swamped in the vortex. Fortunately, the sea was calm, and when day broke
we saw a small island about three miles away on our weather-beam."

"Where?" inquired Edward Tredgold, who had just looked in on the way to
the office. Mr. Chalk explained.

"You tell the story much better than my father does," said Edward,
nodding. "From the way he tells it one might think that you had the
island in the boat with you."

Mr. Chalk started nervously. "It was three miles away on our
weather-beam," he repeated, "the atmosphere clear and the sea calm. We
sat down to a steady pull, and made the land in a little under the hour."

"Who did the pulling?" inquired Edward, casually.

Mr. Chalk started again, and wondered who had done it in Mr. Tredgold's
version. He resolved to see him as soon as possible and arrange details.

"Most of us took a turn at it," he said, evasively, "and those who didn't
encouraged the others."

"Most of you!" exclaimed the bewildered captain; "and those who didn't--
but how many?"

"The events of that night are somewhat misty," interrupted Mr. Chalk,
hastily. "The suddenness of the calamity and the shock of losing our
shipmates--"

"It's wonderful to me that you can remember so much," said Edward, with a