"Then we'll cut out Dover and put into Ramsgate instead," decided the Scoutmaster.
The tide had been flowing for about an hour when the Rosalie passed between the two pierheads. Even then the masonry towered far above her deck.
"There's a vacant berth, sir!" exclaimed Stratton, pointing to a flight of steps on the inner side of the East Pier.
"Yes," replied Mr. Armitage, "but it won't do for us. I'll tell you why later."
Throttling the only efficient motor to dead slow, the Scoutmaster brought the yacht steadily and carefully until she was almost abeam of a large steam trawler.
"Ahoy!" shouted Mr. Armitage. "Can we make fast alongside of you?"
"Ay, ay," was the reply. "Only we're off out at four to-morrow morn."
"Suit us admirably," said the Scoutmaster. "Stand by with a line fore and aft."
Hepburn with a coiled rope ran for'ard, while Peter Stratton gathered up a line right aft. They knew how to heave a line properly —underhand, not overhand. In a very short space of time the Rosalie was moored alongside the drifter Strathspey, with fenders out and springs made fast for additional security.
"Now, Peter," said Mr. Armitage briskly. "Do you know why we brought up here instead of alongside the stone pier? Let me give you a tip. By so doing, we spare ourselves the worry of having to tend the warps all night. There's a rise and fall of 15 feet here, which is a lot compared with the 6 or 7 at Milford. Those fellows on the drifter will have to shorten their warps as the tide rises and pay out when it falls. We, being alongside the drifter, simply rise and fall with her."