ly--the
powerful strokes of the two paddles in what may be called
counteracting-harmony brought the little craft right round with her
stern to the waves.

"Hoist away, Nigel! We must run right before it now."

Up went the mainsail, the tiny foresail bulged out at the same moment,
and away they went like the driving foam, appearing almost to leap from
wave to wave. All sense of danger was now overwhelmed in Nigel's mind by
that feeling of excitement and wild delight which accompanies some kinds
of rapid motion. This was, if possible, intensified by the crashing
thunder which now burst forth and the vivid lightning which began to
play, revealing from time to time the tumultuous turmoil as if in
clearest moonlight, only to plunge it again in still blacker night.

By degrees the gale increased in fury, and it soon became evident that
neither sails nor cordage could long withstand the strain to which they
were subjected.

"A'most too much, massa," said the negro in a suggestive shout.

"Right, Moses," returned his master. "I was just thinking we must risk
it."

"Risk what? I wonder," thought Nigel.

He had not long to wait for an answer to his thought.

"Down wi' the mainsail," was quickly followed by the lowering of the
foresail until not more than a mere corner was shown, merely to keep the
canoe end-on to the seas. Soon even this was lowered, and Van der Kemp
used his double-blade paddle to keep them in position, at the same time
telling Nigel to unship the mast.

"And plug the hole with that," he added, handing him a bit of wood which
exactly fitted the hole in the deck.

Watching for another lull in the blast, the hermit at last gave the
order, and round they came as before, head to wind, but not quite so
easily, and Nigel felt that they had narrowly escaped overturning in the
operation.

"Keep her so, Moses. You can help with your paddle, Nigel, while I get
ready our anchor."

"Anchor!" exclaimed our hero in amazement--obeying orders, however, at
the same moment.

The hermit either did not hear the exclamation or did not care to
notice it. He quickly collected the mast and sails, with a couple of
boat-hooks and all the paddles excepting two single ones. These he bound
together by means of the sheets and halyards, attached the whole to a
hawser,--one end of which passed through an iron ring at the bow--and
tossed it into the sea--paying out the hawser rapidly at the same time
so as to put a few yards b