of
Islands.

By the time the launch was lost to sight in the growing dusk the "Ruth"
had also disappeared. She was headed southward when last seen, and now
White said it was time that they, too, were turning towards their
ultimate destination. So, topsails and mainstaysail were taken in, and
the helm was put down until fore and mainsails jibed over. Then sheets
were trimmed until the little schooner, with lee rail awash, was
running something east of north, on an easy bowline, carrying a bone in
her teeth and leaving a bubbling wake trailing far astern. With
everything thus satisfactorily in shape, White lighted the binnacle
lamp, and giving Cabot a course to steer, went below to prepare the
first meal of their long cruise. "You must keep a sharp lookout," he
said as he disappeared down the companionway, "for I don't dare show
any lights. So if we are run into we'll have only ourselves to blame."

Left thus to his own devices, Cabot realised for the first time the
responsibility of his position and began to reflect seriously upon what
he had done. Until this time one disturbing event had followed another
so rapidly that he had been borne along almost without a thought of
what he was doing or of the consequences. As a result, instead of
carrying out the purpose for which he had been sent to Newfoundland,
and studying its mineral resources, he now found himself forced into
flight for having defied the authorities of the island, embarked upon a
doubtful trading venture into one of the wildest and least known
portions of the continent, and, with but a slight knowledge of
seamanship, engaged in navigating a small sailing vessel across one of
its stormiest seas. What would his guardian and employer say could he
know all this and see him at the present moment?

"I wish he could, though," exclaimed Cabot half aloud, "for it would be
fun to watch his look of amazement and hear his remarks. I suppose he
is wondering what has become of that Bell Island report I was to send
in the first thing, and I guess he'll have to wonder for some time
longer, as St. Johns is about the last place I feel like visiting just
at present. I certainly have made a mess of my affairs, though, so
far, and it looks as if I had only just begun, too. At the same time I
don't see how I could have acted differently. I tried hard enough to
reach St. Johns, and would have got there all right if it hadn't been
for this factory business. But whe