backs turned to him and he may look around every
minute for all we know."

"Sam can see him," exclaimed Grant. "Has he looked around yet, Sam?"

"Ah ain't seen him if he has," replied Sam, grinning from ear to ear and
showing a double row of ivory teeth.

"If he does, you just tell us," said Grant, "and we'll fix him."

"Yas, sah," grinned Sam. "Ah'll report all right."

"Seen any boats yet, Sam?" demanded George.

"No," said Sam before Grant could stop him.

"Look here, Pop," exclaimed Grant hotly, "you ought not to have asked
him that question. We made an agreement not to look around, but what's
the use if you aren't going to live up to it?"

"Did I look around?" demanded George.

"No, but--"

"Well, that's all I agreed to."

"I know, but--"

"Seen any land, Sam?" asked George. He knew how angry he was making
Grant, but one of his main objects in life was to tease people.

"Ah ain't sayin'," said Sam warily. "Yo' all ain't gwine to ketch me
nappin' again."

"That's right, Sam," exclaimed Grant; "don't you answer a single
question that any one asks you."

"Oh, Grant," mocked George, at the same time pitching his voice like a
girl's. "I think you're just horrid."

"Hit him, somebody!" exclaimed Fred laughingly. "Don't let him live."

At this moment, however, George, who had been paying more attention to
the conversation than the rowing, caught a crab. He lost his balance
completely and toppled over backward, sprawling at full length on the
bottom of the boat. As a consequence the whole crew was disorganized.
The agreement not to look around was entirely forgotten and all heads
were turned to look at George.

Suddenly John stood up in the boat and cheered at the top of his voice.

"Look there!" he cried. "There's land this time, all right!"

CHAPTER X

ASHORE

All eyes were immediately turned in the direction in which John pointed.
Sure enough, and every one saw it this time, land appeared far off on
the distant horizon. It could be seen only faintly, but there was no
mistaking it. The low-lying shore and the outline of a few hills were
plainly visible.

"What do you think of that?" exclaimed Grant joyously. "It certainly
looks as if our luck had turned."

"Sho' it has," said Sam readily. "Soon as we lef' dat hard luck Finn Ah
knowed we'd be all right. Ah suttinly is glad Ah is not in de same boat
wid him."

These words of Sam threw a sudden damper upon every one in the boat. The