"Oh, I'll do that! I'll do _anything_!" Pola flopped upon the beach and commenced removing her sport shoes. "And I won't even ask any questions until you're ready to tell me." Rising, her small feet pink against the sand, she saluted Lav with mock solemnity. "There, Captain Lavender Green, I'm at your command." Her pretty acquiescence won the girls at once. If any doubt assailed them as to the prudence of letting Pola go, their admiration for Pola's gameness stilled it. Sidney rolled Pola's shoes and stockings and her own in her sweater and hid them behind some logs. Then the little party waded out to the dory and embarked. "We're going to the _Arabella_," Sidney whispered to Pola. She felt Pola shiver, but the girl made no protest. "We have to go 'round this way so's no one can see us from the harbor. Sh--h!" Silently they boarded the old hull, Lavender last. With the line from the dory in his hand the boy considered. "If anyone comes up and sees the dory they'll know someone's aboard." "That's true. What'll we do?" whispered Sidney, anxiously. "We can set her adrift. It's an old tub anyway." "But how'll we get ashore?" "The tide'll be out towards morning." "You mean _swim_?" cried Pola. "But I _can't_ swim! I--I--" True, Pola's complex! Sidney hastened to reassure her. "When the tide's out it won't be over your head. And I'll help you." Lavender had already let the line of the dory slip out of his hand. They saw the old boat become a shadowy outline as the tide carried it slowly away, then--nothing. Pola caught Sidney's hand and held it. "I'm not frightened--but it's so--_spooky_!" It had been decided that they should conceal themselves in the fo'castle cabin. They groped their way forward, Sidney guiding Pola in the dark, for Lavender dared not light any of his matches. Stumbling, scarcely breathing, they slipped down the companion ladder and crawled into the small, ill-ventilated cabin. Sidney sat down upon some tarpaulins. Pola crouched close to Sidney's side. Lav and Mart stowed themselves upon one of the bunks. "There--now we'll wait!" "I--I wish I knew what _for_!" whispered Pola. The smell of rank bilge water, the lift and drop of the boat sickened her. The wind was whining and that and the swish of the water against the sides of the boat terrified the girl. In a few short words Lav vouchsafed Pola a little information. Like Sidney he admired the girl's gameness though he was beginning to wish they had not let her come. "How long do you think we'll have to wait? And what if no one comes?" "We'll have to wait until most morning anyway before the tide is out. And if no one comes tonight we'll have to come out again, that's all. We're not in this business for any fun!" "Oh--h!" sighed Pola, clinging closer to Sidney.