anything I ever met. Give her a little twist to the left, Gusty. That
place dead ahead don't strike me as the channel. That's the ticket. I
guess we missed another slam into a waiting mud bank. Now I'll take the
wheel again, if you don't mind."

"Rain's over!" announced Little Billie.

"Looks like it, with that break up yonder," Jud remarked, glancing aloft.
"Hope so, anyhow. We've had all the water we needed, and if it kept on
coming we'd be apt to find things kind of damp up there at the island."

The mention of that word caused several of the boys to glance quickly at
each other. It was as though a shiver had chased up and down their spinal
columns. For Joe and Little Billie, and perhaps Gusty Bellows, were not
quite as easy in their minds about that "ghost-ridden" island as they
might have been; although, if taken to task, all would doubtless have
stoutly denied any belief in things supernatural.

The _Comfort_ acted as the pilot boat, and led the way, slowly but
surely, with the _Speedwell_ not far behind. The latter had one or two
little adventures with flirting mud banks, but nothing serious, although
on each occasion the cries of dismay from the crew could be plainly heard
aboard the leading craft.

And so they came in sight of a river that had a decided current, after
the smart shower had added considerably to its flow. By now the sun was
shining, and the rain clouds had about vanished, being "hull-down" in the
distance, as Jud expressed it; for since they were now on a voyage, he
said that they might as well make use of such nautical terms as they
could remember.