Now and then, perhaps, a buoy loomed in the tossing flakes.

One tried to read the number and see the color.

Then the steering-engine rattled as the rudder was pulled across and _Oreana_ headed for another mark.
The work was nervous, because dangerous shoals bordered the channels and Davies must let the steamer go.

He knew when a risk must be run and the engineer was staunch.

The trouble was, _Oreana's_ boilers were bad; the money Cartwright durst not spend on repairs would have been a good investment now.