"Cannot you run in near enough to warn him of his danger?" asked Mr. Boyd. "Perhaps, if he came right off the beach now, and before the gale comes on, he could save himself and the boat, too."
"Little will he care for our warning," replied Judd; "but then we can give it, all the same. Go forward, Budd, and shout to him;" and he put up the helm and ran the sloop in as near the beach as he felt it was safe to go.
"Mr. Benton," shouted Budd, "your boat will soon pound to pieces there; and if you delay long about putting off shore there will be great risk about your getting into your cove. The wind is increasing every minute, and will soon blow a gale."
The old man turned slowly around and looked off toward the sloop.
"I'll 'tend to my bizness, if ye'll 'tend to your'n," he curtly replied.
"What did I tell you?" said Judd, as the sloop slowly swung off toward the fish-pound, now no great distance away. "He'll stay there for his load, whatever happens. He don't propose to have either Budd or me give him advice."
Before Mr. Boyd could make any reply there came a sharp cry from Budd, who was still on the bow of the sloop.
"Quick, Judd, or our trap will be destroyed! There is a porpoise in it, and he has already noticed our approach."
"We can't save the net!" exclaimed Judd, springing to his feet, and looking at the huge cetacean that had raised his head above the surface of the water, and within the inclosure of the seine. "He will go through it like a shot! Our only hope is to save the fish!"
"Perhaps I can get him," cried Budd, running aft and drawing the yawl close up to the sloop.