nce!" wailed the unfortunate one. He
cleared his mouth of water. "Why did you let me go overboard?" he
demanded. "Why didn't you stop me when you saw me slipping?"

"Didn't have time," answered the captain. "You ought to thank Bob
for hooking you."

"He tore my coat sleeve," said Mr. Tarbill, examining the garment.
"And it's the only coat I have now," he added mournfully.

"Never mind, maybe you won't need a coat soon," put in Mr. Carr,
who was more disgusted than ever.

"How's that?"

"If we go down the fish won't care if we have coats on or
not--guess they'd rather eat us without coats."

"Oh dear! Oh dear!" gasped the nervous passenger, and then he all
but collapsed.

"The steamer is turning!" cried Tim Flynn, who had climbed up the
mast to obtain a better view. "Good luck to her if she comes this
way!"

"If only we could send her a wireless message!" said Bob.

"Yes, here is where that newfangled telegraphing would come in
handy," returned Captain Spark. "But we ain't got no apparatus, so
we can't do it."

With anxious eyes all watched the big steamer, which looked to be
steering almost for them. The craft was a long way off, so they
could make out nothing distinctly.

"It's clouding down--we are going to have a squall!" cried Captain
Spark suddenly.

He pointed to the eastward and the others saw that he was right.
As if by magic dark clouds were rolling up from the horizon. The
wind died out, and then came in uncertain puffs.

"The steamer is leaving us!" cried Mr. Carr.

"Oh, don't say that, please don't!" wailed Mr. Tarbill.

"Here comes the squall!" cried Captain Spark, and he was right.

Soon a sudden gust of wind struck the sailboat, almost keeling her
over. As quickly as it could be done, the sail was lowered and
stowed away.

The squall was of short duration, lasting all told not more than
ten minutes. Only a few drops of rain fell. Then the clouds
rolled off to the westward and it became as clear as before.

"The steamer! It's gone!" shouted Mr. Carr.

"What!" cried Captain Spark.

"Gone, I tell you!"

With great anxiety all strained their eyes to catch some sight of
the large craft. At last Tim Flynn pointed with his finger.

"There she is--sailin' right away from us!" he said bitterly.

The words of the Irish tar proved true--the steamer had again
altered her course. In a few minutes her dark form was swallowed
up in the distant haze.

It must be admitted th