down the Jersey coast.

"That's it," cried Billy, with a wave of his soft cap, "off at last;
we're the three luckiest boys on this globe, I say."

"Same here," was Harry's rejoinder.

The blunt bows of the Southern Cross began to lift to the long heave
of the ever restless Atlantic. She slid over the shoulder of one big
wave and into the trough of another with a steady rhythmic glide that
spoke well for her seaworthy qualities. Frank, snugly out of the
nipping wind in the shelter of the gasolene drums, was silent for
several minutes musing over the adventurous voyage on which they were
setting out. Thus he had not noticed a change coming over Harry and
Billy. Suddenly a groan fell on his ear. Startled, the boy looked
round.

On the edge of the hatch sat Billy and beside him, his head sunk in
his hands, was Harry.

"What's the matter with you fellows?" demanded Frank.

At that instant an unusually large breaker came rolling towards the
Southern Cross and caught her fair and square on the side of the bow.
Deep laden as she was it broke over her and a wall of green water came
tumbling and sweeping along the decks. Frank avoided it by leaping
upward and seizing a stanchion used to secure the framework holding
down the deck load.

But neither Harry nor Billy moved, except a few minutes later when