"We don’t know what we’re going to run up against, Lorny. This ain’t no picnic we’re setting out on. But I know you air full aware of that. We may get through as slick as a whistle. Then again——" "I am not afraid, Tobias," she said firmly. "I cal’late you ain’t," he said, looking at her with pride. "But I’m kind o’ glad Heppy ain’t down here to see us start. She sartain would have a conniption!" The detective did not offer to go out with them. Rafe Silver, however, insisted on accompanying the lightkeeper and Lorna down upon the sands. The radiance of the hand lantern revealed the water-swept shore. Toward the cove the damage by the high sea had not been so great. But, as Tobias had prophesied, there were few boats left afloat in the cove. Here and there was a craft overturned high on the strand—sometimes in a wrecked condition. Tobias held the lantern above his head. Its light revealed something of what lay upon the heaving surface of the sheltered basin. "I see the motor-boat!" Lorna cried, knowing exactly where to look for the _Fenique’s_ mooring buoy. "It is afloat." "I should hope so," rejoined Tobias. "There wouldn’t be much use in trying to get across the bay without she was afloat. Hey, Rafe! do you s’pose that skiff yonder will hold together long enough to take us out there to that boat of Mr. Endicott’s?" The skiff in question had been tossed upon the shore, bottom uppermost. "Heem no broken, I t’ink," said the Portuguese. "I cal’late you are right," said the lightkeeper. He handed Lorna the lantern and put down his other burdens. "Come on now, Rafe. Give us the help of your hand that _ain’t_ busted. Heave ho!" Lorna flooded the skiff with lantern-light when the men turned it over. It was sound enough for their purpose. Tobias put his sturdy shoulder to the stern and ran the light craft down to the water’s edge. The waves surged in, almost to ordinary full-sea mark. The surface of the basin was not very rough. What the bay was like beyond, they could only guess. It was necessary for them to shout to each other to be heard, for the waves broke over the reefs noisily. It was Tobias’s gesture that instructed Lorna to seat herself in the skiff, forward. He ran the boat out, wading into the sea half-leg deep, and then scrambled in. Seizing the oar he fixed it in the stern and began to scull. The waves were choppy and the skiff was knocked about a good deal. Tobias was a sturdy old man and Lorna was too good a sailor to be fearful. She clung to the gunwale with one hand and held the lantern so that its light was cast over the bow. In half a minute they picked out the bulk of the motor-boat. It heaved up and down on the turbulent water, but had evidently shipped but little of that element. Ralph had put on the canvas cover and battened it securely before leaving home. "Stand by to grab that line that’s trailing overboard, Lorny!" bawled Tobias from the stern of the skiff. "See it?"