d John. "That'll make you as
tall as I."

George quickly followed this advice, but he could see no land. Grant,
too, tried it but he was no more successful. They all began to make fun
of John.

"Something has gone to your head, String," teased George. "You're seeing
things."

John, however, was so angry by this time that he would not pay the
slightest attention to such remarks. His face was flushed and he still
stared sullenly out across the water in the direction of the rising sun.
Suddenly his jaw dropped, and a look of amazement spread itself over his
features. His eyes were round with surprise.

"It's gone," he exclaimed in consternation.

"Ha, ha," laughed George, derisively. "I told you it was a mirage."

"Perhaps, the wind blew it away," suggested Fred.

"You all think you're pretty smart," said John, a half-foolish grin on
his face. "I swear I thought I saw land over there."

"Well, I tell you what we do," suggested Grant. "String thought he saw
land over in that direction, but it's gone now. Just the same I say we
row that way and see what we can see."

"What's the point in that?" demanded Fred. "You don't really think he
saw anything, do you?"

"No, I don't. At the same time we can't be any worse off than we are
now, and String's seeing the mirage may have been an omen. Perhaps there
is land somewhere over there after all."

"I'm willing," agreed George. "What do you say?"

"Let's try it," exclaimed Fred. "As Grant says we can't be any worse off
than we are now. Perhaps we'll be better."

"Ah think dat's a fine idea," said Sam enthusiastically. "Ah can row,
too."

"No, you steer," directed Grant. "Give me your compass, Pop, and set a
course for him. You follow it exactly, Sam."

"Ah sho' will," agreed Sam, delighted at the idea of having no work to
do and the responsibility of steering the boat.

"I guess I'm not a pretty handy sort of a fellow to have around," George
remarked with a grin as he took the compass from around his neck and
handed it to Sam. "I haven't written in my diary lately, though."

"Have you still got that with you, Pop?" exclaimed John.

"Surely. You don't think I'd lose that, do you?"

"I thought you might in all this mixup."

"No, indeed," said George warmly. "I wouldn't lose my diary for
anything."

"Give Sam the course to steer," exclaimed Grant. "You all talk so much."

"All right," laughed George, and setting the compass on the bottom of
the boat between