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.

“May I speak with your watch officer?” he called.

“I am the commanding officer,” Mr. Mayhew called down, in the cold, even,
dulled voice of a man in trouble.

“I am Mr. Farnum, owner of the yard. May I come on board?”

“Be glad to have you,” Lieutenant Commander Mayhew responded.

So Mr. Farnum went nimbly up over the side.

“May I ask what is the trouble here, sir?” asked the yard’s owner.

“The trouble is,” replied Mr. Mayhew, “that your enterprising boy pilot
has run us aground—hard, tight and fast!”

Jacob Farnum glanced swiftly at his young captain. Jack shook his head
briefly in dissent. Jacob Farnum, with full confidence in his young man,
at once understood that there was more yet to be learned.