Her planks had been strained in several places, but there were no breaks.

Steve, hanging over the stern, tried to get sight of the propeller but failed, as the sand had settled about it.

Joe, wading out into the water, had better success when he investigated.

He came up, dripping, with the welcome announcement that the blades were intact and that, so far as he could ascertain by feeling, the shaft was not bent.

But things looked pretty dismal below-decks.