idly at the stern, and there was nothing to do but to haul it in again.

The hours which followed were full of agony to Tom and Sam, and the
warm-hearted colored man was scarcely less affected.

"What if Dick is drowned?" whispered the youngest Rover. "Father will
never forgive us for coming on this trip."

"Let us hope for the best," was his brother's answer. "Dick has been in
a tight fix before. He'll come out all right, if he has any show at
all."

"Nobuddy kin lib in sech a storm as dis!" put in Pop. "Why, it's 'most
as bad as dat dar hurricane we 'perienced in Africa. Jest see how it's
beginnin' to rain."

Pop was right; so far the rain had held off for the most part, but now
it came down steadily and soon turned into little short of a deluge.
All were speedily soaked to the skin, but this was a discomfort to
which, under the circumstances, no one paid attention.

The _Swallow_ heaved and pitched, and fearful that Sam would be
lost overboard, Tom told him he had better go below again.

"You can do nothing up here," he said. "If anything turns up, I'll call
you."

"But you must be careful," pleaded Sam. "If I were you, I'd tie myself
to the wheel," and this is what Tom did.