put on any sech fool finery.
He's de bestest boy in de worl', he is. Dat is, onless dar aint not'in'
happened to 'im."

But if the folks on shore were uneasy about the "Swallow" and her crew,
how was it with the latter themselves, as the darkness closed around
them, out there upon the tossing water?

Very cool, indeed, had been Captain Dab Kinzer, and he had encouraged
the others to go on with their blue-fishing, even when it was pretty
tough work to keep the "Swallow" from "scudding." He was anxious not to
get too far from shore, for there was no telling what sort of weather
might be coming. It was curious, too, what very remarkable luck they
had, or rather, Ford and Dick; for Dab would not leave the tiller a
moment. Splendid fellows were those blue-fish, and work it was to pull
in the heaviest of them. That's just the sort of weather they bite best
in; but it is not often such young fishermen venture to take advantage
of it. Only the stanchest and best-seasoned old salts of Montauk or New
London would have felt altogether at home, that afternoon, in the
"Swallow."

"Don't fish any more," said Dabney, at last. "You've caught ten times as
many as we ever thought of catching. Whoppers, too, some of 'em."

"Biggest fishing ever I did," remarked Ford, as if that meant a great
deal.

"Or mos' anybody else out dis yer way," added Dick. "I isn't 'shamed to
show dem fish anywhar."

"No more I aint," said Dab; "but you're getting too tired, and so am I.
We must have a good hearty lunch, and put the "Swallow" before the wind
for a while. I daren't risk any more of these cross-seas. We might get
pitched over any minute."

"Dat's so," said Dick. "And I's awful hungry."

The "Swallow" was well enough provisioned, not to speak of the
blue-fish, and there was water enough on board for several days, if they
should happen to need it; but there was very little danger of that,
unless the wind should continue to be altogether against them.

It was blowing hard when the boys finished their dinner, but no harder
than it had already blown, several times, that day, and the "Swallow"
seemed to be putting forth her very best qualities as a "sea-boat." No
immediate danger, apparently; but there was one "symptom" which Dab
discerned, as he glanced around the horizon, which gave him more
anxiety than either the stiff breeze or the rough sea.

The coming darkness?

No; for stars and light-houses can be seen at night, and steering is