French Pete was uninjured from the fall overboard with the Dazzler's mast; but the sea-anchor, which had gone with him, had not escaped so easily. The gaff of the mainsail had been driven through it, and it refused to work. The wreckage¹, thumping² alongside, held the sloop³ in a quartering slant⁴ to the seas—not so dangerous a position as it might be, nor so safe, either. "Good-by, old-a Dazzler. Never no more you wipe ze eye of ze wind. Never no more you kick your heels at ze crack gentlemen-yachts."  
So the captain lamented⁵, standing⁶ in the cockpit and surveying the ruin with wet eyes. Even Joe, who bore him great dislike, felt sorry for him at this moment. A heavier blast of the wind caught the jagged crest⁷ of a wave and hurled⁸ it upon the helpless craft.
 
"Can't we save her?" Joe spluttered.
 
'Frisco Kid shook his head.
 
"Nor the safe?"
 
"Impossible," he answered. "Could n't lay another boat alongside for a United States mint. As it is, it 'll keep us guessing to save ourselves."
 
Another sea swept over them, and the skiff, which had long since been swamped, dashed itself to pieces against the stern. Then the Reindeer⁹ towered above them on a mountain of water. Joe caught himself half shrinking back, for it seemed she would fall down squarely on top of them; but the next instant she dropped into the gaping¹⁰ trough, and they were looking down upon her far below. It was a striking picture—one Joe was destined¹¹ never to forget. The Reindeer was wallowing in the snow-white smother¹², her rails flush with the sea, the water scudding¹³ across her deck in foaming¹⁴ cataracts¹⁵. The air was filled with flying spray, which made the scene appear hazy¹⁶ and unreal. One of the men was clinging to the perilous¹⁷ after-deck and striving to cast off the water-logged skiff. The boy, leaning far over the cockpit-rail and holding on for dear life, was passing him a knife. The second man stood at the wheel, putting it up with flying hands and forcing the sloop to pay off. Beside him, his injured arm in a sling¹⁸, was Red Nelson, his sou'wester gone and his fair hair plastered in wet, wind-blown ringlets about his face. His whole attitude breathed indomitability, courage, strength. It seemed almost as though the divine were blazing forth¹⁹ from him. Joe looked upon him in sudden awe²⁰, and, realizing the enormous possibilities of the man, felt sorrow for the way in which they had been wasted. A thief and a robber! In that flashing moment Joe caught a glimpse of human truth, grasped at the mystery of success and failure. Life threw back its curtains that he might read it and understand. Of such stuff as Red Nelson were heroes made; but they possessed²¹ wherein he lacked—the power of choice, the careful poise²² of mind, the sober control of soul: in short, the very things his father had so often "preached" to him about.
 
These were the thoughts which came to Joe in the flight of a second. Then the Reindeer swept skyward and hurtled across their bow to leeward²³ on the breast of a mighty²⁴ billow.
 
"Ze wild man! ze wild man!" French Pete shrieked²⁵, watching her in amazement²⁶. "He t'inks he can jibe²⁷! He will die! We will all die! He must come about. Oh, ze fool, ze fool!"
 
But time was precious, and Red Nelson ventured the chance. At the right moment he jibed²⁸ the mainsail over and hauled back on the wind.
 
"Here she comes! Make ready to jump for it," 'Frisco Kid cried to Joe.
 
The Reindeer dashed by their stern, heeling over till the cabin windows were buried, and so close that it appeared she must run them down. But a freak of the waters lurched the two crafts apart. Red Nelson, seeing that the manoeuver had miscarried, instantly instituted another. Throwing the helm hard up, the Reindeer whirled on her heel, thus swinging her overhanging main-boom closer to the Dazzler. French Pete was the nearest, and the opportunity could last no longer than a second. Like a cat he sprang, catching²⁹ the foot-rope with both hands. Then the Reindeer forged ahead, dipping him into the sea at every plunge³⁰. But he clung on, working inboard every time he emerged, till he dropped into the cockpit as Red Nelson squared off to run down to leeward and repeat the manoeuver.
 
"Your turn next," 'Frisco Kid said.
 
"No; yours," Joe replied.
 
"But I know more about the water," 'Frisco Kid insisted.
 
"And I can swim as well as you," the other retorted.
 
It would have been hard to forecast the outcome of this dispute; but, as it was, the swift rush of events made any settlement needless. The Reindeer had jibed over and was plowing³¹ back at breakneck speed, careening at such an angle that it seemed she must surely capsize. It was a gallant³² sight. Just then the storm burst in all its fury, the shouting wind flattening³³ the

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