As Jack, burning inwardly with indignation, though managing to keep
outwardly calm, descended to the deck below, he caught sight of Hal
Hastings, hovering near in the rowboat. Hal signaled to learn whether
he should put in alongside to take off his chum, but Benson shook his
head.

Over on the "Farnum" the yard's owner and Eph Somers watched wonderingly.
They understood, well enough, that the new, trim-looking gunboat was in
trouble, but they did not how that Jack Benson was held at fault.

Down between decks the engines of the "Hudson" were toiling hard to run
the craft off out of the sand. Then the machinery stopped. An engineer
officer came up from below. He and Mr. Mayhew walked to the stern,
while a seaman, accompanying them, heaved the lead, reading the
soundings.

"We're stuck good and fast," remarked the engineer officer. "We can't
drive off out of that sand for the reason that the propellers are buried
in the grit. They'll hardly turn at all, and, when they do, they only
churn the sand without driving us off."

"Confound that ignoramus of a boy!" muttered Mr. Mayhew, walking slowly
forward. It was no pleasant situation for the lieutenant commander.
Having run his vessel ashore, he knew himself likely to be facing a
naval board of inquiry.

Hal, finding that the shore boat was not wanted for the present, had
rowed over to the "Farnum's" moorings. Now Jacob Farnum came alongside
in the shore boat.