Brandon of the Engineers

She did not strike; the surf was level with her quarter, and Jake,

thrusting down a long boathook, found no bottom. In another minute or two

the water suddenly got smooth, and he threw down the boathook.

"We're through," he said in a strained voice. "The reef's astern."

"Try the hand-lead," Dick ordered him, as he changed his course, since he

was apparently heading for the beach.

Jake got four fathoms and soon afterwards eighteen feet, when Dick

stopped the engine and the launch rolled upon the broken swell. A dark

streak that looked like forest indicated the land, and a line of foam

that glimmered with phosphorescent light ran outshore of them. Now they

were to lee of the reef, the hoarse clamor of the surf rang about the

boat. Unfolding the chart, they studied it by the engine-lamp. It was on

too small a scale to give many details, but they saw that the reef ran

roughly level with the coast and ended in a nest of shoals near a point.

"We could ride out a gale here," Jake remarked.

"We could, if we wanted," Dick replied.

Jake looked at him rather hard and then made a sign of resignation.

"Well, I guess I've had enough, but if you're going on---- How do you

reckon you'll get through the shoals ahead?"

"I imagine some of them are mangrove islands, and if so, there'll be a

channel of a sort between them. In fact, the chart the broker showed me

indicated something of the kind. With good luck we may find it."

"Very well," said Jake. "I'm glad to think it will be a soft bottom if we

run aground."

They went on, keeping, so far as they could judge, midway between reef

and beach, but after a time the lead showed shoaling water and Jake used

the boathook instead. Then the sky cleared and a half-moon came out, and

they saw haze and the loom of trees outshore of them. Slowing the engine,

they moved on cautiously while the water gradually got shallower, until

glistening banks of mud began to break the surface. Then they stopped the

engine, but found the launch still moved forward.

"I imagine it's about four hours' flood," Dick remarked. "That means the

water will rise for some time yet, and although the current's with us now

I think we can't be far off the meeting of the tides."

Jake nodded. In places of the kind, the stream often runs in from both

ends until it joins and flows in one direction from the shoalest spot.

"Then we ought to find a channel leading out on the other side."

They let the engine run for a few minutes until the boat touched bottom

and stuck fast in the mud. The wind seemed to be falling and the roar of

the surf had got fainter. Thin haze dimmed the moonlight and there were

strange splashings in the water that gently lapped about the belts of

mud. The stream stopped running, but seeing no passage they waited and

smoked.