Mike, with a look of admiration at his friend,
"I wish I'd had the heart to speak to him like that."

"What?" whispered back Vince, "why, I never felt so frightened in my
life. I thought he was going to shoot."

"I don't believe it," said Mike quietly. "I say, now let's see how they
manage to get out of this great whirling pool."

They were not kept waiting long, for the boat was thrust off, sent into
the stream, and away they went, skirting the long, low rock which rose
in their way; and then, just as it seemed that they were going to be
sunk by the tremendous rush of water passing in between two huge masses,
the boat was thrust into another sharply marked current, hung in
suspense for a few moments, and then glided along the backwater and out
at last into the pool. Here the glassy surface streaked with numerous
lines told of the rapid currents following their well-marked courses,
and the eddies and reflections of the water known to the men and taken
advantage of, so that the vessel's side was reached with ease.

As they neared the side the captain, who had been keenly watching the
boys and reading their thoughts, came slowly past his men, so quietly
that Vince and Mike started on hearing him speak.

"You could manage ze boat now and take him vere you vill? _Non, mes
enfans_. It take long time to find ze vay. I sink you bose drown last
night, but you have _bonne fortune_ and escape. But you get avay till I
say go? Nevaire! Shump."

He pointed upward, and the lads climbed aboard, looking wistfully to
right and left as they recalled their adventures along the side in the
dark, and saw old Daygo's boat hanging by her painter close under the
stern.

"Took a lot of trouble for nothing, Cinder," said Mike sadly.

"Yes: can't always win," replied Vince. "Never mind: I'm glad we
tried."

Mike had not the heart to say "So am I," though he felt that he ought to
have done so; but, catching sight of the old fisherman leaning over the
bulwark forward, he said instead,--

"There's that old wretch again! Oh, how I should like to--"

He did not say what, but turned his back upon him in disgust.

"Yes--a beauty!" said Vince, scowling. "I say, Mike, no wonder old Joe
was always so well off that he never had to work. Pst! here's the
skipper."

"_Non, mon ami_--ze capitaine. _Eh bien_--ah, vell! you are on board
again. I sall lock you down upon ze powdaire again and keep you
prisonaire? My faith, no! It is