"Think of it!" I exclaimed. "I don't want to think of it. It makes me dizzy even now. What luck to get through!"
Jim's face sobered for a moment.
"It was partly my steering and partly providential," he said. "Otherwise we would never have made it. I don't believe that we will strike anything worse in its way than that."
After we had finished bailing, Jim sat on the deck house looking over his boat with commendable pride.
"Well, boys, what do you think of 'The Captain?'" he asked. "She looks all right to me."
"She certainly is," I replied, "and she don't ship as much water as I expected."
"She rides light for such a boat, too, keeps her head well above water," remarked Jim, "but one thing has got to be done and that is to cut holes in the sides so the water will drain out quickly. Otherwise we will be carrying a good many more hundred pounds than we need to."
"You come and try your hand at steering, Jo," said Tom. "It's lots of fun."
"It's a shame to deprive you of the pleasure," I returned.
Still I had some curiosity to see how she steered, so after awhile I relieved Tom. It was interesting work where there were no especial obstructions, and the current was running broadly and smoothly as it was at this point.