"I miss-stayed in going about, and shipped a sea. The boat is half full of water, and I can't do anything with her," replied Bissell, in tones which indicated that he was in utter despair. "The girls are frightened out of their wits, and the water comes in faster than I can get it out."
"Do you want assistance?" asked the coxswain.
"Of course I do!" exclaimed the skipper. "We shall all go to the bottom in a few minutes, for there is a good deal of ballast in the boat."
"All right! We will stand by you," replied Dick.
"Can't you do something more than that?" demanded Bissell, in shaky tones.
"I will send two hands on board to assist you," added Dick. "Dory, you will go on board of the Silver Moon. Take any one you please with you, and report what you think should be done."
"As Paul Bristol is of the least use in the barge, I will take him," replied Dory, as he unshipped his oar.
"He is not the best boatman on board," added the coxswain.
"If he will only obey orders, that is all I want of him," answered Dory, as he made his way to the bow of the barge.
A standing order to all hands was never to stand up in a boat when it could possibly be avoided, and Dory crawled on all fours, from thwart to thwart, between the oarsmen. He was followed by Paul, in the same safe though undignified manner, for he thought it was not derogatory to follow the example of the skipper of the Goldwing. The bowman hauled the boat up so that the two hands could get on board of her.