"We can tie up at the yacht club on the west shore," said Lorry.
"All right," answered Matt. "Look at that boat over there, George," he added, nodding his head in the direction of Governor's Island. "She's the only other boat on the lake, so far as I can see, and she's acting as though something is wrong with her."
Lorry stood up, braced himself, and peered ahead.
"She's a bigger boat than ours," he remarked, "and looked to me like the _Stella_. The _Stella_ is a thirty-footer, and belongs to Barkley Cameron, a neighbor of ours up on the Hill. By Jupiter," he added, a few moments later, "it is the _Stella_, and she's in trouble, as sure as you're a foot high."
"The wind is driving her toward the Bluff," said Matt excitedly. "Her engine's dead--she hasn't any power to fight the wind and waves."
"And there are four men aboard her," went on Lorry. "Great Scott! If they ever go on those rocks at the point, the boat will be smashed to kindling and every one aboard of her drowned. Let's stand by the _Stella_, Matt, and try and do something for her."
"I'm rushing the _Sprite_ in the _Stella's_ direction," answered Matt, "and have been for some time. But we may not be able to do anything. She's half a mile nearer the rocks than we are, and she may go onto them before we can overhaul her."
Far off, just beyond the drifting and helpless launch, Matt and Lorry could see the white waves flinging themselves against the jutting crags of McBride's Point. The _Sprite_ was coming up with the _Stella_ hand over fist, but the _Stella's_ drift was carrying her toward the cliffs with tremendous speed.
"I can see the people on board," cried George, "and two of them are tinkering with the engine. If they can get the motor in shape they're all right, but if they can't----"
George broke off abruptly, and stood clinging to Matt and staring at the other boat with frenzied eyes. Two of the _Stella's_ passengers, as Matt could see, were looking toward the _Sprite_ and waving their hands frantically.
"Matt," called George huskily, "one of those men is my father!"
"Great guns!" gasped Matt. "He started across the lake in the _Stella_. We didn't leave the Catfish quick enough. But keep your nerve, George. We're going to save them if we have to run into the breakers and pull the _Stella_ off the cliff!"