The steamer reversed engines, and lost way within twenty yards of the _Olivette_. A hoarse voice hailed in an unintelligible patois. Dick caught but two words, "_gabare_" and "_abandonnée_". "_A l'ancre.... A l'autre côté.... Sept kilomètres en bas_," replied Roche, guessing that the strange craft was the tug they had seen earlier in the night, and that, having missed one of her charges, had returned in search of the derelict barge. To his no small satisfaction, Roche found that his halting reply was understood, for, with a "_Merci beaucoup, m'sieu_", the skipper of the tug rang for full speed ahead. Barely was the steamboat out of sight when the _Olivette_ began to rock violently. It was not the swell of the tug that had caused the commotion; it was the turn of the tide and the tail-end of the bore in a succession of waves of about four feet in height. The erratic rolling and pitching alarmed Flemming considerably, for the water in the bilges gushed between the floor-boards and swirled ankle-deep from side to side. "She's leaking fast," he shouted. Roche went below. Already the water was subsiding into the bilges, but it was evident that, in spite of continuous work at the pump, the leak was not being kept under. "It'll be as much as we can do to keep going till daylight," declared Flemming as he "handed over" to his chum. "The best thing we can do is to get a bucket going. I'll bale, and pass the bucket up to Phil for him to sling overboard." "Good idea," agreed Roche, turning up his sleeves and grasping the handle of the pump. "We'll keep her afloat, old thing, even if it snows ink." CHAPTER XVI The Adventures of the "Liberty Men" The "liberty men" had rather overdone things. Their ramble through the Forest of Jumièges was too much of an undertaking for the short space of time at their disposal. Twilight overtook them almost before they were aware of the fact, and long before they were clear of the forest it was pitch dark. "If we keep on in a straight line," declared Mr. Armitage, "we'll strike the river somewhere. Now, you woodcraftsmen, lead on, or we'll get no supper to-night." It was easy to say "Keep in a straight line", but the accomplishment was difficult. Not only was the ground thickly covered with trees--it was hilly, and in places rugged. The recognized methods failed. The Sea Scouts knew that the wind was an easterly one, but in the depth of the forest there was no appreciable air-current. The foliage overhead hid the stars, so another guide was denied the benighted lads. "Moss and lichen always grow on the north side of a tree-trunk," quoted Hepburn. "Where's your torch, Peter? Shine it this way." An examination not only of one, but of many tree-trunks, resulted in the discovery that mosses and lichen were not in evidence. The third clue had also let the Sea Scouts down. "Carry on, then," suggested Mr. Armitage, "until we find a path. It's bound to lead somewhere."