now so's to be ready."

Neither of the little girls said anything. Amanda was ready to cry with
fear, and Anne was watching the sky anxiously.

"The sun is all covered up with clouds," she said, and before Amos could
answer there came a patter of raindrops. The wind, too, increased in force
and the waves grew higher. Anne and Amanda crouched low in the boat, while
Amos in the bow peered anxiously ahead.

Within the curve of the shore of Race Point lay House Point Island, where
Amos hoped they might land. It was a small island partly covered with
scrubby thickets but no tall trees, and with shallow water all about it.
Amos was sure that he could pull the clumsy boat to shore if the wind
would only set a little in that direction. The September afternoon was
growing late, the sky was now completely overcast, and the rain falling
steadily.

"We're getting near the island," said Amos. "I'll slide overboard in a
minute, and all you girls need do is keep still till I tell you to jump,"
and Amos, the painter of the dory in one hand, slipped over the high bow
of the boat and struck out for shore. He was a strong swimmer, and managed
to change the course of the boat so that it swung in toward the shallow
water, and in a few minutes Amos got a foothold on the sand, and pulled
strongly on the rope until the boat was well out of the outward sweep of
the current.

"Now jump out," he commanded; "you on one side, Anne, and Amanda on the
other, and take hold of the side and help pull the boat ashore."

The two girls obeyed instantly, and the three dripping children struggled
up the beach, pulling the dory beyond reach of the tide.

"We must be sure this boat is safe," said Amos; "if we can get it up a
little further, we can tip it up on one side and crawl under and get out
of the rain."

The codfish, plaice and flounder Amos took out carefully and carried to a
large rock further up the beach. "We'll have to eat those fish if we stay
here very long," he said.

It grew dark early and the children, under the shelter of the boat, peered
out at the rushing waves, listened to the wind, and were very glad that
they were on shore, even if it was an island and miles away from home.

"Nobody can find us to-night," said Anne, "but prob'ly to-morrow morning,
first thing, my Uncle Enos and your father will take a boat and come
sailing right down after us."

"How will they know where we are?" whimpered Amanda. "We'll have to stay
here a