The moon shone out as they approached the nearest, and a bright beam swept across the sea until it touched the lurching craft. Her wet side glistened about a foot above the water and then vanished as a white surge lapped over it and washed across her deck. A rope trailed from her bow and her long tiller jerked to and fro. It was obvious that she was adrift with nobody on board, and Dick cautiously steered the launch towards her. "That's curious, but perhaps the rest drove foul of her and the helmsman lost his nerve and jumped," he said. "I'll put Maccario on board to give us the hawser." "Then I'll go with him," Jake offered. "He can't handle the big rope alone." Dick hesitated. It was important that they should not lose the coal, but he did not want to give the lad a dangerous task. The barge was rolling wildly and he durst not run alongside, while some risk would attend a jump across the three or four feet of water between the craft. "I think you'd better stop here," he objected. "I don't," Jake answered with a laugh. "Guess you've got to be logical. You want the coal, and it will take us both to save it." He followed the fireman, who stood, balancing himself for a spring, on the forward deck, while Dick let the launch swing in as close as he thought safe. The man leapt and Dick watched Jake with keen anxiety as the launch rose with the next comber, but the lad sprang off as the bows went up, and came down with a splash in the water that flowed across the lighter's deck. Then Dick caught the line thrown him and with some trouble dragged the end of the hawser on board. He was surprised to find that it was not broken, but he waved his hand to the others as he drove the launch ahead, steering for the beach, near which he expected to find a passage through the reef. Before he had gone far the tug steamed towards him with the other barges in tow, apparently bound for Adexe. "It is not possible to go on," the skipper hailed. "Give me a rope; we take the lighter." "You shan't take her to Adexe," Dick shouted. "We want the coal." Though there was danger in getting too close, the captain let the tug drift nearer. "We bring you the lot when the wind drops." "No," said Dick, "I'll stick to what I've got."