“We’ve got a neat little hole in the side.”
“Can we beach her on the island?” asked Harry. “I don’t want the Whistler to go to the bottom of the lake.”
“I reckon I can manage it. Just hold that bit of canvas over the hole.”
Harry and our hero jumped to do as bidden, while Jack Broxton and Blumpo undertook to steer the yacht toward shore. The craft was becoming so water-logged that she acted clumsily, and they had their hands full.
“We is gwine down, suah!” groaned Blumpo, but as he spoke the keel grated on the sand, and a moment later she swung around hard and fast, and the danger of sinking was past.
While Jack and Blumpo lowered the sails, Harry and Jerry carried several lines ashore and tied them to the trees in such a fashion that the yacht could not pound herself, even if the wind came up.
After the sails were lowered old Jack inspected the damage done.
“I can patch the main-sail in an hour,” he said. “But that hole at the bow will take three, and I ought to have more tools than I’ve got aboard.”
“Can’t we patch things up sufficiently to take her back into Lakeview?” asked Harry.
“Maybe we can. But it would be better on account of the wind to steer for Rockpoint. She couldn’t stand the chop sea on the other course.”