predicted, but was increasing.

"Here's good news for you, fellows," he remarked, after examining his
post, "if it keeps on rising like it's doing right now, we'll be starting
in less than another hour!"

"Whoopee! that suits me!" cried Gusty, enthusiastically.

"Ditto here," echoed Jud. "I never was born for inaction; like to be
doing something all the time."

"So do I," Paul observed, quietly; "but when I find myself blocked in one
direction I just turn in another, and take up some other work. In that
way I manage not only to keep busy, but to shunt off trouble as well. Try
it some time, Jud, and I give you my word you'll feel better."

But that next hour seemed very long to many of the impatient boys. They
even accused the owner of the watch of having failed to wind it on the
preceding night, just because it did not seem inclined to keep pace with
their imagination.

The water was rising steadily, if slowly, and some of them declared that
there was now a perceptible motion to the boat whenever they moved about.

Urged on by an almost unanimous call, Paul finally agreed to start the
motor again, and see what the result would be. So Jud sent the order to
the second boat by means of his signal flags.

When the cheerful popping of the _Comfort's_ exhaust made itself heard,
there was an almost simultaneous cheer from the scouts.