eered so that they ran within a few feet
of where the waves creamed over a detached mass of rock.

Max was gazing back at the cascade, whose aspect from where they were
well warranted the familiar name by which it was known. He could,
however, see no beauty in the wild leap taken by the stream, and he drew
a sigh of relief as they glided by the next point, and the fall passed
from his view, while the thunderous roar died away.

"There!" cried Kenneth; "that will be something for you to talk about
when you go back. You don't have falls like that in town."

"She'd petter not talk about it," said Scood. "If the Chief knows we
took the poat so near, she'll never let us go out in her again."

"Oh, I don't know," said Kenneth. "It was pretty near, though. I say,
don't say anything to my father. Scood's afraid he'd be horsewhipped."

"Nay, it's the young master is afraid," retorted Scood.

"You say I'm afraid, Scood, and I'll knock you in the water!"

Scood grinned, and began to slacken the sheet, for the wind kept coming
in sharper puffs, and at every blast the boat heeled over to such an
extent that Max felt certain that they must fill.

"You haul in that sheet, Scood, and let's get all we can out of her."

"Nay, nay, laddie, she won't bear any more. We ought to shorten ta
sail."

"No," cried Kenneth; "I want to see how soon we can get home. Why, it's
ever so much past six now. We shan't be back till late. Don't want to
see the Black Cavern, do you, to-night?"

"Oh no!" cried Max eagerly.

"We could row right in ever so far with the tide like this."

Max shuddered. It was bad enough in the open sea; the idea of rowing
into a black cavern after what he had gone through horrified him.

"All right, then. Make that sheet fast, Scood, and trim the boat. I'll
make her skim this time."

"No," said Scood decisively. "Too much wind. She'll hold ta sheet."

"You do as I tell you, or I'll pitch you overboard."

Scood looked vicious, but said nothing, only seated himself to windward,
so as to counterbalance the pressure, and held on by the sheet.

"Did you hear what I said?"

Scood nodded.

"Then make that sheet fast."

Scood shook his head.

"Will you make that sheet fast?"

"Too much wind."

Kenneth left the tiller and literally leaped on to Scood, and, to the
horror of Max, there was a desperate wrestle, during which he was in
momentary expectation of seeing both pitch over into the sea. T