The gallant little boat behaved splendidly, although there were times when it seemed to Will that his heart jumped into his throat with agony as he imagined that the whirling propeller, exposed to view by the rapid sweep of a billow, might be twisted from its shaft, and ruin come upon them.

And the little dinghy floated astern like a duck, riding the rollers with ease.  Again was that valuable glass brought into use, this time searching for a haven, rather than to discover lost balloonists.

“Frank,” said Jerry presently, “let me take the wheel while you look through the glasses here.  I believe I sighted a key just over yonder, where you see that high palmetto.  It seems closer than others just behind.”

One look Frank gave.

“Boys, there’s a chance for us!” he cried, “for that is certainly an island, and if there only happens to be deep water back of it we can make a harbor.”

“Then you’re going to risk it?” demanded Bluff.

“There’s nothing else to be done.  If we head straight on we must go ashore perhaps half a mile from the land itself.  If we try to run down the coast we will be capsized, because we present our broadside to the seas, and they’re getting worse and worse every minute,” declared Frank firmly.

“Frank is right.  It is our only hope,” said Jerry.

There were some white faces in the little anxious group as the motor-boat swept resistlessly onward.  If all went well, they would find shelter behind the friendly key before many minutes.  Should it shoal up rapidly, they must be hopelessly wrecked, and perhaps drowned, in the whirl of foamy water.

The sky was by this time covered with black clouds, and the wind increasing to almost hurricane force.  Frank knew that they were sweeping onward at more than twenty miles an hour.  Once they struck a reef, while going at this pace, and it meant an end to Cousin Archie’s pretty boat, and imminent peril concerning themselves.

Now he could see that he had made no mistake about the key.  They swept around the northern end of the jutting land, and Jerry, who was clinging in the bow, trying to gain new confidence by thrusting the pole downward from time to time, kept on announcing that he could not strike bottom.

Gradually Frank steered in such fashion that they gained the protection of a point.  Then the boys broke out into a shout that voiced their sentiments of thanksgiving at an almost miraculous escape.

It was not difficult to find a snug harbor after that.  Of course, the norther was soon in full swing, it being really the first genuine experience our cruisers had met with in that line.

The air grew very cold, and they were glad to get ashore and build a roaring fire in a sheltered spot.  Indeed, it was speedily determined that they would hug that same cheery blaze as long as the visitor from the frigid North remained.

Heavy rain had accompanied the first of the storm, but this soon ceased, and a steady roar of wind through the palmettos sounded like a railroad train passing over a long trestle.  The waves breaking on the north end of the sand key also added to the wild clamor.