“'Oh, oh, heavens!' he chatters. 'What will we do? Will we drown?'
“'Don't know,' says I, tuggin' at the wheel and tryin' to sight the compass. 'You've got the best chance of the two of us, if it's true that fat floats.'
“I thought that might cheer him up some, but it didn't. A big wave heeled us over then and a keg or two of salt water poured over the gunwale. He give a yell and jumped up.
“'My Lord!' he screams. 'We're sinkin'. Help! help!'
“'Set down!' I roared. 'Thought you knew how to act in a boat. Set down! d'you hear me? SET DOWN AND SET STILL!'
“He set. Likewise he shivered and groaned. It got darker all the time and the wind freshened every minute. I expected to see that jury mast go by the board at any time. Lucky for us it held.
“No use tellin' about the next couple of hours. 'Cordin' to my reckonin' they was years and we'd ought to have sailed plumb through the broadside of the Cape, and be makin' a quick run for Africy. But at last we got into smoother water, and then, right acrost our bows, showed up a white strip. The fog had pretty well blowed clear and I could see it.
“'Land, ho!' I yells. 'Stand by! WE'RE goin' to bump.'”
Captain Sol stopped short and listened. Mr. Phinney grasped his arm.
“For the dear land sakes, Sol,” he exclaimed, “don't leave me hangin' in them breakers no longer'n you can help! Heave ahead! DID you bump?”