boat," he said with blunt emphasis. "But don't forget it's
my license. I wouldn't take the chance."

The girl nodded. "My license is hanging up in the engine-room," she
retorted. "If anything happens, it's me that is responsible. I won't
forget."

She spun the wheel over as she spoke and the _Petrel_ swerved like a
gull and headed straight for the rugged cliff which towered high above
the foaming water, bold and defiant of the angry waves which dashed
relentlessly at its base.

Off the port bow Gregory saw a narrow pathway of quiet water fringed on
one side by white-toothed swells, on the other by the barnacled feet of
the point itself. He leaned over the rail and followed the course of the
ribbon-like path which wound like a snake among the curling waves and
jagged rocks. Could that be the channel the girl meant to take?

Dickie Lang's eyes were fixed with his upon the devious waterway. The
hand which held the wheel was steady and the _Petrel_ plunged boldly on
as if bent upon flinging its fragile shell upon the time-defying rocks
of Long Point.

Gregory measured the distance to the overhanging ledge. What was the use
of taking such a chance as this? It looked like one in a million. In
another minute they would pile up. They were almost abreast of the
thread-like channel when he saw the fingers on the wheel tighten. The
steering gear whirred and the _Petrel_ leaped forward to answer the
master-hand at the helm.

Then came the miracle.

The slim bow of the little craft swung about. For a second she wallowed
in the trough of the ground-swell, rose high on its foaming crest and
nestled slowly down in the quiet water of the rock-bound channel. And
the distance to safety had been gained by the scant margin of only a few
inches. A sharper or blunter turn would have ripped the vessel from bow
to stern. Was it luck? He shook his head slowly. Then he began to
understand why the fishermen took orders from Dickie Lang. He was
recalled to himself by a laughing voice and he saw that the girl's eyes
were sparkling, as she said without turning her head:

"Did you think you were going to have to swim ashore?"

Gregory laughed. "I could feel the water about my ears," he said. Then
he added: "Do you do stunts like that often?"

She shook her head. "Sometimes it is necessary to take a chance," she
answered. "You've got to catch Mascola's bunch red-handed. When we round
the 'bull-nose' we'll be right on top of our nets."

H