be twice or even three times that distance. Now, however, that you
have had something to eat and drink you can certainly row on until we
reach the ships."

"That we can, sir. We feel like new men again, though we did feel mighty
bad before."

"So did we, lads. Now it is of no use your trying to row racing pace; take
a long, quiet stroke, and every hour or two rest for a few minutes."

"It will be dark before very long," Nelson remarked quietly to Will when
the men began to row; "but fortunately that will make no difference to us,
as we are guided not by our eyes but by our ears. There is more wind than
there was, and on a still night like this we can hear the waves against
the rocks half a mile out, so there is no fear of our losing our way, and
it will be hard indeed if we don't reach the ships before daylight. The
boat is travelling about four knots an hour. If the current has not
carried us a good deal farther than we imagine, five or six hours ought to
take us there."

The hours passed slowly. Sometimes the men had to row some distance
seaward to avoid projecting headlands. At last, however, about twelve
o'clock, Will exclaimed:

"I hear a ripple, sir, like the water against the bow of a ship."

"Easy all!" Nelson said at once.

The order was obeyed, and all listened intently. Presently there was a
general exclamation as the sound of footsteps was heard ahead.

"That is a marine pacing up and down on sentry. Give way, lads."

In a few minutes a black mass rose up close in front of them. The coxswain
put the helm down, and the boat glided along the side of the ship. As she
did so there came the sharp challenge of a sentry:

"Who goes there? Answer, or I fire."

"It is all right, my man; it is Captain Nelson."

"Wait till I call the watch, Captain Nelson," the sentry replied in the
monotonous voice of his kind.

"Very well, sentry, you are quite right to do your duty."

In half a minute an officer's voice was heard above, and a lantern was
shown over the side.

"Is it you, sir?" he asked.

"Yes; what ship is this?"

"The _Romulus_."

"Can you lend me a compass?"

"Yes, sir, I will fetch one in a moment."

"Thank you!" Nelson said when the officer returned with the instrument. "I
have lost my bearings in the fog, and I want to get to my tent on shore. I
know its exact bearings, however, from this ship."

Twenty minutes' row brought them to the landing-place. Nelson's first
thought was for th