," said the master, giving his head a scratch;
"but there goes your dollars, mister, for a new stick."

"I'll pay for it," said Gunson, quickly. "Could you rig up the broken
spar afresh?"

"Guess I'm going to try."

"Do you think they could hear us on the schooner if we all shouted
together?"

"No, I don't, my lad. If I had, I would have opened my mouth to onced.
Here, let me come by; them two's going to sleep. I want to fix that
stick up again. I won't be able to give the schooner a tow this time.
He's beat me, but I'll do it yet."

He set to work getting out the broken stump, which was standing jagged
above the thwart, and looked at it thoughtfully.

"Make a nice bit o' firewood for the old woman," he said, as he laid it
down forward before beginning to examine the broken end of the mast.

"Guess yew arn't got such a thing as a saw in your pocket, hev you,
either on yew?" he continued, with a grim smile. "Not yew! One never
has got what one wants in one's pocket. Lend a hand here, Elim, never
mind about them stays. Don't shove: them sharp ends 'll go through the
bottom. If they do, one of you youngsters 'll hev to putt your leg
through the hole to keep the water out. Now, Zeke, never mind the sail.
Hyste away."

Between them they raised the broken mast, which was now about three feet
shorter, tightened the ropes, and, just as the schooner was coming back
on the next tack, to pass us about half a mile away, the master said--

"They ought to see as we're in trouble, but I 'spect they're nearly all
asleep. Here, all on yew be ready, and when I cry, _hail_! open your
shoulders, and all together give 'em a good _ahoy_! Not yet, mind--not
till I speak. Lot o' little footy squeaks arn't no good; we must have a
big shout. Guess we shan't haul up the sail till we've tried whether
they'll lay to."

The schooner came nearer and nearer, with her sails growing so plain
that even the ropes that held them glistened white in the moonlight, and
looking so beautiful as she glided smoothly onward, that for the moment
I forgot our predicament; but I was roused up at last by the master's
voice.

"All together!" he said, quietly. "Hail!"

Our voices rose high in a discordant shout.

"Now again," cried the master.

Our voices rose once more, and then another shout broke the stillness of
the soft night air; but the schooner glided on, her sails hiding
everything, so that we did not see a soul on board save th