“I can’t make out any human critter, nor any critter,” he said, and turned again to forking seaweed. “If _you_ see anybody, better find a boat and pull out, and see what simpleton it is, and what in the world he’s there fur.” [Illustration: LAUNCHING THE BOAT IN THE SURF.] The twins returned to their own ox-cart; and soon Perce came running with a pair of oars. “Here are oars,” he said. “But there are no men at the house. They went off in the yacht Susette yesterday, and haven’t been heard from. And Olly hasn’t got back, though Mrs. Murcher says he ought to have come an hour ago.” “May be it’s the yacht that’s been wrecked,” suggested the twins. “She’s afraid it is; and the ladies are all excited about it. I tried to get a spy-glass to look through; one of the men owns one, they said, but he must have taken it with him.” The boys turned the oxen about, and left them eating the hay that had served for a bed the night before. Then they dragged the dory down from beside the bathing-houses, and got it ready to launch. Perce took the precaution to put on board some provisions, and selected from the piles of driftwood a strip of board that would do to steer with. Then the boat was shoved into the surf. The twins scrambled aboard and took the oars, ready to pull the moment Perce gave the word. “Now!” he cried; and, pushing the dory over the next wave, at the same time he leaped into the stern. The oars dipped and bent; he assisted with his strip of board; and the skiff reared and pitched on the breakers, cheered by the ladies from the boarding-house, who had hastened down to the beach to see them off. The twins, having embarked in the adventure, were now almost as enthusiastic as Perce himself. The wind was light, the morning sun sparkled on the waves, and the dory went dashing over them as if rowed for a race. The tide had not yet fallen much, and the ocean swells broke in a field of white foam completely over the “Calf’s” back, while the tail wagged up and down. But the “Old Cow” was clear above the line of surf about her flanks; and there, on the highest hummock, stood the castaway, now more distinctly discernible as the distance between him and his rescuers diminished. The boys made many conjectures as to who he could be and what had become of the wreck, no vestige of which could be seen. “He has on a white yachting-cap!” exclaimed Perce; and that confirmed them in the opinion that the Susette had gone to pieces on the ledge. The castaway had ceased to wave the object which had first attracted Perce’s attention, but every now and then he threw up both arms, as he stood facing them on the solitary rock, and made encouraging signals. The “Cow” and the “Calf” are much farther from the coast than they look to be in clear weather. Perce took his turn at the oars, and all worked heroically; yet it seemed a long while before they came within hail of the Crusoe of that small rocky island. CHAPTER XII. ON THE “CALF’S” BACK.