, "So I did;" and the two officers commenced to punch each
other with their disengaged hands. This combat, which was conducted
with the utmost good feeling on both sides, had been continued for
nearly a minute, when the passenger, on whose unoffending back a large
proportion of the blows were falling, remarked,--

"Well, if we aren't going to stop here all day, when you've quite done
we'd better think about getting out."

They were at least four yards from the shore, and it was impossible to
reach it dry-shod.

"Some one must take off his boots and socks and haul her out," said
Diggory.

"Well, I can't," answered Jack; "the captain never ought to leave the
ship."

"Oh, I'll go," answered Mugford, laughing; and accordingly, after
performing some complicated gymnastic feats in getting off his boots, he
slid from the seat into the water, and so hauled the "coffee-mill"
back to _terra firma_.

It would be impossible to describe in detail all the alarming incidents
which happened during the outward passage.

They had not gone a quarter of a mile further when something went wrong
with the brake. They flew down a long hill, holding on for dear life,
nothing but the grand way in which the mate managed this time to steer a
straight course down the middle of the road saving them from
destruction. Nevertheless, mounting the last slope was such hard labour
that Mugford had to turn to and "work his passage," by every now and
again taking a spell at the treadles.

"Look here!" said Diggory at length: "don't you think we've gone far
enough? we shan't be back in time for tea."

"Oh, I forgot," answered the captain. "We'll see. Stand by your
anchor! Let go-o-o!"

The "coffee-mill" stopped, and Jack Vance pulled out his watch.

"By me it's half-past twelve, and I'm four hours slow: twelve to one,
one to two, two to three, three to four--half-past four. Yes, it's time
we turned round. Now, then, 'bout ship!"

The tricycle clanked and rattled away merrily enough on the return
journey until it came to the long hill, which this time had to be
climbed instead of descended.

"Don't let's get off," said Jack; "we ought to rush her up this if we
set our minds to it."

With a great deal of panting and struggling they succeeded in getting
about half-way; then suddenly there was a crack, and the machine,
instead of going forward, began to run back. Faster and faster it
went, the pedals remaining motionless under their fe