“I’ll never go in a small boat on this big ocean,” declared Mr. Tarbill.

Captain Spark, who had completed his examination of the gig, was standing near it, idly gazing off across the waste of water, which had greatly subsided since the storm, when he caught sight of some small object about two miles off shore.

“Bob!” he called, “bring me the binoculars,” for a pair of marine glasses had been found in one of the lockers.

The captain gazed through the glasses for several seconds.  Then he cried out: 

“More arrivals!  Prepare for company, Bob!”

“Who, captain?”

“There’s a boat off there and in it are Mr. Carr, the first mate, and Ned Scudd!  But they seem to be in trouble, for they are bailing fast.  Their boat must have a hole in it.  We’d better go to their rescue!”

CHAPTER XXII

AFLOAT ONCE MORE

Captain Spark laid aside his binoculars and began shoving the gig down toward the line of surf.  The tide was about half in.

“Lend a hand!” cried the commander to Mr. Tarbill.  There was no need to urge Bob, who had already grasped one side of the gunwale and was helping to push the boat down the beach.

It was almost too much for the captain and Bob, as Mr. Tarbill, however willing he was, could not bring much strength to the work.  Fortunately, however, Tim Flynn came from the woods at that moment, dragging after him a long thin pole to serve as a mast.  He saw what the captain wanted and ran up to help.  Between the three they managed to get the gig afloat.

“Now then!  Lively!” cried the commander.  “Their boat is settling fast!”

Tim did not need to be told what the object was in launching the gig.  Fortunately there had been a spare pair of oars in the craft when she came ashore, the big blades being fastened so they could not float away.  With these the captain and Tim began to propel the boat toward the sinking craft in which were Mr. Carr and Ned Scudd.  The two latter were bailing so fast that they had no chance to row.  Bob also went in the gig, but Mr. Tarbill remained on shore, nervously running up and down, wringing his hands and uttering vain wishes that he had never undertaken a sea voyage for his health.

It was not long before the gig was close to the other boat, and Captain Spark called out a glad greeting to his first mate and the sailor.

“What happened?” he asked.

“We hit some floating wreckage last night,” explained Mr. Carr.  “Stove quite a hole, but I managed to stuff part of a sail in it, and we did very well until early this morning.  Then some of the seams began to open, and we’re filling fast.”

“I’ll take you aboard,” said the commander.  “We’ve got a nice little island waiting for you.  Where are the other men?”

“Drowned,” replied Mr. Carr solemnly.  “That is, those who were with me.  When we got the hole in us they became frightened and leaped overboard—­that is, all but Ned here.  I tried to make ’em stay in, but they wouldn’t.  That is the last I saw of them.  The other boat, with Sam Bender and his crew, we lost sight of.”