le I
step the mast."

Fortunately the spar was not a heavy one. Except for the roll of the
boat I could have handled it alone, but fearful of capsizing, I lashed
the oar into position, and she helped me steady it down until it rested
solidly in the socket. Our eyes met.

"You are not so frightened now."

"Not when I am busy; it--it was being left alone, and--and thought of
that drowned man."

"Of course, but my being here makes a difference?"

"Always," she confessed frankly. "Somehow I can never be afraid with
you. But--but what shall we do now?"

"I hardly know what to put you at--oh, yes, here is a tin, and you can
bail out this water sloshing about in the bottom. That will be
valuable service."

"What will you do?"

"Rig up the sail the best I can in the dark; there is breeze enough to
give us some headway, and ship the rudder."

"Do you know which direction to steer?"

"Not now, but I have a compass in my pocket; a northeast course would
be sure to bring us to the coast, and towns are scattered along. I
found that out from Broussard yesterday."

She made no response, bending over with the tin dipper, and I went at
my task, straightening out ropes so they would work easily through the
blocks. In spite of the darkness I was not greatly hampered, as
everything had been stored away in shipshape manner, and came
conveniently to hand. The wind freshened perceptibly while I was thus
engaged, veering into the southeast, so that all the cloth I dare
spread was the jib and a closely reefed mainsail. The boat acted a bit
cranky, but, confident she would stand up under this canvas, I crawled
back to the tiller, eased off the sheet a trifle more, and waited
results. We shipped a bucket full of water, and then settled into a
good pace, a cream of surge along our port gunwale, and a white wake
astern. The woman kept on bailing steadily, until the planks were dry,
and then crept cautiously back to the thwart just in front of me,
leaning over slightly to keep clear of the occasional flap of the sail.

I hoped she would speak, and thus afford me some excuse for telling
what I had discovered on board the _Sea Gull_, but she sat there in
silence, staring straight ahead into the ceaseless drizzle, her
oilskins gathered tightly. Holding the tiller under my arm I unscrewed
the face of the compass, and made a guess at our position. However,
there was no star, or other mark of guidance, by which I could steer;