ill race?" cried Mike in dismay.

"No: couldn't do it. We must stand out more to sea."

"Out to sea!" cried Mike, aghast: "with the boat filling with water?"

"Well, we can't go the other way. Besides, if we did old Joe would see
us pass by, and there'd be a row."

"Well, he must know. He'll see the hole in the bottom,--if we get
back," Mike muttered to himself. "But, Vince," he cried, "hadn't we
better run ashore somewhere?"

"Yes: where's it to be?" said the boy, with a curious laugh. "Nonsense!
We should only sink her at once. There, I must go on baling. It's the
only thing we can do, Mikey. Turn her head to it, and run right across
the tide. It's getting slacker here. Keep her head well to it. I
won't let her sink."

Mike groaned.

"Hullo!" cried Vince cheerily, "is it hard work?"

There was no reply, but the boat careened over as from the fresh
pressure of the oar the sail caught the full force of the wind, and they
began to run swiftly towards the south-east, right out to sea, but with
the intent of running back after reaching well out to south of the
island.

It seemed like madness, with the boat leaking as she did, but Vince was
right. It was their only chance; and after a few minutes he said, as if
to himself:

"I'm going to do a stupid thing. I ought to hold that sheet in my hand,
but I want both for baling. Be on the look-out, Ladle. Mind you throw
her up in the wind if she goes over too much."

As he spoke he made the sheet fast, rolled up his sleeves, and, taking
the pot in both hands, began to make the water fly over the side.

"I say, Ladle," he cried, "when I'm tired you'll have to take a turn;
but don't she go along splendidly with all this water ballast in her?"

"Yes," said Mike huskily. "Are you getting it down?"

"Yes, a little. Not much; but if you sail her well we shall run in all
right."

"Aren't we going out too far to sea?"

"No; just right. Now, then, don't talk. I want all my breath for
working."

Setting his teeth, the boy baled away, and by slow degrees lowered the
water a good deal; but he could not cease for a moment, for it surged in
through the leak, nor did he dare to push the jersey farther, for fear
of loosening the plank more and making a bigger hole.

This went on for fully half an hour, with the island getting more and
more distant, and Mike twice over asked if it was not time to make for
the shore.

But Vince shook his head, after a gla