ged
about for a few minutes and finally reappeared with a small coil of very
thin light pliant wire line, which Mildmay, pronouncing it to be exactly
the thing, proceeded at once to attach to the eye of the hawser.

Meanwhile, the baronet had been anxiously watching the barque through
the telescope, and had seen so much to increase his anxiety for her
safety that, forgetful of the exposed situation of his companions, he
had gradually increased the pace of the _Flying Fish_ until he had
brought it up to full speed. This, of course, created so tremendous a
draught that not only was it quite impossible for the party aft to make
headway against it and thus regain the pilot-house, but they actually
had to fling themselves flat on the deck to avoid being blown overboard;
and even thus it was only with the utmost difficulty that they were able
to save themselves.

And this, unfortunately, was not the worst of it. The light hawser,
acted upon by so powerful a draught, was for an instant slightly lifted
off the deck, and that slight lift did the mischief. The next moment
the coils went streaming away astern one after the other, and, almost
before those who witnessed the accident could tell what had happened,
the propeller had been fouled and the hawser snapped like a thread.

The powerful jerk thus occasioned caused the baronet to turn his head;
and he then saw in a moment what mischief he had done. He, luckily, had
presence of mind enough to stop the engines at once; the _Flying Fish's_
course was stayed, and she immediately began to drive swiftly astern in
apparently a dead calm, but actually swept along upon the wings of the
gale.

The professor at once scrambled to his feet, and, followed by his
companions, hurried to the pilot-house, where, without wasting time in
useless words, he at once set himself to look out for a suitable spot
upon which to alight, it being absolutely necessary to clear the
propeller before again moving the engines, lest in doing so a complete
break-down should result.

A favourable spot was at length found--but not until they had drifted
completely out of sight of the apparently doomed barque--and the _Flying
Fish_ was carefully lowered to the surface of a large floe, her anchor
being first let go in order to "bring her up" and prevent her being
driven along by the wind over the smooth surface. It was a task more
difficult of accomplishment than they had anticipated, the anchor for
some ti