Page 241 (1/2)

At last their identity was revealed They eir-stakes The weir

itself was evidently dismantled Such stakes as remained were set soularly

He s as the boat drifted, and was

certain that the sea would carry them down past the stakes How near

they would pass depended on the vagary of the waves and the tide He

realized that three men, even if they were able sea the longboat in the welter of that sea,

now surging madly over the shoals He knew that there was not much water

under the keel, for the ocean was turbid with swirling sand, and the

waves were h by the friction of the water on

the bottom Every now and then the crest of a roller flaunted a banner

of bursting spray, showing breakers near at hand

Mayo hurried to the bow of the boat and pulled free a long stretch of

cable He e as he could

handle, coiled the rest of the cable carefully, and poised himself on a

thwart

"What now?" asked the cook

"No amble that he did

not care to canvass it in advance

The nearer they drove to the stakes the h above the water

The cook perceived theot up on his knees and squinted "Huh!" he

sniffed "You'll never make it It can't be done!"