But the three lads toward the bow of the drifting boat were desperately
engaged in trying to swerve the cruiser more and more behind the island,
ere they got so far that they would lose the benefits of the half-way
calm condition existing in the lee of the shore.

Fortunately the water did prove to be fairly shallow at this point, just
as the scout-master had predicted; for vast quantities of sand had been
deposited there from time to time through such storms as the present
one, and also the melting of the ice that drifted there during each
breaking-up season for ages past.

The poles easily reached bottom and secured a firm hold there, so that
the boys were enabled to throw their full strength upon the other ends.
And the Chippeway Bell was thus shoved around, so that the anchor, which
was watched by Step Hen and Davy Jones, could be easily thrown ahead,
thus preventing their drifting further away from the friendly shore.
And this having been accomplished the three scouts were almost ready to
drop down with fatigue, for they had worked strenuously.




CHAPTER XVI

MAROONED


"Hurrrah!" shouted Bumpus, who had been so worked up during this
struggle between his comrades and the greed of the elements, that he had
hardly taken time to breathe.