Through long vigils in all kinds of weather, the patrol learns every foot of his beat thoroughly, and he is able to tell with reasonable accuracy how and where a storm-tossed vessel will be driven, or where a stranded one lies. Downs was no exception to this rule, yet there were times when, experienced surfman as he was, he felt uncertain whether a ship was likely to be forced over on the mainland beach, or whether she would run aground on the outer bar at the end of the keys. The latter situation was the more to be dreaded, for the bar was far beyond the reach of a line shot from shore.
Deciding to continue his beat, Downs left the two scouts seated together on a mound of sand and driftwood, and made his way alone across the swaying, tossing pontoon.
"I'll be back in about twenty minutes," he said, and he was as good as his word.
At the end of his beat he stopped to take a watchkey attached to a post, and, inserting it in the clock he carried, to record the time of his visit at that spot. By this means is kept an actual record of the movements of the patrol at all times.
Returning to the place where he had left the boys, he found them sitting in awed silence.
"No signs from the ship yet?" he shouted.
So quietly had he approached, and so thunderous was the booming of the surf, Billy and Hugh were startled at the sound of Downs's voice. Even had they not been staring out to sea, waiting in suspense for the ship's signal, they would not have seen him come up, so thick was the mist.
Billy gasped and jumped up. "What--what are we going to do now?" he asked.
"No, no!" exclaimed Hugh, springing to his feet. "We're out here with you. We'll stick by you."
"But I'm out here for four hours' duty. You don't want to stick it out that long, son?"
"Yes, we do--if you don't mind," replied Billy.
"Is there anything you'd rather have us do?" asked Hugh, beginning to understand a kindly hint in Jim Downs's words. "We'd like to be of real service, if we can."
"Sure you can! Seeing as the weather's so thick, suppose you lads race back to the station and report what we've seen. Then, if the cap'n sends Larry out to join me, you can come back with him. See?"
Again they climbed into the dory and rowed back to Red Key. Jim waited to light another torch, and the boys sped up to the boathouse, where they informed the keeper, who already knew of the ship, of what they had seen.