wind abeam. Trasket Rock was not far distant, and the tide was helping.
"We'll have to work around to the other side," Joan said; "we can't land here."
"Then we'd better go around this end," Garth said. "Oh! There's the rudder! Give her all she'll stand Joan! If we don't catch it now, it'll go past the end of Trasket, and then it will be gone!"
They leaned forward breathlessly, while the rudder bobbed contentedly ahead of them, creeping every moment nearer the outstanding rocks where the current swept past Trasket.
"Now!" shouted Garth.
"I'll get it!" cried Joan. "Don't, Garth—you'll go overboard! Hold the oar steady!"
She snatched at the rudder, caught the end of the tiller, and with a terrific effort pulled it in over the side. Her arms were wet to the shoulder, but there was a wild light of triumph in her eyes.
"At any rate," she said, "I feel a little happier about our getting home to-night!"
The current had taken the Ailouros around the end of Trasket Rock, and by dint of careful steering Joan brought her into moderately calm water and prepared to let go the anchor. She
