oonlight. The blockhouses
stood out sharply on either bank.

"Wonder if they can see us as plainly as we see them," Jim said.

"We'll have callers here presently if they can," Desmond said. "That,
at least, is certain. Better come in, Jim."

Jim was looking at the great sails, and then at the rope that moored
them.

"Wait half a minute," he said.

He dived into the mill, and returned almost instantly with a small
coil of rope.

"I noticed this when we came up," he said. "It didn't seem long
enough to be any use by itself, but if we tie it to this mooring-rope
it might be long enough."

"To reach the ground from here?" Desmond asked him in astonishment.
"Never! You're dreaming, Jim."

"Not from here, of course," Jim said. "But from the end of the sail."

"The sail!" Desmond echoed.

"If we tie it to the end of the sail's rope, and let the mill go, we
can swing out one at a time," Jim said. "Bit of a drop at the bottom,
of course, but I don't think it would be too much, if we wait till our
sail points straight down."

"But----" Desmond hesitated. "The sail may not bear any
weight--neither may the rope itself."

"The ropes seem good enough--they're light, but strong," Jim said.
"As for the sail--well, it looks pretty tough; the framework is iron.
We can haul on it and test it a bit. I'd sooner risk it than be
caught here, old man."

"Well--I'm going first," Desmond said.

"That you're not--it's my own little patent idea," Jim retorted.
"Just you play fair, you old reprobate. Look--they keep a sort of
boathook thing here, to catch the rope when the arm is turning--very
thoughtful and handy. You'll easily get it back with that."

He was knotting the two ropes as he spoke, testing them with all his
strength.

"There--that will hold," he said. "Now we'll let her go."

He untied the mooring-rope, and very slowly the great sails began to
revolve. They tugged violently as the arm bearing the rope mounted,
and drew it back; it creaked and groaned, but the rope held, and
nothing gave way. Jim turned his face to Desmond on the narrow
platform.

"I'm off!" he said. "No end of a jolly lark, isn't it? Hold her till
I get on the railing."

"Jim--if it's too short!"

"Well, I'll know all about that in a minute," said Jim with a short
laugh. "So long, old chap: I'll be waiting below, to catch you when
you bounce!"

He flung his legs over the railing, sitting upon it for an instant
while he g