"The lake didn't begin to be as rough as it was a little while ago," replied Corny. "The steamer pitched tremendously, and we all had to pump after we got beyond Valcour's."
"Do you see any thing of the Missisquoi?" asked Dory, who had been too busy to give any attention to the steamer.
"I can just see her at the south of the island. She has not got off yet," replied Corny.
"She is under the lee of the two islands; and they can be very comfortable on board of her for the rest of the day,—a great deal more comfortable than they would be out in the lake where we have been," added Dory.
The Goldwing was abreast of Providence Island by this time. The waves swept furiously along the south-west shore of the land.
As soon as she reached the south-east point, the skipper luffed up; but the boat was not inclined to make any headway on the new course.
"Let off the centre-board, Thad," said the skipper, as the boat began to make more leeway than headway.
Thad had got the hang of this rope; and, as the centre-board went down, the boat came up to the work. With the help of an oar and a great deal of coaxing, the skipper got her close up to the shore in seven feet of water. He had instructed Corny how to get the anchor overboard. The boat was entirely out of the heavy sea, though the water rose and fell under the influence of the waves which were rolling along the other side of the island.
"Here we are as safe as though we had the boat on the top of Mansfield Mountain," said Dory, after he had secured the cable, and stowed the jib.
"I never expected to come out of it alive," said Thad, as the skipper seated himself in the standing-room to recover from the excitement of the perilous run across the lake.