laughingly; but not one of them had the slightest fear.

"All aboard for the gulf!" called Will, as he stood by the rail watching
Jerry unwarp the hawser that held the nose of the boat down-stream,
another securing the stern above.

Just as soon as this latter was unfastened the boat would begin to move
with the rapid current, and at that time Frank wanted his engine to be
working.

"Ready, Frank?" called Jerry from astern.

He could cast off there, recovering the rope as they moved along.

The engine began to whirr.

"Say, doesn't that sound encouraging?" ventured Bluff, as the cheery
cough smote the air, and announced the whole power of twelve horses to be
at their disposal.

"I only hope she turns out one-half as good as she looks," remarked
Frank, who believed that the proof of the pudding lay in the eating of
it.

A minute later, satisfied that everything was working, he shouted:

"Let her go, Jerry!"

Immediately the motor-boat commenced to glide down-stream. Frank found
that his engine worked like a charm. He could apparently do anything he