uting," added Harry.

"Will you?" and the homeless boy's face brightened.

The wind had been increasing steadily, and now it blew so strongly that
the whitecaps were to be seen in every direction.

"We're going to have no easy time getting back," said Jerry, with an
anxious look on his manly face. "Maybe we may be caught in a hurricane."

"It's hot enough," returned Harry. "Such oppressive heat generally means
something."

A mile was covered, and then the wind began to send the flying spray in
every direction and filled the row-boat's bottom with water.

"Wet again!" laughed Jerry, grimly. "Never mind."

"Blumpo, you had better bail out the boat," said Harry. He was as wet as
the rest, but did not grumble.

While the homeless youth bailed out the water with a dipper they had
brought along, Jerry and Harry pulled at the oars with all their remaining
strength. Another mile was passed. But now it was blowing a regular
hurricane and no mistake.

"We'll go to the bottom, suah!" groaned Blumpo dismally.

"Not much!" shouted Jerry. "Keep on bailing." "Look! look!" yelled Harry
at that moment, and pointed over to the centre of the lake.

There, beating up in the teeth of the wind in the most hap-hazard manner,
was the Cutwater. Evidently Clarence Conant was nearly paralyzed with
fear, for he had almost lost control of the craft.

"Those ladies on board are worse off than we," went on Harry.

"That's so," replied Jerry.

But the words were hardly out of his mouth when there came an extra puff
of wind. It sent the Cutwater almost over on her side, and threw a
monstrous wave into the row-boat.

The smaller craft could not stand the wind and waves, and with a lurch,
she sank down and went over, dumping all three of the youths into the
angry lake.

CHAPTER IV.

SAVING THE SLOOP.

It was no pleasant position to be in. The three lads had been cast so
suddenly into the angry waters that for the moment they could not
comprehend the situation.

Then Blumpo let out a yell of terror.

"Save me! De boat has gone down!"

He was wrong, however, for a second later the row-boat bobbed up, less
than four yards off.

"This way!" shouted Harry to his companions, but the wind fairly drowned
his voice. He swam toward the upturned craft, and Blumpo and Jerry were
not slow in following it.

Hardly had they reached it when a new peril confronted them. The Cutwater
was bearing directly down upon them. With every sai