in the
small boats."

"Are there enough boats?" asked Mrs. Laning.

"Yes, the steam yacht is well equipped with them."

The engine of the vessel had been stopped and the steam yacht lay like
a log on the rolling waves. The shocks had caused some of the lights to
go out, leaving the passengers in semi-darkness.

"Oh, Dick, do you think we'll go down?" whispered Dora, as she clung to
his arm.

"Let us hope not, Dora," he answered and caught her closer. "I'll stick
to you, no matter what comes!"

"Yes! yes! I want you to do that! And stick to mamma, too!"

"I will. But I don't think we'll go down just yet," he went on, after a
long pause. "We seem to be standing still, that's all."

They waited, and as they did so he held her trembling hands tightly in
his own. In that minute of extreme peril they realized how very much
they were to one another.

At last, after what seemed to be hours, but was in reality less than
five minutes, Anderson Rover appeared.

"There is no immediate danger," said he. "We must have struck some sort
of wreckage, or lumber float. There is a small hole in the bow, just
above the water line, and several of the seams have been opened.
Captain Barforth is having the hole closed up and has started up the
donkey pump to keep the water low in the hold. He says he thinks we can
make one of the nearby ports without great trouble."

This news removed the tension under which all were suffering, and a
little later the ladies and the girls retired to the cabin, and Aleck
stole back to his sleeping quarters. The boys went forward, to inspect
the damage done, but in the darkness could see little.

"It was an accident such as might happen to any vessel," said the
captain, later. "The lookouts were evidently not to blame. There are
many derelicts and bits of lumber rafts scattered throughout these
waters and consequently traveling at night or in a fog is always more
or less dangerous."

"We shall have to put up somewhere for repairs, not so?" questioned
Anderson Rover.

"It would be best, Mr. Rover. Of course we might be able to patch
things ourselves, but, unless you are in a great hurry, I advise going
into port and having it done. It will have to be done sooner or later
anyway."

"Where do you advise putting in?"

Captain Barforth thought for a moment.

"I think we had better run over to Nassau, which is less than sixty
miles from here. Nassau, as perhaps you know, is the capital city of