of the sea.

This grew clearer and clearer, till about noon it was plain to see that
some of the patches were islands, while farther to the west the mainland
spread right and left with dim bluish-looking mountains in the distance.

It was early in the afternoon that the captain suddenly gave his orders,
the engine was stopped, and the boat towing far astern began to grind up
against the side, as it rose and fell on the heaving sea.

"Still of the same mind, doctor?" said the captain.

"Certainly, sir."

"Then now's your time. Over you go."

"I thought you would run in a few miles nearer," said Uncle Dick.

"Did you, sir?" said the captain roughly; "then you made a great
mistake. This sea swarms with reefs and shoals nigher in, and I'm not
going to be mad enough to risk my vessel, if you're mad enough to risk
your life. Now, sir, please, I want to get ahead and claw off here
before it falls calm. If I don't, some of these currents 'll be landing
me where I don't want to go."

"We are ready," said Uncle Dick.

"Haul that boat abreast the starboard gangway!" shouted the captain, and
a couple of men ran to obey the order.

"Well, good-bye, captain," said Uncle Dick, "and thank you for what
you've done."

"Good-bye, sir, and good luck to you. You too, youngster; but it isn't
too late yet."

"Much," said my uncle, and it seemed quite strange to me that what
followed took so short a time. For one minute we were on the deck of
the large vessel, the next we were standing up in our little boat,
waving our hats to the crew, who had crowded to the side to give us a
cheer; and the last faces I noted as they glided away were those of the
carpenter and the boy, who gazed after us in a wistful way, the latter
looking miserable in the extreme as he held his left hand over his eye.

CHAPTER THREE.

NIGHT ASHORE.

I was brought back to the present by my uncle giving me a hearty slap on
the shoulder.

"Ready to begin again, Nat?" he cried.

"Yes, uncle," I said eagerly. "It seems like the old days come back."

"Ship the rudder, then, while I hoist the sail. The skipper may be
right, so let's make use of this soft bree