r them and belted round their waists, protected their persons
almost completely from water.

"Now, Nigel," said the hermit, "unship the mast, reeve the halyard of
this foresail through the top and then re-ship it. Moses will give you
the mainsail when ready, and you can hook the halyards on to it. The
thing is too simple to require explanation to a sailor. I attend to the
foresail and Moses manages the mainsheet, but you have to mind the
halyards of both, which, as you would see if it were light enough, run
down alongside the mast. All I ask you to remember is to be smart in
obeying orders, for squalls are sometimes very sudden here--but I doubt
not that such a caution is needless."

"I'll do my best," said Nigel.

By this time a slight puff of air had ruffled the sea, thereby
intensifying, if possible, the blackness which already prevailed. The
tiny sails caught the puff, causing the canoe to lean slightly over, and
glide with a rippling sound through the water, while Moses steered by
means of his paddle.

"You have put Spinkie down below, I think," said Nigel, who had been
struck more than once with the hermit's extreme tenderness and care of
the little creature.

"Yes, to prevent it from being washed overboard. I nearly lost the poor
little thing once or twice, and now when we are likely to be caught in
bad weather I put him below."

"Is he not apt to be suffocated?" asked Nigel. "With everything made so
tight to prevent water getting into the canoe, you necessarily prevent
air entering also."

"I see you have a mechanical turn of mind," returned the hermit. "You
are right. Yet in so large a canoe the air would last a considerable
time to satisfy a monkey. Nevertheless, I have made provision for that.
There is a short tube alongside the mast, and fixed to it, which runs a
little below the deck and rises a foot above it so as to be well above
the wash of most waves, and in the deck near the stern there is a small
hole with a cap fitted so as to turn the water but admit the air. Thus
free circulation of air is established below deck."

Suddenly a hissing sound was heard to windward.

"Look out, Moses," said Van der Kemp. "There it comes. Let go the
sheet. Keep good hold of your paddle, Nigel."

The warning was by no means unnecessary, for as the canoe's head was
turned to meet the blast, a hissing sheet of white water swept right
over the tiny craft, completely submerging it, insomuch that the