must beach or
swamp."

Jasper required no more; springing aft, he soon had the tiller in his
own hands. The pilot was prepared for what was to follow; and, at a sign
from his young commander, the rag of sail that had so long been set was
taken in. At that moment, Jasper, watching his time, put the helm up;
the head of a staysail was loosened forward, and the light cutter, as if
conscious she was now under the control of familiar hands, fell off, and
was soon in the trough of the sea. This perilous instant was passed in
safety, and at the next moment the little vessel appeared flying down
toward the breakers at a rate that threatened instant destruction. The
distances had become so short, that five or six minutes sufficed for all
that Jasper wished, and he put the helm down again, when the bows of
the _Scud_ came up to the wind, notwithstanding the turbulence of the
waters, as gracefully as the duck varies its line of direction on the
glassy pond. A sign from Jasper set all in motion on the forecastle, and
a kedge was thrown from each bow. The fearful nature of the drift was
now apparent even to Mabel's eyes, for the two hawsers ran out like
tow-lines. As soon as they straightened to a slight strain, both anchors
were let go, and cable was given to each, nearly to the better-ends. It
was not a difficult task to snub so light a craft with ground-tackle
of a quality better than common; and in less than ten minutes from the
moment when Jasper went to the helm, the _Scud_ was riding, head to
sea, with the two cables stretched ahead in lines that resembled bars of
iron.

"This is not well done, Master Jasper!" angrily exclaimed Cap, as soon
as he perceived the trick which had been played him; "this is not
well done, sir. I order you to cut, and to beach the cutter without a
moment's delay."

No one, however, seemed disposed to comply with this order; for so long
as Eau-douce saw fit to command, his own people were disposed to obey.
Finding that the men remained passive, Cap, who believed they were
in the utmost peril, turned fiercely to Jasper, and renewed his
remonstrances.

"You did not head for your pretended creek," added he, after dealing
in some objurgatory remarks that we do not deem it necessary to record,
"but steered for that bluff, where every soul on board would have been
drowned, had we gone ashore."

"And you wish to cut, and put every soul ashore at that very spot!"
Jasper retorted, a little drily.

"