old-fashioned house, and the grounds extended down to the beach of the Great South Bay, on the waters of which the lads spent much of their time. 

 They loved the sea, and from the time they were small boys and could barely swim, they fairly reveled in its saltiness, and were out on the bay or ocean in calm and storm. 6 

6

 At first they had been allowed to go only a little way from shore in a safe, but big and clumsy row boat. Then, as they became older and more experienced, they secured a better craft, and even ventured to cross the stretch of water which lay between the mainland of Long Island and Fire Island, that long, narrow strip of land which has been the cause of so many wrecks. On one side of Fire Island pounds the never quiet waves of the ocean, while on the other side, only a few minutes’ walk distant, are the calm and shallow waters of the bay. The bay and ocean are connected by several inlets, and the one for which Frank and Ned were heading was the one near Fire Island Light. 

 Once through that and in the quiet bay, it would be a small matter to make the run to their dock in their speedy motor dory. 

 They had had this boat about six months, purchasing it for their pleasure, for they were quite well off. It was not the first motor craft they had owned, but it was the one they liked best, for they could venture out on the open sea with it. 

 “And in quite a storm, too,” said Frank, speaking of the matter. “But we certainly have given it a good test to-day,” he added to his brother. “She’s shown what she can do.” 

 “That’s what she has, old man. But we’re almost at the inlet now; aren’t we?” 7 

7

 “Yes, a few minutes now. Wow! Here comes the rain!” 

 The storm, having lashed itself up to a certain point, now added a deluge of rain to the gale of wind, and the darkness increased. 

 The dory rose and fell, occasionally her propeller being out of the water so that it raced. Frank and Ned braced themselves against the rolling, pitching and tossing motion, Frank now and then raising himself to peer ahead to mark a course for steering. 

 “Better start the pump again!” he shouted into his brother’s ear. “We’ve more water in her than I like to see.” 

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