m showed his seamanship to good
advantage when he got the _Jennie S._ out of that dock without rubbing
her paint. But the wind was very light and they had to run down with it
past the island and then beat up between the Thimble and the lighthouse,
toward the entrance to Sokennet Harbor.

Indeed, the breeze fell so at times that the catboat made no headway.
In one of these calms Helen sighted a rowboat some distance away, but
pulling toward them from among the little chain of islands beyond the
reef on which the lumber schooner had been wrecked.

"Here's a fisherman coming," she said. "Do you suppose he'd take us
ashore in his boat, Tom? We could walk home from the light. It's growing
late and Miss Kate will be worried."

"Why, Sis, I can scull this old tub to the landing below the lighthouse
yonder. We don't need to borrow a boat. Then Phineas can come around
in the _Miraflame_ to-morrow morning and tow the catboat home."

But Jane Ann had leaped up at once to eye the coming rowboat--and not
with favor.

"That looks like the boat that Crab came out to the Thimble in," she
exclaimed. "Why! it _is_ him."

"Jack Crab!" exclaimed Helen, in terror. "He's after you, then."

"Well he won't get her," declared Tom, boldly.

"What can we do against that man?" demanded Ruth, anxiously. "I'm
afraid of him myself. Let's try to get ashore."

"Yes, before he catches us," begged Helen. "Do, Tom!"

There was no hope of the wind helping them, and the man in the rowboat
was pulling strongly for the becalmed _Jennie S._ Tom instantly dropped
her sail and seized one of the oars. He could scull pretty well, and
he forced the heavy boat through the quiet sea directly for the
lighthouse landing.

The three girls were really much disturbed; Crab pulled his lighter boat
much faster than Tom could drive the _Jennie S._ and it was a question if
he would not overtake her before she reached the landing.

"He sees me," said Jane Hicks, excitedly. "He'll get hold of me if
he can. And maybe he'll hurt you folks."

"He's got to catch us first," grunted Tom, straining at the oar.

"We're going to beat him, Tommy!" cried Helen, encouragingly. "Don't
give up!"

Once Crab looked around and bawled some threat to them over his shoulder.
But they did not reply. His voice inspired Tom with renewed strength--or
seemed to. The boy strained at his single oar, and the _Jennie S._
moved landward at a good, stiff pace.

"Stand ready with the paint