A NARROW ESCAPE 67
X SAM SHAW APPEARS 74
XI CAPTAIN MARSHALL IS ANGRY 81
XII THE INVESTIGATION 88
XIII MAKING A CHANGE 95
XIV A BLOW AND A RESCUE 103
XV NAT HEARS SOME NEWS 113
XVI JUST TOO LATE 120
XVII PLANNING A CAPTURE 127
XVIII NAT'S PLUCKY PILOTING 135
XIX THE ACCUSATION 146
XX OFF AGAIN 152
XXI NAT INTERVENES 159
XXII AFTER BUMSTEAD 166
XXIII BUMSTEAD ESCAPES 173
XXIV IN A COLLISION 182
XXV BUMSTEAD'S ARREST--CONCLUSION 192

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"Sam fell into the water." frontispiece
"He fell to the floor of the hold" 58
"The storm enveloped the vessel" 142
"Shoot, then!" cried the mate 180

The Boy Pilot of the Lakes

CHAPTER I

NAT SAVES A BOAT

"There's a rowboat adrift!" exclaimed one of a group of men who stood
on the edge of a large pier at Chicago's water front.

"Yes, and the steamer will sure smash it," added another. "She's
headed right for it! It's a wonder folks wouldn't learn to tie their
boats secure. Whose is it?"

"I don't know. It's a good boat, though. Pity to see it knocked into
kindling wood."

"That's right."

The pilot of the big freight steamer, which was approaching her dock
after a voyage down Lake Michigan, also saw the drifting boat now,
and, doubtless thinking some one was in it, he pulled the whistle wire
sharply. A hoarse blast from the steamer's siren came across the
water. The signal was one of alarm.

At the sound of it a boy, who had been sitting on a box at the edge of
the wharf, idly swinging his bare feet to and fro, looked up. He was a
lad about fifteen years old, with brown eyes and a pleasant face.
Though clean, his clothes--what few he had on--were very much patched.

"Something's the matter," said the lad. "Something in the pat