ed until next Monday. I'm going to stick to Matinicus
till the blow is over."

It was still calm when they passed the Black Ledges and headed for the
northeast point of Wooden Ball. Jim was rowing, and the dory drove
easily onward under his powerful strokes.

Percy looked north. The mountains on the mainland had vanished, and even
the heights on Vinalhaven were being blotted out; but as yet not a
breath of air disturbed the glassy, undulating sea.

They were now only a few hundred feet north of the ledges on the
extremity of the Ball. The swell was breaking white against its
barnacled granite boulders in a long, crashing rumble.

"Let me spell you at the oars, Jim," said Percy.

"Don't care if you do! And pass that bag of hard bread forward! I feel
hungry enough to eat the whole of it. Wonder what Filippo'll have for
supper to-night!"

The boys had been in such a hurry to get away from Matinicus that they
had not taken time for any dinner; so both had keen appetites. Jim made
a hearty lunch on the crisp crackers. Percy's mouth watered as he swung
to and fro at the oars, facing his companion. Ten weeks ago he would
have disdained such plain fare; but now he could eat it with a relish.
His gristle was hardening into bone.

Four or five of the brittle disks satisfied Jim's hunger.

"Your turn now, Perce! Let me take her again!"

"Hadn't I better row a little longer?"

"No! I feel good for five miles. Those crackers put the strength into a
man."

Percy attacked the bag with an appetite equal to Jim's. Malcolm's Ledges
were near, breaking white half-way from the Ball to Seal Island. To
Percy's ears the roar of the surf sounded louder.

"Sea's making up a bit, isn't it, Jim?"

"Yes; but I don't think it'll amount to anything for a long time yet."

Down swept a squall from the north, roughening and darkening the water.
The dory careened a trifle as it smote her side.

"Well, Perce, we're more than a third of the way home. There's Brimstone
Point, eight miles ahead. We may see a little rough water before we get
there. Lucky you're not seasick nowadays!"

The squall passed, but left a steady breeze blowing in its wake. The sky
was gray, the sea leaden. The horizon all around seemed to be
contracting, and the familiar islands were losing their height.

They ran to leeward of the breaker on Gully Ledge, and passed into
smooth water under the protecting barrier of Seal Island. Pliny
Ferguson's shack was in plai