But if Captain Brisco, or any of those then huddled in the cabin of the Mary Ellen, could have seen Russ and Mr. Sneed just then they would not have envied them.
With the racing of the engine, indicating to Russ that the propeller had dropped off into the sea, he at once shut off the power. Without the resistance of the screw the machine would soon have racked itself to pieces.
"Well, what's to be done?" asked Mr. Sneed.
"That's the way to talk," was the response. "We've got to do something, that's sure."
The storm which at that moment was enveloping the Mary Ellen was, at the same time, buffeting about the smaller motorboat. When she lost headway by the stopping of her engine she no longer took the seas head, or bow, on. She fell into the trough, and was in imminent danger of being swamped.
"We've got to bring her up, the first thing we do," Russ decided. "What we need is a drag anchor. That will bring her head on to the waves, and we can ride them better until help comes."
"Will help ever come?" asked the actor, despondently.
"Of course it will. Or else we'll find the schooner, or they us!" responded Russ.
While he was talking, he was looking about for something to use as a drag anchor.
"That will do!" Russ decided as he saw a heavy wooden box. "I'll use that." Quickly he tied a rope to it, and tossed the box out.