ave a look at it."

Inishgorm ends on the west in a rocky promontory. The _Tortoise_ passed
it and then Frank stayed her again. The next tack brought them into a
little bay with deep, clear water. They stood right on until they were
within a few yards of the land. Terns, anxious for the safety of
their chicks, rose with shrill cries, circled round the boat, swooping
sometimes within a few feet of the sail and then soaring again. Their
excitement died away and their cries got fewer when the boat went about
and stood away from the island. Priscilla pointed out a long low reef
which lay under their lee. Round-backed rocks stood clear of the water
at intervals. Elsewhere brown sea wrack was plainly visible just awash.
On one of the rocks two seals lay basking in the sun. At the point of
the reef a curious patch of sharply rippled water marked where two tides
met A long tack brought the _Tortoise_ clear of the windward end of the
reef. Frank paid out the main sheet and let the boat away for another
run down a passage between the reef and a series of small flat islands.

"This," said Priscilla, "is the likeliest place we've been today. I
shouldn't wonder a bit if we came on them here."

The navigation seemed to Frank bewilderingly intricate. Small bays
opened among the islands. Rocks obtruded themselves in unexpected
places. It was never possible to keep a straight course for more than a
couple of minutes at a time. Priscilla gave order in quick succession,
"Luff her a little," "Let her away now," "Hold on as you're going,"
"Steady," "Don't let her away any more." Now and then she threatened him
with the possibility of a jibe. Frank, becoming accustomed to everything
else, still dreaded that manoeuvre.

A loud hail reached them from the narrow mouth of a bay to windward
of them. Priscilla looked round. The hail was repeated. Far up on the
northern shore of the bay lay a boat, half in, half out of the water.
Beyond her stern, knee deep in the water, with kilted skirts, stood a
woman shouting wildly and waving a pocket handkerchief.

"It's the sponge lady," said Priscilla. "Luff, luff her all you can.
We'll go in there and see what she wants."

The _Tortoise_ slanted up into the wind. Her sails flapped and filled
again. Frank pulled manfully on the sheet There were two short tacks,
swift changes of position, slacking and hauling in of sheets. Then Frank
found himself, once more on the starboard tack, standing straight for