"It isn’t going to be lost if I can help it," growled Ralph. "You can’t sink one of those dories very easily. I believe I can find it, if we go back before night. Tobias is fond of that boat, too." "Well, find it, if you are so set on doing so," snarled Degger. "I refuse to risk my life." "You are a lot keener on saving your life than anybody else, I imagine," Ralph rejoined scornfully. "I shall need somebody to help when I catch the dory, and you’re elected." "You can’t bully me, Endicott!" cried the other. "I don’t like your manner, anyway." "That makes me sad," drawled Ralph. "I’m going to weep over that—when I find time. But we’ll have a try for Tobias’s dory first." "I won’t go with you. You can’t make me. I will accompany Miss Lorna." "We’ll see about that," was Ralph’s rejoinder. He turned to the girl. "I’ll signal the station. Perhaps Zeke Bassett can get off, and he will take you up in his car. He can find a boat to take you ashore. I don’t want to beach the _Fenique_." "That’s all right, Endicott. You need not bother about Miss Lorna," put in Degger. "I’ll attend to her transportation to Twin Rocks." Lorna had hesitated to speak while the young men quarreled. Slowly however her expression of countenance had hardened. She turned from Degger and asked Ralph abruptly: "Do you really think you can find the dory? Will it be afloat so long?" "Oh, yes. Hard work to sink one of those boats. With somebody to help me I’m almost sure to recover it." "You needn’t look to me to help you," sneered Degger. "I’ll go back with you," Lorna said quickly. "I can manage the _Fenique_ while you fish for the dory." "Miss Lorna! You won’t think of such a thing!" Degger cried. She ignored him. "I’ll go below and light a fire, Ralph. My things will be dry in an hour. You put on this coat, or you’ll catch cold," and she slipped out of the pilot-coat. "Not me," said Ralph easily. "Let Degger put it on. He’ll be cold riding up to the light in that open car of Zeke’s." Lorna dropped the coat on the bench and without looking again at Degger opened the cabin door and slipped below. Degger’s face displayed his chagrin. Ralph chuckled audibly, turned his back on the fellow, too, and shouted shoreward. The coming of the _Fenique_ had been marked by the lookout in the cupola of the life-saving station, and the very member of the crew of whom Ralph had spoken, Zeke Bassett, now appeared upon the sands. "Got your car handy, Mr. Bassett?" called Ralph. "Got a passenger for you to take to the Twin Rocks Light—and beyond." "Sure, I’ll take him," was Bassett’s reply, seeing that Ralph indicated Degger. "Got enough of the briny, has he? I’ll come right out in Sam’s skiff for him. You had some weather comin’ down, didn’t you, Mr. Endicott?" "’Some weather’ is right," agreed Ralph. "But she’s clearing now, don’t you think?" "Sure," said the surfman. "Them black squalls don’t really amount to nothin’—after they are over."