"If he tries any game on, I'll settle him in short order," came from
Dick, with determination. "We've put up with enough from him in the
past, and I don't intend to give him any leeway in the future."

"Leeway?" burst out Tom. "Not a foot! Not an inch! I haven't forgotten
how he treated me when he was a teacher at Putnam Hall. I wonder that
Captain Putnam didn't kick him out long before he was made to go."

A sudden rush of wind cut the conversation short at this point, sending
the _Swallow_ bowling along merrily. The clouds were increasing
rapidly, and Dick ordered that all the sails be closely reefed.

"We don't want to lose our mast," he observed.

"We don't want to lose anything," answered Sam. "For my part, I wish we
were back in Buffalo harbor."

"Oh! we'll run along all right," came from Tom. "Don't get scared
before you are hurt." He looked at his watch. "Half-past five! I didn't
think it was so late."

"It will be dark before long," said Dick. "Perhaps the blow will go
down with the setting of the sun."

"We'll never know when the sun sets--excepting by the almanac,"
murmured Sam. "It's as black as ink already, over to the westward."

To keep up his courage Tom Rover began to whistle, but soon the sound
was drowned out by the high piping of the wind, as it tore over the
deck and through the rigging of the _Swallow_. They were certainly