"What does he mean?" asked the latter.
"I think he means that if the wind came up strong the sea would rise, and we couldn't hold out here with our anchor," replied Bluff.
"In which case?"
"We'd either be blown out to sea, and be in danger of foundering, or else driven toward the shore, perhaps to stick half a mile off and be wrecked."
"I don't like either of those propositions any too well. Oh! I hope they get the motor working! I'm so nervous I feel like shouting; and it seems to me I can hear something moving all the time," went on Will.
"Something moving?" echoed his companion, looking at him as if he wondered whether the other could be going out of his mind.
"Yes, over there to windward, which, I take it, is about due west just now. Hark! Didn't you hear that?—and close at hand, too! What can it be?"
"I don't know. Something is moving through the water! I can hear a gurgle and a creaking noise. Do you think it could be a boat bearing down on us? Oh! what if they ran us down in this fog? I say, Frank!" called Bluff, also excited by this time.
"Well, what now?" demanded the other, again appearing in view.
"There's something doing over here. Will thinks it may be a boat coming down on us, full tilt, and liable to grind us to powder."