sheet-line with one hand, and squatting well astern he grasped the tiller
with the other. Nobly the boat obeyed her little determined commander. The
sail filled, she listed to the left and darted forward, bearing bravely up
the wind. Straight ahead the boy could see the distressed boat sinking
lower and lower in the water, with a man and a woman clinging desperately
to the upturned side. The wind was now whistling around him, and at times
threatening to rip away the patched sail. The water was rough, and the
angry white-caps were dashing their cold spray over his clothes. But not
for an instant did he swerve from his course until quite near the wreck.
Then letting go the sheet-line he permitted the boat to fall away a little
to the left. In this manner he was able to swing gradually in a
half-circle, and by the time he was up again to the teeth of the wind the
_Scud_ was lying close to the overturned boat.

So preoccupied had been the boy up to this moment that he had no time to
observe closely the shipwrecked pair. Now, however, he cast a curious
glance in their direction, as he let go the rudder and sheet-line, and
threw out the painter to the man. Eagerly the latter seized the rope, and
managed to hold the two boats together.

"Give us yer hand," shouted the boy, "and let her come out first. Be
careful now," he continued as the crafts bumped against each other.
"There, that's good."

With considerable difficulty the two strangers were rescued from their
perilous position, and then the _Scud_ dropped away from the wreck.

"Where do you want to go?" asked the boy, as once again he brought the
boat to the wind.