On landing, the mate wanted to know if any of them could scull a boat. Bruce said that he could, and so did Arthur and Bart. The mate said that he wanted to stay aboard to get the sails ready; and to save time, it would be necessary for some one of them to bring the last boat aboard. Each one of these three offered to scull her; but it was at last decided that Arthur should go in the second boat and bring her back, while Bruce should take the last load. Bart readily gave up his claim to the others; and so it was arranged. “But are you sure you’re strong enough for that?” said Mr. Long. “Strong? Of course.” said Bruce. “I’m stronger than ever, sir.” So the first boat started with the same load which it had when landing before, with the addition of one boy more. The next boat took Arthur and four more boys, leaving Bruce, and Tom, and Phil, and Bart. About an hour had passed between the time when the boat left to take them from the island and the time when Arthur brought it back for the last trip. In that hour many changes had taken place. The tide had fallen farther. Between the beach, where they stood, and Pinnacle Island, the rocks were laid bare, and could be traversed on foot. Between the schooner and the shore, a swift current was running, which grew stronger every moment. By six o’clock the current was very powerful. The mate, on his second trip, had considerable difficulty in getting to the schooner; and he had given very careful directions to Arthur as to the course which he should go in returning. “You must head the boat farther up,” said he, “so as to strike the scho’oner fair. I didn’t cal’late right about that there tide. You’ve got to head your boat well off that side, and then the tide ‘ll help you instead of henderin’.” “All right,” said Arthur. In going ashore, he found the current very strong; but the beach was long, and, of course, it was very easy to land somewhere. As it happened, he was carried down some fifty feet below the place which he wished to reach; but that didn’t make any practical difference. It served to open his eyes to the peculiar danger before them, and made him see that the very greatest care would have to be exercised in returning, or else the swift tide would sweep them away from the place to which they wished to go. As Arthur looked round, after the other boys had got in, an exclamation burst from him. “Whew!” “What’s the matter?” “Why, the fog. How suddenly it has come up! Why, it’s getting as thick as night. Look here, Bruce; we’ve got to be pretty careful this time. See here; you must head out that way, for the current is running like a race-horse, and this fog isn’t helping matters.” He then proceeded to explain to Bruce the best course to take, and Bruce said he would do exactly as he told him. “You’re sure you can do it. You’re sure you’re not used up at all,” said Arthur. “Not a bit of it!” said Bruce, with a laugh. “If I feel used up, I’ll hand over the oar to you or Bart.”