"And I saw a life belt downstairs--I mean below." Joe and Wink were to take watches at the wheel, Perry and Han were to tend to the sail and keep a lookout and Bert was to cook.

Steve issued his final directions at a little past one and then the two hawsers were stretched to the cruisers.

Another squall of rain set in as the final preparations were made.

A code of signals had been arranged between the three boats, a flag or piece of sailcloth to be used while the light held and a lantern after darkness.

The "prize crew" cheered gaily as the others pulled away in the _Adventurer's_ dingey and were cheered in return, and five minutes later the two cables tautened, the water foamed under the overhangs of the motor-boats and, reluctantly and even protestingly, the _Catspaw_ obeyed the summons and started slowly to follow in the wakes of the distant cruisers.
Han and Perry, at the bow, waved caps triumphantly as the blunt nose of the schooner began to dig into the waves, and Joe, at the wheel, shouted back.