made no reply, though he gave a quick glance at the boy's
animated face. If Rod had been frightened, the old seaman would have
been terribly disappointed. As for himself he was in his element, and
he was reminded of the many times he had faced rough weather out on the
mighty deep. The howling of the wind, and the dashing waves made the
sweetest of music in his ears, and he was delighted that the boy, on
whom he had set his affections, should feel as he did.

They had just tacked and begun beating to the left, when the captain,
glancing down the river, gave a start of surprise, and pointed with his
finger to a small yacht in mid-stream, which was having a hard time in
the wind.

"She's got too much sail fer a breeze like this," he remarked. "If she
isn't well managed, she'll go over. Now, look at that!" he cried,
grasping the tiller with a firmer grip, so as to be ready for any
sudden emergency. "My, that was a close call. A little more and she'd
a been on her beam ends."

Hardly had he finished speaking, when a furious squall struck the
staggering yacht, and like a wounded eagle she reeled, and flopped her
big sail into the rough water. With a roar which might have been heard
a long distance off, the captain brought the _Roaring Bess_ almost up
to the teeth of the wind, and headed her for the wreck. How her sharp
prow did tear through the waves, and at times she was almost smothered
by the leaping water. But this course would not bring them to the
overturned boat. It was necessary for them to tack once more, and as
they drew near they could see people clinging frantically to the
half-submerged yacht. The captain gave a loud shout of encouragement
when he came within speaking distance. With much skill he handled his
boat, and told Rod to be ready to give a hand when needed. With the
_Roaring Bess_ brought right up to the wind, she soon drifted alongside
of the overturned yacht. There were five persons in the water, three
men and two women. With much difficulty the latter were dragged on
board, and then the men followed. This accomplished, without a word
the captain headed his boat for the shore, while the drenched persons
huddled in the cock-pit close to Rod.

The latter had not been idle during this exciting rescue. He had taken
a prominent part in helping the women on board, as the captain had been
busy managing the yacht. But now he crouched back in his corner,
somewhat abashed in the presence o