“Yes, we can start rowing,” agreed the children’s father.
“Right you are, sir!” exclaimed Will Gand. “Come on, mate!” he called to his companion. “Shove off!”
The sailors ran the boat down to the edge of the water and helped Mrs. Brown, Bunny and Sue into the craft. Then Mr. Brown got in, with what remained of the lunch in the basket, and the sailors pushed the boat into the little bay until she floated.
Then they began rowing out toward the Beacon. But of course a ship, going by steam power, moves faster than a rowboat, and after a little while Mrs. Brown, who had been looking across the water that separated them from the steamer, called out:
“We aren’t gaining on them!”
“No,” said Mr. Brown, with a puzzled look on his face, “we aren’t. I should think they would be in deep water now, shouldn’t you?” he asked the sailors.
“Yes, sir,” answered Sam. “It’s deep enough water where she is now. Out there, there’s no danger of going aground again on the bar.”
“Then why doesn’t Captain Ward stop so we can get on board?” demanded Bunny.
“That’s what I’ve been wondering,” said the sailor, Will, as he rested on his oars, for both men had been pulling hard. “It looks like to me, sir,” he said to Mr. Brown, “that they’re going on faster. They aren’t going to drop anchor, nor yet turn around and come back for us.”
“It does seem so,” said Mr. Brown, and again he had that worried, curious look on his face.