now you see Holland. It is beautiful, is it not? Flat as ze
Dutchman face. Not like your Cormorant Crag, eh? But nevaire mind. It
vas time, and soon ve get butter, bread and milk, ze sheecan, ze potate,
for you hungry boy have eat so much ve get to ze bottom of ze store."

They asked no questions, for they felt that it did not matter. Any land
would do, and if they could escape it would go hard if they did not
avoid recapture.

They were too much excited to sleep for some time that night, lying
listening for the coming of the pilot or for the hoisting of the anchor;
for there was, after all, the possibility of their having anchored till
the tide rose sufficiently for them to cross some bar at the mouth of
the river. But sleep overcame them at last, and they lay insensible to
the fact that about midnight a light was hoisted at the mast-head, which
was answered about an hour after by the appearance of another light in
the mouth of the river--a light which gradually crept nearer and nearer
till about an hour before dawn, when the boys were awakened by a soft
bumping against the lugger's side, followed by a dull creaking, and then
came the hurrying to and fro of feet on the deck overhead.

"Quick, Mike!" cried Vince--"into your clothes. She's sinking!"

As they hurried on a few things, the passing to and fro of men grew
louder; they heard the captain's voice giving orders, evidently for the
lowering of a boat, and the boys tried to fling open the door and rush
on deck.

Tried--but that was all.

"Mike, we're locked in!" cried Vince frantically; and he began to kick
at the door, shouting with Mike for help.

Their appeal was so vigorous that they did not have to wait for long.
There was the sound of the captain's heavy boots as he blundered down
the ladder, and he gave a tremendous kick at the door.

"Yah!" he roared: "vat for you make zat row?"

"The lugger! She's sinking," cried the boys together.

"I com in and sink you," roared the captain. "Go to sleep, bose of
you."

"But the door's locked."

"Yais, I lock him myself. _Silence_!"

Then the lugger was not sinking; but the faint creaking and grinding
went on after the captain had gone back on deck, and the boys stood
listening to the orders given and the hurrying to and fro of men.

"She must be on a rock, Cinder," said Mike, in a half-stifled voice.

"No rocks here. On a sandbank, and they're trying to get her off."

Then there was a rattl