"I'm prepared to bet my hat an' boots on that, now or any other time.

You always do know how to manage, whatever turns up.

That long head o' your'n's got more'n a little in it." Sam smiled rather feebly and replied:-- "Wait till I get you out of the scrape we're in, Sid, before you praise me." "Well, I'll take it on trust," said Sid, "an' back my judgment on it, too." "Let me have your compass, Tom," he said; and taking the instrument which he had confided to Tom's hands at starting on the voyage, he opened his map just enough to catch a glimpse of the coast lines marked on it, having one of the boys hold a hat over it, to protect it from the rain as he did so.

After a little while he said:-- "Take the helm, Tom, and hold the boat due west.

There, that will do.
Now let her go, and keep her at that.