"Cast off!"
The two oarsmen quickly unhooked the blocks from the rings at the extreme ends of the small boat.
"Are you ready?" they asked.
"Yes," said Steve, though he was not certain whether he was ready or not. His mind worked with its usual quickness, however. He knew that he was expected to get off somewhere near the steamer "Macomber."
"Give way!" he commanded.
The sailors pushed the life-boat away from the side of the ship with their oars; then, placing the oars in the locks, fell to pulling steadily. Steve turned the tiller the wrong way the first thing. The nose of the life boat hit the hull of the "Wanderer" with such force as to throw the three men to the bottom of their boat.
"Lubbers!" bellowed the second mate from the deck of the ship. "What are you trying to do—run us down?"
Steve's face was burning with mortification. Fortunately the night was too dark for any one to see this.
"What's the matter with you?" demanded one of the oarsmen.