by a vicious wind from the northwest. Her range lights
showed clearly at the mast heads. A gleam of red indicated that the
vessel was showing her port side. With every roll great masses of water
boarded the weather rail, sweeping the decks of every movable object.

"Look!" cried the mate, excitedly pointing toward the steamer.

There was no need of explanation. A great mass of rock directly in the
path upon which the steamer was drifting sent gigantic columns of water
into the air with every wave. Although the eastern sky showed a tinge of
gray the blackness upon the water was intense. It was lightened
momentarily by the white smother of spray and foam cast upward as wave
after wave broke upon the black and threatening menace lying immediately
before the apparently doomed vessel.

"Py golly, he's all right!" yelled von Kluck in a moment. "He's lost dot
rutter und he's backing on his enchines! He'll make id!"

Surely enough the steamer's captain was executing the very maneuver at
which von Kluck had guessed. By backing on his engines he succeeded in
drawing the vessel so far to one side of the dangerous rock that it was
passed. Only a margin extremely narrow intervened.

But the danger had not passed. Another rock threatened to tear to pieces
the all but helpless vessel. With straining eyes and beating hearts the
lads watched anxiously as this danger was also cleared.

They clung to the weather shrouds in spite of the whip-like sting of
sleet and spray, watching the struggle against wind, wave and rock.

At length the vessel won through the dangerous places. It was now so
close that the boys could make out the details of the rigging. Ned
procured a pair of binoculars and spelled out the name.

"That steamer is the Anne of Melbourne," he announced. "I wonder if it
isn't an Australian vessel. They have had a hard time of it."

"She's close to us now," cried Harry. "I wonder what they'll do."

"If they're wise they'll let go an anchor and ride it out," answered
Jimmie. "If I had sense enough to bring a vessel through a tight place
like that I'd get a hook overboard as soon as I could."

"That's just what they are doing!" announced Ned. "There's a group of men
at the forward end preparing to get the anchor over."

Directly the boys heard the rattle of the cable in the steamer's hawse
pipes, followed instantly by a great splash at the bow that told as
plainly as words that the ground tackle was out.

Still feelin