OH, SHOOT! 



Doc was optimistic; he declared that one 

 monkey wrench was as good as two, and we 

 had twice as many knives as we could possibly 

 use. He said it was nothing but a broken 

 shaft coupling, and he could fix it in no time 

 if he had the boat in his shop. Anyhow, she 

 stepped some didn't she? as long as the 

 thing held out. 



It was very cold out there and I was wearing 

 a hen-skin suit ; a school of whales were play- 

 ing near by, and the hollow sound of their tre- 

 mendous blowings emphasized the general lack 

 of coziness. 



Eventually we got the coupling to hold and 

 ran on to the scowling shore opposite. Along 

 this we cruised until we had no more than 

 enough gasoline for the return trip. Back we 

 skimmed, trying to reassure ourselves that 

 the missing men would be waiting for us at 

 the Par. 



It was nearly midnight when we picked up 

 the dull spark of the yacht's light. As we 

 swept up to it, we shouted: 



"Have they come in?" 



"Not yet," somebody answered. 



Under the circumstances, we dared not risk 

 moving the Par; so there was nothing left for 



248 



