The sorry repast over, the crew repaired on deck. Headsails were trimmed, and once more the Spindrift heeled to the freshening breeze. Godrevy Island and its lighthouse were presently abeam, and the expanse of St. Ives Bay lay ahead.

"Clinking breeze, isn\'t it, sir?" remarked Desmond.

"M\'yes," admitted the Scoutmaster.

The Patrol Leader glanced inquiringly at him. The none too emphatic affirmative needed some explanation.

"This wind," continued Mr. Graham, "is rather bad for the tidal harbour of St. Ives. It may send in a nasty lop unless it pipes down before night."

Mr. Graham was particularly anxious to put into St. Ives, as it was a good port of departure for rounding Land\'s End, or "The Land" as it is described by seamen. But, with the wind east or nor\'-east, the anchorage was undesirable, although there was little danger. An alternative was Hayle, where a safe but congested anchorage was to be found, but that meant considerable delay and increased distance for the next day\'s run. A high and steady glass decided the point; Mr. Graham made up his mind to make St. Ives.

Shortening sail, the Spindrift passed the end of the partly demolished breakwater and rounded-to. In ordinary circumstances it would have been possible to run out a warp to an iron post ashore and a stern line to one of the buoys; but such a course was now impracticable. The tidal harbour was so full of fishing craft that no post or buoy was available.

"We\'ll have to anchor, lads," he exclaimed. "Stream the buoy—clove hitch on the crown, there Jock. Let go!"

The wind was dying down, and there was only a slight roll. The picturesque little harbour took the Sea Scouts\' fancy immensely. They were all eager to go ashore.

"Can\'t we have a meal in the town, sir?" inquired Hayes artlessly. "If we had it on board we might have to swallow another peck of cement."

"All right!" agreed Mr. Graham. "See that there\'s nothing loose on deck."

"Are there thieves about?" asked Findlay.

"No, I\'m not thinking of that," replied the Scoutmaster, "otherwise one of us would have to remain on board. As a rule it\'s quite safe to leave anything about in these Cornish ports. The people are quite different from those of certain Thames Estuary places, where you daren\'t leave the slightest thing of value and expect to find it in the morning. No; what I\'m thinking of is that the Spindrift may lie over a bit when the tide leaves her, and things on deck may roll off."

Ten minutes later the crew of the Spindrift were exploring the crooked, narrow, and picturesque streets of old St. Ives, built on a narrow neck of rocky ground called, for some inexplicable reason, The Island. There they inquired for the post office, for Mr. Graham had arranged to pick up letters at St. Ives.

There was a goodly budget, all hands receiving three or more missives. One was from Patrol Leader Bradley, of the 9th Southend Troop, who was one of the lads who had arranged to join the guardship at Wootton.

"DEAR SIR" (it ran),

        "Johns, Dexter, Phillips, Wenlock, and I arrived here yesterday. We think it a top-hole place, but we wish we were with you on the yacht. There\'s not much news. Bedford cut himself last night, and this morning Coles fell overboard.
"Yours truly,
    "WILL BRADLEY,
        "P. L. 9th S. on S. Sea Scouts."

Another letter was from Tenderfoot Coles:

"DEAR SIR,

        "We hope you are having a good time on the Spindrift. I hope to have a telegram from you telling Bedford and me to come to Plymouth as soon as possible. The other fellows came here yesterday, so we are pretty lively. I\'ve just fallen overboard. A rope parted as I was hauling up the dinghy. There was no tide running, so I swam to the gangway, and Dexter hauled me up. I\'ve changed and now I\'m quite all right. Bedford cut his little finger with a tin-opener. It\'s not much. Phillips and I bound it up, and this morning it is almost healed.
"Yours Sea-scoutingly,
    "EDWARD COLES."

"Two youngsters write about the same incident," thought Mr. Graham. "One omits the most important part—how the accidents occurred and how they resulted. The other gives just the necessary details and no more. Coles will, I fancy, turn out to be a better Patrol Leader than Bradley is. One is practical, and the other is unimaginative. Bradley is a worker, but he has no initiative."

After a long walk along the cliffs, the Sea Scouts returned to the harbour to find the Spindrift lying high and dry, and with a pronounced list to starboard. Fortunately, she was fairly flat-floored and had been fitted with bilge-keels, so there was no cause for anxiety on the score of her not lifting to the rising tide.

Taking off shoes and stockings, the crew dragged their dinghy over the sandy bed of the harbour until they were close enough to secure the painter to the yacht\'s bumkin. Then, scrambling on board, they made the best of a bad job until the rising tide brought the Spindrift to an even keel.

It was now ten o\'clock. Assuming that the tide would be half an hour later on the morrow, Mr. Graham announced that he hoped to get under way sharp at eleven.

"And have a good night\'s rest, lads," he added. "To-morrow\'s cruise will be the heaviest of the lot, I fancy. We may not make Penzance until after dark."

The lads had a fairly restful night, but at five in the morning those sleeping in the bunks on the port side were summarily evicted by the Spindrift heeling well over as the tide left her. Findlay and Hayes, being on the starboard side, slept on, sublimely unconscious of their companions\' discomfort, until Desmond slackened off their cot-lashings and tumbled them unceremoniously upon the floor.

They had breakfast ............