has　arrived　when　we　are　driven　to　this　hard　alternative。〃
  That　instant　of　indecision　on　the　part　of　Cap　secured
  the　triumph　of　Jasper。　　Looking　at　the　Sergeant；　the
  young　man　received　a　nod　that　assured　him　of　all　he　asked；
  and　he　lost　not　one　of　those　moments　that　were　getting
  to　be　so　very　precious。
  〃Shall　I　take　the　helm；〃　he　inquired　of　Cap；　〃and　see
  if　we　can　reach　a　creek　that　lies　to　leeward？〃
  〃Do　so；　do　so；〃　said　the　other；　hemming　to　clear　his
  throat；　for　he　felt　oppressed　by　a　responsibility　that
  weighed　all　the　heavier　on　his　shoulders　on　account　of　his
  ignorance。　　〃Do　so；　Eau…douce；　since；　to　be　frank　with
  you；　I　can　see　nothing　better　to　be　done。　　We　must　beach
  or　swamp。〃
  Jasper　required　no　more；　springing　aft；　he　soon　had　the
  tiller　in　his　own　hands。　　The　pilot　was　prepared　for　what
  was　to　follow；　and；　at　a　sign　from　his　young　commander；
  the　rag　of　sail　that　had　so　long　been　set　was　taken　in。　　At
  that　moment；　Jasper；　watching　his　time；　put　the　helm　up；
  the　head　of　a　staysail　was　loosened　forward；　and　the　light
  cutter；　as　if　conscious　she　was　now　under　the　control　of
  familiar　hands；　fell　off；　and　was　soon　in　the　trough　of　the
  sea。　　This　perilous　instant　was　passed　in　safety；　and　at　the
  next　moment　the　little　vessel　appeared　flying　down　toward
  the　breakers　at　a　rate　that　threatened　instant　destruction。
  The　distances　had　become　so　short；　that　five　or　six　minutes
  sufficed　for　all　that　Jasper　wished；　and　he　put　the　helm
  down　again；　when　the　bows　of　the　_Scud_　came　up　to　the
  wind；　notwithstanding　the　turbulence　of　the　waters；　as
  gracefully　as　the　duck　varies　its　line　of　direction　on　the
  glassy　pond。　　A　sign　from　Jasper　set　all　in　motion　on　the
  forecastle；　and　a　kedge　was　thrown　from　each　bow。　　The
  fearful　nature　of　the　drift　was　now　apparent　even　to　Mabel's
  eyes；　for　the　two　hawsers　ran　out　like　tow…lines。　　As　soon
  as　they　straightened　to　a　slight　strain；　both　anchors　were
  let　go；　and　cable　was　given　to　each；　nearly　to　the　better…
  ends。　　It　was　not　a　difficult　task　to　snub　so　light　a　craft
  with　ground…tackle　of　a　quality　better　than　common；　and
  in　less　than　ten　minutes　from　the　moment　when　Jasper
  went　to　the　helm；　the　_Scud_　was　riding；　head　to　sea；　with
  the　two　cables　stretched　ahead　in　lines　that　resembled　bars
  of　iron。
  〃This　is　not　well　done；　Master　Jasper！〃　angrily　ex…
  claimed　Cap；　as　soon　as　he　perceived　the　trick　which　had
  been　played　him；　〃this　is　not　well　done；　sir。　　I　order　you
  to　cut；　and　to　beach　the　cutter　without　a　moment's　delay。〃
  No　one；　however；　seemed　disposed　to　comply　with　this
  order；　for　so　long　as　Eau…douce　saw　fit　to　command；　his
  own　people　were　disposed　to　obey。　　Finding　that　the　men
  remained　passive；　Cap；　who　believed　they　were　in　the　ut…
  most　peril；　turned　fiercely　to　Jasper；　and　renewed　his　re…
  monstrances。
  〃You　did　not　head　for　your　pretended　creek；〃　added
  he；　after　dealing　in　some　objurgatory　remarks　that　we　do
  not　deem　it　necessary　to　record；　〃but　steered　for　that　bluff；
  where　every　soul　on　board　would　have　been　drowned；　had
  we　gone　ashore。〃
  〃And　you　wish　to　cut；　and　put　every　soul　ashore　at　that
  very　spot！〃　Jasper　retorted；　a　little　drily。
  〃Throw　a　lead…line　overboard；　and　ascertain　the　drift！〃
  Cap　now　roared　to　the　people　forward。　　A　sign　from　Jas…
  per　sustaining　this　order；　it　was　instantly　obeyed。　　All　on
  deck　watched；　with　nearly　breathless　interest；　the　result
  of　the　experiment。　　The　lead　was　no　sooner　on　the　bottom；
  than　the　line　tended　forward；　and　in　about　two　minutes
  it　was　seen　that　the　cutter　had　drifted　her　length　dead　in
  towards　the　bluff。　　Jasper　looked　gravely；　for　he　well　knew
  nothing　would　hold　the　vessel　did　she　get　within　the　vor…
  tex　of　the　breakers；　the　first　line　of　which　was　appearing
  and　disappearing　about　a　cable's　length　directly　under　their
  stern。
  〃Traitor！〃　exclaimed　Cap；　shaking　a　finger　at　the　young
  commander；　though　passion　choked　the　rest。　　〃You　must
  answer　for　this　with　your　life！〃　he　added　after　a　short
  pause。　　〃If　I　were　at　the　head　of　this　expedition；　Sergeant；
  I　would　hang　him　at　the　end　of　the　main…boom；　lest　he
  escape　drowning。〃
  〃Moderate　your　feelings；　brother；　be　more　moderate；　I
  bcseech　you；　Jasper　appears　to　have　done　all　for　the　best；
  and　matters　may　not　be　so　bad　as　you　believe　them。〃
  〃Why　did　he　not　run　for　the　creek　he　mentioned？　　why
  has　he　brought　us　here；　dead　to　windward　of　that　bluff；
  and　to　a　spot　where　even　the　breakers　are　only　of　half　the
  ordinary　width；　as　if　in　a　hurry　to　drown　all　on　board？〃
  〃I　headed　for　the　bluff；　for　the　precise　reason　that　the
  breakers　are　so　narrow　at　this　spot；〃　answered　Jasper
  mildly；　though　his　gorge　had　risen　at　the　language　the
  other　held。
  〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　an　old　seaman　like　me　that　this
  cutter　could　live　in　those　breakers？〃
  〃I　do　not；　sir。　　I　think　she　would　fill　and　swamp　if
  driven　into　the　first　line　of　them；　I　am　certain　she　would
  never　reach　the　shore　on　her　bottom；　if　fairly　entered。　　I
  hope　to　keep　her　clear　of　them　altogether。〃
  〃With　a　drift　of　her　length　in　a　minute？〃
  〃The　backing　of　the　anchors　does　not　yet　fairly　tell；　nor
  do　I　even　hope　that　_they_　will　entirely　bring　her　up。〃
  〃On　what；　then；　do　you　rely？　　To　moor　a　craft；　head　and
  stern；　by　faith；　hope；　and　charity？〃
  〃No；　sir；　I　trust　to　the　under…tow。　　I　headed　for　the
  bluff　because　I　knew　that　it　was　stronger　at　that　point　than
  at　any　other；　and　because　we　could　get　nearer　in　with　the
  land　without　entering　the　breakers。〃
  This　was　said　with　spirit；　though　without　any　particular
  show　of　resentment。　　Its　effect　on　Cap　was　marked；　the
  feeling　that　was　uppermost　being　evidently　that　of　surprise。
  〃Under…tow！〃　he　repeated；　〃who　the　devil　ever　heard
  of　saving　a　vessel　from　going　ashore　by　the　under…tow？〃
  〃This　may　never　happen　on　the　ocean；　sir；〃　Jasper　an…
  swered　modestly；　〃but　we　have　known　it　to　happen　here。〃
  〃The　lad　is　right；　brother；〃　put　in　the　Sergeant；　〃for；
  though　I　do　not　well　understand　it；　I　have　often　heard　the
  sailors　of　the　lake　speak　of　such　a　thing。　　We　shall　do
  well　to　trust　to　Jasper　in　this　strait。〃
  Cap　grumbled　and　swore；　but；　as　there　was　no　remedy；
  he　was　compelled　to　acquiesce。　　Jasper；　being　now　called
  on　to　explain　what　he　meant　by　the　under…tow；　gave　this
  account　of　the　matter。　　The　water　that　was　driven　up　on
  the　shore　by　the　gale　was　necessarily　compelled　to　find　its
  level　by　returning　to　the　lake　by　some　secret　channels。
  This　could　not　be　done　on　the　surface；　where　both　wind
  and　waves　were　constantly　urging　it　towards　the　land；　and
  it　necessarily　formed　a　sort　of　lower　eddy；　by　means　of
  which　it　flowed　back　again　to　its　ancient　and　proper　bed。
  This　inferior　current　had　received　the　name　of　the　under…
  tow；　and；　as　it　would　necessarily　act　on　the　bottom　of　a
  vessel　which　drew　as　much　water　as　the　_Scud_；　Jasper
  trusted　to　the　aid　of　this　reaction　to　keep　his　cables　from
  parting。　　In　short；　the　upper　and　lower　currents　would；
  in　a　manner；　counteract　each　other。
  Simple　and　ingenious　as　was　this　theory；　however；　as　yet
  there　was　little　evidence　of　its　being　reduced　to　practice。
  The　drift　continued；　though；　as　the　kedges　and　hawsers
  with　which　the　anchors　were　backed　took　the　strains；　it
  became　sensibly　less。　　At　length　the　man　at　the　lead　an…
  nounced　the　joyful　intelligence　that　the　anchors　had　ceased
  to　drag；　and　that　the　vessel　had　brought　up！　　At　this　pre…
  cise　moment　the　first　line　of　breakers　was　about　a　hundred
  feet　astern　of　the　_Scud_；　even　appearing　to　approach　much
  nearer　as　the　foam　vanished　and　returned　on　the　raging
  surges。　　Jasper　sprang　forward；　and；　casting　a　glance　over
  the　bows；　he　smiled　in　triumph；　as　he　pointed　exultingly
  to　the　cables。　　Instead　of　resembling　bars　of　iron　in　rigid…
  ity；　as　before；　they　were　curving　downwards；　and　to　a　sea…
  man's　senses　it　was　evident　that　the　cutter　rose　and　fell
  on　the　seas　as　they　came　in　with　the　ease　of　a　ship　in　a
  tides…way；　when　the　power　of　the　wind　is　relieved　by　the
  counteracting　pressure　of　the　water。
  〃'Tis　the　undertow！〃　he　exclaimed　with　delight；　fairly
  bounding　along　the　deck　to　steady　the　helm；　in　order　that
  the　cutter　might　ride　still　easier。　　〃Providence　has　placed
  us　directly　in　its　current；　and　there　is　no　longer　any　dan…
  ger。〃
  〃Ay；　ay；　Providence　is　a　good　seaman；〃　growled　Cap；
  〃and　often　helps　lubbers　out　of　difficulty。　　Under…tow　or
  upper…tow；　the　gale　has　abated；　and；　fortunately　for　us　all；
  the　anchors　have　met　with　good　holding…ground。　　Then
  this　dd　fresh　water　has　an　unnatural　way　with　it。〃
  Men　are　seldom　inclined　to　quarrel　with　good　fortune；
  but　it　is　in　distress　that　they　grow　clamorous　and　critical。
  Most　on　board　were　disposed　to　believe　that　they　had　been
  saved　from　shipwreck　by　the　skill　and　knowledge　of　Jas…
  per；　without　regarding　the　opinions　of　Cap；　whose　remarks
  were　now　little　heeded。
  There　was　half　an　hour　of　uncertainty　and　doubt；　it　is
  true；　during　which　period　the　lead　was　anxiously　watched；
  and　then　a　feeling　of　security　came　over　all；　and　the　weary
  slept　without　dreaming　of　instant　death。
  CHAPTER　XVIII。
  It　is　to　be　all　made　of　sighs　and　tears；
  It　is　to　be　all　made　of　faith　and　service；
  It　is　to　be　all　m