er knew they could have such storms down here."

"They have storms all over the world," answered Tom. "What is Dick
doing?"

"Running before the wind."

"He just told me to slow down more yet."

"Well, he can't see a thing ahead and he doesn't want to run into
anything."

"And Hans?"

"Down, the sickest ever."

"Too bad! I know what it is to be sick. Better leave him alone."

"That's what Dick said."

As but little steam was needed Sam had no call to urge on his fire
beneath the boiler, and he and Tom sat down near the speaking tube,
to talk occasionally to Dick.

Thus two hours went by. Nobody had the least desire to go to sleep,
even though the long swim had made each boy rather tired. The fury
of the elements made them nervous.

"This puts me in mind of the time we were on the Pacific," called
down Dick through the speaking tube. He referred to the adventures
they had had as related in "The Rover Boys on Land and Sea."

"Well, we don't want to be cast away on a lonely island as we were
then," said Sam.

"There are no islands around here," answered Tom. "I looked on the
chart to make sure."

"In that case we can't hit anything. I am thinking--"

"Back her!" yelled Dick, through the speaking tube, and then jingled
the bell.

Tom leaped for the engine and reversed it. There was a pause, and
they felt the steam yacht swing half around. Then, after a wait, Dick
ordered the speed ahead.

"What was wrong?" asked Tom, at the tube.

"Light right ahead," was the answer. "We cleared it by fifty feet.
But I was scared, I can tell you that."

"What kind of a light?"

"A steamer--tramp, I reckon. She's way behind now."

Sam ran on deck to get a view of the stranger, but the fury of the
storm shut out the sight.

"I suppose you didn't see much of her, Dick," he said, going into
the wheelhouse.

"I saw enough," was the grim response. "I thought we were going to
have a smashup sure, and I reckon the other pilot thought the same."

"Did you see anybody on board?"

"Not a soul. She came up like a ghost, with only two lights showing,
and by the time I had backed and turned she was gone. But it nearly
gave me nervous collapse," added the amateur pilot.

The wind was now so heavy that it sent the rain against the pilot
house in solid sheets. Dick could not see ahead at all and he requested
Sam to go to the bow, to keep the best lookout possible.

"If you see anything wrong yell to me," he said. "And b