THE OCEAN WIRELESS BOYS AND THE NAVAL CODE

 BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON

AUTHOR OF "THE BOY AVIATORS' SERIES, " "THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS' SERIES, ""THE OCEAN WIRELESS BOYS ON THE ATLANTIC, " "THE OCEAN WIRELESS BOYS ANDTHE LOST LINER, " "THE OCEAN WIRELESS BOYS OF THE ICE-BERG PATROL, " ETC. 

 _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHARLES L. WRENN_

NEW YORKHURST & COMPANYPUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1915, BY HURST & COMPANY

[Illustration: "Huh, I don't think the idea's worth a cent, " sniffedThurman. ]

CONTENTS

 I. VACATION DAYS

 II. "SPEEDWAY" VS. "CURLEW"

 III. CAPTAIN SIMMS, OF THE "THESPIS"

 IV. ON SECRET SERVICE

 V. NIGHT SIGNALS

 VI. IN THE DARK

 VII. THE NAVAL CODE

 VIII. A MONKEY INTERLUDE

 IX. NODDY AND THE BEAR

 X. "WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IT?"

 XI. A SWIM WITH A MEMORY

 XII. A TALE FROM THE FROZEN LANDS

 XIII. A NIGHT ALARM

 XIV. JACK'S CURIOSITY AND ITS RESULTS

 XV. BILLY TAKES THE TRAIL

 XVI. A "GHOSTESS" ABROAD

 XVII. ONE MYSTERY SOLVED

 XVIII. BILL SNIGGERS DECIDES

 XIX. WHAT A "HAYSEED" DID

 XX. THE "CURLEW" IN TROUBLE

 XXI. THE END OF JACK'S HOLIDAY

 XXII. "THE GEM OF THE OCEAN"

 XXIII. JACK'S BIG SECRET

 XXIV. THE NAVY DEPARTMENT "SITS UP"

 XXV. A MYSTERY ON BOARD

 XXVI. A "FLASH" OF DISTRESS

 XXVII. A STRANGE WRECK

 XXVIII. CAST AWAY WITH A PYTHON

 XXIX. CAPTURED BY RADIO

 XXX. THURMAN PLOTS

 XXXI. THE "SUITABLE REWARD"

 XXXII. THE PLOTTER'S TRIUMPH

 XXXIII. IN THE POWER OF THE ENEMY

 XXXIV. THE SEARCH FOR JACK

 XXXV. THE WIRELESS MAKES GOOD

The Ocean Wireless Boys and the Naval Code. 

CHAPTER I. 

VACATION DAYS. 

"Up with your helm there, Noddy! Luff her up or you'll have the _Curlew_on the rocks!"

"That's right, luff!" cried Billy Raynor, adding his voice to JackReady's command. 

"That's what I _luff_ to do, " grinned the red-headed, former Bowerywaif, Noddy Nipper, as, with a dexterous motion, he jerked over thetiller of the fine, speedy sloop in which the boys were enjoying a sailon Alexandria Bay, above the Thousand Islands. 

The mainsail and jib shivered, and the _Curlew_ spun round like a topjust as it seemed inevitable that she must end her career on some jaggedrocks that had suddenly loomed up ahead. 

"Neatly done, Noddy, " applauded Jack. "We'll forgive you even that awfulpun for that skillful bit of boat-handling. "

The freckled lad grinned in appreciation of the compliment paid him bythe Wireless Boy. 

"Much obliged, " he said. "Of course I haven't got sailing down as fineas you yet. How far do you reckon we are from home?"

"From the Pine Island hotel, you mean?" rejoined Billy Raynor. "Oh, notmore than ten miles. "

"Just about that, " chimed in Jack. "If this wind holds we'll be home intime for supper. "

"Supper!" exclaimed Bill; "I could eat an octogenarian doughnut, I'm sohungry. "

A groan came from Noddy. Although the Bowery lad had polished up on hisgrammar and vocabulary considerably since Jack Ready first encounteredhim as second cook on the seal-poaching schooner _Polly Ann_, Captain"Terror" Carson commanding, still, a word like "Octogenarian" stumpedhim, as the saying is. 

"What's an octo-octo--what-you-may-call-'um doughnut, anyhow?" hedemanded, for Noddy always liked to acquire a new word, and notinfrequently astonished his friends by coming out with a "whopper"culled out of the dictionary. "Is it a doughnut with legs on it?"

Jack and Billy broke into a roar of laughter. 

"A doughnut with legs on?" sputtered Billy. "Whatever put that idea intoyour head, Noddy?"

"Well, don't octo-octo-thing-a-my-jigs have legs?" inquired Noddy. 

"Oh, you mean octopuses, " cried Jack, with another laugh. "Billy meantan eighty-year-old doughnut. "

"I'll look it up when we get back, " remarked Noddy gravely; "it's a goodword. "

"Say, fellows, we are sure having a fine time out of this holiday, "remarked Billy presently, after an interval of silence. 

"Yes, but just the same I shan't be sorry when Mr. Juke's new liner iscompleted and we can go to sea again, " said Jack, "but after ourexperiences up north, among the ice, I think we had a holiday coming tous. "

"That we did, " agreed Noddy. "Some difference between skimming aroundhere in a fine yacht and being cast away on that wretched island withnothing to eat and not much prospect of getting any. "

"Yes, but if it hadn't been for that experience, and the ancienttreasure we found, we couldn't have taken such a jolly vacation, " arguedJack. "It's made Uncle Toby a rich man and put all of us on EasyStreet. "

"Yes, it was certainly worth all the hardships we went through, " agreedNoddy. 

"I guess we are in for a long spell of quiet now, though, " remarkedJack, after a pause, during which each boy thought of their recentadventures. 

"Not so sure of that, " replied Noddy. "You're the sort of fellow, judging from what you've told us, who is always tumbling up againstsomething exciting. "

"Yes, I feel it in my bones that we are not destined to lead anabsolutely uneventful time----" began Billy Raynor. "I--hold hard there, Noddy; watch yourself. Here comes another yacht bearing down on us!"

Jack and Billy leaped to their feet, steadying themselves by clutching astay. Billy was right. Another yacht, a good deal larger than their own, was heading straight for them. 

"Hi! put your helm over! We've got the right of way!" shouted Jack, cupping his hands. 

"Look out where you're going!" cried Billy. 

But whoever was steering the other yacht made no motion to carry out thesuggestions. Instead, under a press of canvas, she kept directly on hercourse. 

"She'll run us down, " cried Noddy. "What'll I do, Jack?"

"Throw her over to port lively now, " sang out Jack Ready. "Hurry up orwe'll have a bad smash-up!"

He leaped toward the stern to Noddy's assistance, while Billy Raynor, the young engineer, did the same. 

In former volumes of this series the previous adventures of the ladshave been described. In the first book, devoted to their doings and todescribing the fascinating workings of sea-wireless aboard ocean-goingcraft, which was called "The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Atlantic, " welearned how Jack became a prime favorite with the irascible Jacob Jukes, head of the great Transatlantic and Pacific shipping combine. Jack'sdaring rescue of Millionaire Jukes' little girl resulted in the lad'sobtaining the position of wireless man on board a fine ship, after hehad looked for such a job for months in vain. But because Jack would notbecome the well-paid companion of Mr. Jukes' son Tom, a rather sicklyyouth, the millionaire became angry with the young wireless man. However, Jack was able, subsequently, to rescue Mr. Jukes from adrifting boat after the magnate's yacht had burned in mid-ocean and, following that, to reunite the almost frantic millionaire with hismissing son. 

Other exciting incidents were described, and Jack gained rapidly in hischosen profession, as did his chum, Billy Raynor, who was thirdassistant engineer of the big vessel. The next volume, which was called"The Ocean Wireless Boys and the Lost Liner, " told of the loss of thesplendid ship "Tropic Queen, " on a volcanic island after she had becomedisabled and had drifted helplessly for days. By wireless Jack managedto secure aid from U. S. Vessels, and it came in the nick of time, forthe island was destroyed by an eruption just after the last of therescued passengers had been taken off. Wireless, too, secured, asdescribed in that book, the capture of a criminal much wanted by thegovernment. 

The third volume related more of Jack's doings and was called "The OceanWireless Boys of the Ice-berg Patrol. " This book told how Jack, whileserving aboard one of the revenue cutters that send out wirelesswarnings of ice-bergs to transatlantic liners, fell into the hands of aband of seal poachers. Things looked black for the lad for a time, buthe found two good friends among the rough crew in the persons of NoddyNipper and Pompey, an eccentric old colored cook, full of superstitionsabout ghosts. The _Polly Ann_, as the schooner was called, was wreckedand Jack and his two friends cast away on a lonesome spot of land calledSkull Island. They were rescued from this place by Jack's eccentric, wooden-legged Uncle, Captain Toby Ready, who, when at home, lived on astranded wooden schooner where he made patent medicines out of herbs forsailors. Captain Toby had got wind of an ancient treasure hidden by aforgotten race on an Arctic island. After the strange reunion they allsailed north. But an unscrupulous financier (also on a hunt for thetreasure) found a way to steal their schooner and left them destitute. For a time it appeared that they would leave their bones in the bleaknorthland. But the skillful resource and pluck of Jack and Noddy won theday. We now find them enjoying a holiday, with Captain Toby as host, ata fashionable hotel among the beautiful Thousand Islands. Having madethis necessary digression, let us again turn our attention to thesituation which had suddenly confronted the happy three, and whichappeared to be fraught with imminent danger. 

Like their own craft, the other boat carried a single mast and wassloop-rigged. But the boat was larger in every respect than the_Curlew_. She carried a great spread of snowy canvas and heeled overunder its press till the white water raced along her gunwale. 

As she drew nearer the boys saw that there were two occupants on boardher. One was a tall, well-dressed lad in yachting clothes, whose face, rather handsome otherwise, was marred by a supercilious sneer, as if heconsidered himself a great deal better than anyone else. The other was asomewhat elderly man whose hair appeared to be tinged with gray. Hisfeatures were coarse, but he resembled the lad with him enough to makeit certain he was his father. 

"Sheer off there, " roared Jack at the top of his lungs, to the occupantsof the other boat; "do you want to run us down?"

"Get out of the way then, " cried the boy. 

"Yes, sheer off yourselves, whipper-snappers!" came from the man. 

"We've got the right of way!" cried Jack. 

"Go chase yourselves, " yelled Noddy, reverting in this moment ofexcitement, as was his habit at such times, to his almost forgottenslang. 

"Keep her on her course, Donald; never mind those young jack-a-napes, "said the man in the other sloop, addressing the boy, who was steering. 

"All right, pop, " was the reply; "they'll get the worst of the smash ifthey don't clear out. "

"Gracious, they really mean to run us down, " cried Jack, in a voice ofalarm. "Better sheer off, Noddy, though I hate to do it. "

"By jinks, do you see who they are?" cried Bill Raynor, who had beenstudying the pair in the other boat, which was now only a few yards off. "It's that millionaire Hiram Judson and his son Donald, the boy you hadthe run in with at the hotel the other day. "

But Jack made no reply. The two boats were now almost bowsprit tobowsprit. As for Noddy, the freckles stood out on his pale, frightenedface like spots on the sun. 

CHAPTER II. 

"SPEEDAWAY" VS. "CURLEW. "

But at the critical moment the lad at the helm of the other craft, whichbore the name _Speedaway_, appeared to lose his nerve. He sheered offand merely grazed the _Curlew's_ side, scraping off a lot of paint. 

"Hi, there! What do you mean by doing such a thing?" demanded Jack, directly the danger of a head-on collision was seen to have beenaverted. 

The other lad broke into a laugh. It was echoed by the man with him, whom he had addressed as "pop. "

"Just thought I'd see how much you fellows knew about handling a boat, "he sneered. "It's just as I thought, you're a bunch of scare-cats. Youneedn't have been afraid that I couldn't keep the _Speedaway_ out ofdanger. "

"You risked the lives of us all by running so close, " cried Billyindignantly. 

"Never attempt such a thing again, " said Jack angrily, "or----"

"Or what, my nervous young friend?" taunted the elderly man. 

"Yes, " said the lad, with an unpleasant grin, "what will you do?"

"I shall feel sorely tempted to come on board your boat and give you thesame sort of a thrashing I gave you the other day when I found youtormenting that poor dog, " said Jack, referring to the incident BillyRaynor had already hinted at when he first recognized the occupants ofthe _Speedaway_. 

"You'll never set foot on my boat, " cried Donald Judson, with what hemeant to be dangerous emphasis; but his face had suddenly become verypale. "You think you got the best of me the other day, but I'll fix youyet. "

The two craft were out of earshot almost by this time, and none of thethree lads on the _Curlew_ thought it worth while to answer DonaldJudson. The millionaire and his son occupied an island not far from thePine Island Hotel. A few days before the incident we have just recorded, Jack, who hated cruelty in any form, had found Donald Judson, who oftenvisited the hotel to display his extensive assortment of clothes, amusing himself by torturing a dog. When Jack told him to stop it themillionaire's son started to fight, and Jack, finding a quarrel forcedupon him, ended it in the quickest way--by knocking the boy flat. 

Donald slunk off, swearing to be revenged. But Jack had only laughed athim and advised him to forget the incident except as a lesson inkindness to animals. It appeared, however, that, far from forgetting hishumiliation, Donald Judson was determined to avenge it even at the riskof placing his own life in danger. 

"I wonder if he followed us up to-day on purpose to try to ram us orforce us on a sandbar?" mused Noddy, as they sailed on. 

"Looks like it, " said Billy. 

"I believe he is actually sore enough to sink our boat if he could, evenif he damaged his own in doing it, " said Jack. 

"To my mind his father is as bad he is, " said Noddy; "he made no attemptto stop him. If I----Look, they've put their boat about and arefollowing us. "

"There's no doubt that they are, " said Jack, after a moment's scrutinyof the latest maneuver of the _Speedaway_. The Judsons' boat, which waslarger, and carried more sail and was consequently faster than the_Curlew_, gained rapidly on the boys. Soon she was within hailingdistance. 

"What are you following us for? Want to have another collision?" criedJack. 

"Do you own the water hereabouts?" asked Donald. "I didn't know I wasfollowing you. "

"We've a right to sail where we please, " shouted Judson. 

"Yes, if you don't imperil other folks' boats, " agreed Jack. "If you'vegot any scheme in mind to injure us I'd advise you to forget it, " headded. 

"Huh! What scheme would I have in mind? Think I'd bother withinsignificant chaps like you and your little toy boat?"

"You keep out of our way, " added the man. 

"Yes, just do that little thing if you know what's healthy for you, "chimed in Donald Judson. 

His insulting tone aroused Jack's ire. 

"It'll be the worse for you if you try any of your tricks, " he roared. 

"What tricks would I have, Ready?" demanded the other. 

"Some trick that may turn out badly for you!"

"I guess I don't need you to tell me what I will or what I won't do. "

"All right, only keep clear of us. That's fair warning. You'll get theworst of it if you don't. "

"So, young man, you are going to play the part of bully, are you?"shouted Donald's father. "That fits in with what I've heard of you fromhim. You've been prying around our boat for several days. I don't likeit. "

"Well, keep away from us, " cried Billy. 

"Yes, your room's a lot better than your company, " sputtered Noddy. "Wedon't care if you never come back. "

"Really, what nice language, " sneered Donald. "I congratulate you onyour gentlemanly friend, Ready. He----"

"Look out there, " warned Jack, for Noddy, in his indignation, had sprungto his feet, entirely forgetting the tiller. The _Curlew_ broached toand heeled over, losing "way. " The _Speedaway_ came swiftly on. In aninstant there was a ripping, tearing sound and a concerted shout ofdismay from the boys as the sharp bow of Judson's larger, heavier craftcut deep into the _Curlew's_ quarter. 

"Now you've done it!" cried Billy Raynor. 

"I--er--it was an accident, " cried Donald, as the two boats swung apart, and there was some justification for this plea, as the _Speedaway_ wasalso damaged, though not badly. 

"It was no accident, " cried Jack, but he said no more just then. He wastoo busy examining the rent in the _Curlew's_ side. 

Still shivering, like a wounded creature, from the shock of the impact, the _Curlew_, with the water pouring into the jagged rip in her side, began slowly to sink!

CHAPTER III. 

CAPTAIN SIMMS OF THE "THESPIS. "

Silence, except for the inrush of water into the damaged side of the_Curlew_, followed the collision. The three lads on the sinking craftgazed helplessly at each other for a few seconds. 

"Get away as quick as you can, " whispered Donald's father to the boy whohad wrought the damage, and now looked rather scared. The _Speedaway_swung out and her big mainsail began to fill. 

"We are going to the bottom, " choked out Billy, the first of the partyto recover the use of his vocal organs. 

"I'm afraid there's no doubt of that, " said Jack. "Donald Judson, " heshouted, raising his voice and throwing it across the appreciabledistance that now separated the two craft, "you'll pay for this. "

"It was an accident, I tell you, " yelled back the other lad, but in arather shaky voice. 

"You'll do no good by abusing us, " chimed in his father. 

"What'll we do, Jack?" demanded Noddy, tugging at Jack's sleeve. 

"Steer for the shore. There's just a chance we can make it, or at leastshallow water, " was the reply. 

"Doesn't look much as if we could make it, " said Billy dubiously, shaking his head and regarding the big leak ruefully, "but I suppose wecan try. "

The wounded _Curlew_ began to struggle along with a motion very unlikeher usual swift, smooth glide. She staggered and reeled heavily. 

"Put her on the other tack, " said Jack. Noddy followed his orders withthe result that the _Curlew_ heeled over on the side opposite to thatwhich had been injured, and thus raised her wound above the water line. Billy began bailing, frantically, with a bucket, at the water that hadalready come in. 

"Shall we help you?" cried Donald. 

"No, we don't want your help, " answered Jack shortly. "We'll thresh allthis out in court later on, " he added. 

"I'm a witness that it was an accident, " shouted the elder Judson. 

"You'll have a swell time proving I ran you down on purpose, " added hisson. 

Seeing that it was useless to prolong such a fruitless argument at longdistance, Jack refrained from making a reply. Besides, the _Curlew_required his entire attention now. He took the tiller himself and keptthe injured craft inclined at such an angle that but little waterentered the hole the _Speedaway's_ sharp bow had punched in her. 

The shore, on which were a few small houses and a wharf hidden amongtrees and rocks, appeared to be a long distance off. But the _Curlew_staggered gamely onward with Jack anticipating every puff of windskillfully. 

"I believe that we'll make it, after all, " said Billy hopefully, as thewater-logged craft was urged forward. 

"I wish that Donald, with his sissy-boy clothes, was ashore when weland, " grumbled Noddy. "I'd give him what-for. I have not forgotten howto handle my dukes, and as for his old octo-octo----"

"Octogenarian, " chuckled Raynor. 

"Octogenarian of a father, --I knew I'd get a chance to use thatword----" said Noddy triumphantly; "he's worse than his son. They're afine pair, --I don't think. "

"Well, abusing them will do no good, " said Jack. "We'll have to see whatother steps can be taken. I'm afraid, though, that they were right;we'll have a hard time proving that it was not an accident, especiallyas Noddy had dropped our tiller. "

"Well, I just couldn't----" began Noddy, rather shamefacedly, when therecame a mighty bump and the _Curlew_ came to a standstill. 

"Now what?" cried Raynor. 

"We've run on a shoal, fellows, " declared Jack. "This cruise is over fora time. "

"Well, anyhow, we can't sink now, " said Noddy philosophically, "butalthough the _Curlew's_ stuck on the shoal I'm not stuck on thesituation. "

"Better quit that stuff, " ordered Jack, "and help Billy lower themainsail and jib. They are no good to us now. In fact a puff of windmight send us bowling over. "

His advice was soon carried out and the _Curlew_ lay under a bare poleon the muddy shoal. The boys began to express their disgust at theirpredicament. They had no tender, and would have to stay there till helpcame because of their lack of a small boat. 

"Better set up some sort of a signal to attract the attention of thosefolks on shore, " suggested Billy. 

"That's a good idea, " agreed Jack, "but hullo! Look yonder, there's amotor boat coming out from the shore. Let's hail that. "

"Hullo, there! Motor boat ahoy!" they all began to yell at the top oftheir lungs. 

But they might have saved their voices, for the motor boat swung aboutin a channel that existed among the shoals and began making straight forthem. Its single occupant waved an encouraging hand as he drew closer. 

"In trouble, eh?" he hailed; "well, maybe I can get you off. I saw thatother boat run you down. It was a rascally bit of business. "

"Gracious!" cried Jack suddenly, as the motor boat drew closer and theysaw its occupant was a bronzed, middle-aged man with a pleasant face;"it's Captain Simms of the revenue cutter _Thespis_! What in the worldis he doing up here?"

"If it isn't Jack Ready!" came in hearty tones from the other, almostsimultaneously. 

CHAPTER IV. 

ON SECRET SERVICE. 

There was no question about it. Astonishing as it appeared, the bluff, sunburned man in the motor boat which was winding its way toward the_Curlew_, in serpentine fashion, among the tortuous channels, wasCaptain Simms, the commander of the revenue cutter on which Jack Readyhad served as "ice-patrol" operator. The greetings between his latecommander and himself were, as might be imagined, cordial, but, owing tothe circumstances under which they were exchanged, somewhat hurried. 

"So you've been in a smash-up, " cried the captain, as he reduced speedon nearing the stern of the _Curlew_, which was still afloat. "Nobodyhurt, I hope?"

"Except the boat, " smiled Jack with grim humor. 

"So I see. A nasty hole, " was the captain's comment. "Lucky that Ihappen to be camping ashore or you might have stayed out here for sometime. Rivermen hereabouts aren't over-obliging, unless they see bigmoney in it for their services. "

"We'd have been content to pay a good salvage to get off here, " Jackassured him. 

"Well, that other craft certainly sheered off in short order after shehit you, " was Captain Simms' comment, as he shut off power and came inunder the _Curlew's_ stern, which projected, as has been said, overfairly deep water, only the bow being in the mud. 

"Then you can tell who was to blame?" asked Billy eagerly. 

"I certainly can and will, if I am called upon to do so. "

"Thank you, " said Jack. "I mean to make them settle for the damage, evenif I have to go to court to do it. "

"That's right. It was a bad bit of business. She followed you right up. I'd be willing to swear to that in any tribunal in the land. I hope youbring them to justice. Who were the rascals?"

"A millionaire named Judson, who owns an island near here, and his son, who is a fearful snob. "

The boys saw a look of surprise flit across the naval officer's face. But it was gone in an instant. 

"Surely not Hiram Judson?" he demanded. 

"The same man, " replied Jack. "Why, do you know him, sir?"

"I--er--that is, I think we had better change the subject, " said CaptainSimms with odd hesitation. Jack saw that there was something behind thesea officer's hesitancy, but of course he did not ask any morequestions. 

"I can give you a tow to the shore where there is a man who makes abusiness of repairing boats, " volunteered Captain Simms. "But will yourcraft keep afloat that long?"

"I think so, " said Jack. "We can all sit on one side and so raise theleak above water. But can you pull us off?"

"We shall soon see that, " was the rejoinder. "It looks as if it would bean easy task. Throw me a line and I'll make it fast to my stern bitts. "

This was soon done, and then the little launch set to work with mightand main to tug off the injured yacht. 

"Hurray, she's moving!" cried Billy presently. 

This was followed by a joyous shout from all the boys. 

"She's off!"

They moved down the channel with the boys hanging over one side in orderto keep the _Curlew_ heeled over at an angle that would assure safetyfrom the leak. They landed at a rickety old dock with a big gasolinetank perched at one end of it. Attached to it was a crudely paintedsign:

 "Charles Hansen, Boats Built and Repaired. All work Promptly Exicutid. "

Hansen himself came toddling down the wharf. He was an old man with arheumatic walk and a stubbly, unshaven chin stained with tobacco juice. A goodly sized "chaw" bulged in his withered cheek. 

"Can you repair our boat quickly?" asked Jack, pointing to the hole. 

Old Hansen shot a jet of tobacco juice in the direction of the injury. 

"Bustitupconsiderable, " he remarked. 

"What's that?" demanded Billy. "Doesn't he talk English?" and he turnedan inquiring glance at Captain Simms, who laughed. 

"That's just his way of talking when he's got a mouthful of what hecalls 'eatin' tobacco. ' He said, 'he is of the opinion that your boat isbust up considerable. '"

"Well, we don't need an expert to tell us that, " laughed Jack. 

"Doyouwantmetofixit?" inquired the eccentric old man, still running hiswords together in the same odd way. 

"Yes, " replied Jack, "can we have her by to-morrow?"

"Haveterseehowbadlyshesbusted, " muttered the old man. 

"He'll have to see how badly she's busted, " translated Jack. "Supposeyou take a look at her, " he added to the boatman. 

"Maybeagoodidee, " agreed old Hansen, and he scrambled down into theboat. 

"I'llfixherbyto-morrow, " he said at last. 

The charges, it appeared, would not be more than ten or twelve dollars, which the boys thought reasonable. 

"Especially as they won't come out of our pockets, " commented Billy. 

"Not if I can help it, " promised Jack decisively. 

"And now, " said Captain Simms, "as I happen to have some business at thePine Island Hotel, I'll run you down there in the _Skipjack_, as I callmy boat. "

"That's awfully good of you, " said Jack gratefully. "I began to thinkthat we would have to stay ashore here all night. "

Before many minutes had passed they were off, leaving old Hansen, withworking jaws, examining the hole in the _Curlew's_ side. The _Skipjack_proved speedy and they made the run back to the hotel in good time, arriving there before sundown. Captain Toby had met Captain Simms afterthe latter had found the treasure party at the spot where they hadunearthed the rich trove. But he proved equally reticent as to theobject of his presence at Alexandria as he had been with the boys. Hewas doing some "special work" for the government, was all that CaptainToby could ascertain. 

"There's considerable mystery to all this, " said Captain Toby to theboys after Captain Simms had left them to write some letters which, hesaid, he wished to send ashore by the hotel motor boat that evening. 

"It's some sort of secret work for Uncle Sam, I guess, " hazarded Jack, "but what it is I've no idea. Anyhow it's none of our business. "

The boys little guessed, when Jack made that remark, how very much theirbusiness Captain Simms' secret mission was to become in the near future. 

CHAPTER V. 

NIGHT SIGNALS. 

After supper Captain Simms suddenly announced that he wished to make atrip to the mainland to the town of Clayton. He wished to send animportant telegram to Washington, he explained. 

"How are you going?" asked Jack. "The hotel boat has stopped running forthe day. "

"I know that, but I'll go on the _Skipjack_. You lads want to come?"

"Do we? I should say we do. "

"You lads must be full of springs from the way you're always jumpingabout, " remarked Uncle Toby, with a smile, "but I suppose it's boynature. "

The run to the shore was made quickly. It seemed almost no time at allbefore they made out the string of lights that marked the pier and theradiance of the brilliantly lit hotel behind them. But as they werelanding an unforeseen accident occurred. Mistaking his distance in thedarkness, the captain neglected to shut off power soon enough, and thenose of the _Skipjack_ bumped into the pier with great force. At thesame time a splintering of wood was heard. 

"Gracious, another wreck, " exclaimed Jack. 

"Wow! What a bump!" cried Noddy. 

"Is it a bad smash?" asked Billy anxiously. 

The captain was bending over the broken prow of the boat examining it bythe white lantern. 

"Bad enough to keep us here all night, I'm afraid, " he said. "Do youboys mind? It looks to me as if it could soon be repaired in themorning, and the boat will be safe here to-night at any rate. "

"It's too bad, " exclaimed Jack. "We seem to be regular hoodoos on aboat. "

"It was my own fault, " said the captain, "but the lights on the pierdazzled me so that I miscalculated my distance. "

"Well, it's a good thing no other harm was done, " was Billy's comment. 

The boat was tied up and the watchman on the dock given some money tokeep an eye on it. They engaged rooms at the hotel, and while CaptainSimms composed his telegram, the boys took a stroll about the grounds ofthe hostelry, which sloped down to the bay. They had about passed beyondthe radiance of the lights of the hotel when Jack suddenly drew hiscompanions' attention to a figure that was stealing through the darknesshugging a grove of trees. There was something indescribably furtive inthe way the man crept along, half crouched and glanced behind him fromtime to time. 

"A burglar?" questioned Billy. 

"Some sort of crook I'll bet, " exclaimed Noddy. 

"He's up to some mischief or I'm much mistaken, " said Jack, as he drewhis companions back further into a patch of black shadow cast by someornamental shrubs. 

"Let's trail him and see what he's up to, " said Noddy. 

"Gracious, you're a regular Sherlock Holmes at the drop of the hat, "laughed Billy. "What do you think, Jack?"

"I don't know. He's going toward the wharf and I don't see just what hecould steal there. "

"Look at him stop and glance all around him as if he was afraid of beingfollowed, " whispered Billy. 

"That doesn't look like an honest man's action, certainly, " agreed Jack. "Come on, boys; we'll see what's in the wind. Do you know, somehow I'vegot an idea that we've seen that fellow somewhere before. "

"What gives you that impression?" asked Billy. 

"I can't say--it's just a feeling I've got. An instinct I guess youmight call it. "

The three boys moved forward as stealthily as did the man whose actionshad aroused their suspicions. Presently they saw him cut across a smallpatch of lawn and strike into a narrow path which led among some trees. 

With every care to avoid making any noise, the three boys followed. Thepath led to the edge of a cliff, down the face of which a flight ofstone steps ran down to the water's edge. The man descended these. 

"What can he be? A smuggler, " suggested Billy. 

"I don't see any boat down there, if he is, " rejoined Jack in low tones. 

Suddenly a sharp, low exclamation came from Noddy, who had been lookingout over the lake. 

He caught Jack's arm and pointed. 

"Look, boys, a yacht!" he breathed. 

"Heading in this way, too, " rejoined Jack. "It looks like--but no, itcannot be. "

"Cannot be what?" asked Billy, caught by something in his companion'svoice. 

"Cannot be the _Speedaway_. "

"Judson's craft, the one that ran us down? Nonsense, you've got Judsonon the brain, Jack. "

"Have I? Well, it's an odd coincidence, then, that the yacht yonder hasa tear in her foresail exactly where our bowsprit tore the _Speedaway's_jib this afternoon. "

"By hookey, you're right, Jack!" cried Noddy. "There may be more to thisthan we think. "

Billy was peering from behind a bush over the edge of the cliff, whichwas not very high. 

He could see below, the dark figure of a man making a black patch in thegloom upon the white beach. He was moving about and pacing nervously toand fro on the shingle as if awaiting something or somebody. 

Suddenly he made a swift move. 

"He's waving his handkerchief, " whispered Billy to the others, as he sawthe man make a signal with a square of white linen. 

"To that yacht, I'll bet a cookie, " exclaimed Noddy. 

As if in answer to his words there suddenly showed, on the yacht, a redlantern, as if a scarlet eye had suddenly opened across the dark water. 

CHAPTER VI. 

IN THE DARK. 

"Something's in the wind sure enough, " said Jack. "Hark, there's theplash of oars. They must be going to land here. "

From below there came a man's voice. 

"Right here, Judson; here's the landing place. Are you alone?"

"No, my son is with me, " came the reply, "but for heaven's sake, man, not so loud. "

"There's no one within half a mile of this place. I came down throughthe grounds and they were deserted. "

"Humph, but still it's as well to be careful. One never knows what spiesare about, " came the reply. 

The boys, nudging each other with excitement, heard the bow of the boatscrape on the shingly beach and then came the crunch of footsteps. 

"They are coming up the steps, " whispered Jack in low, excited tones. 

"That's right, so they are, " breathed Billy cautiously. "Let's getbehind the trees and learn what is going on. "

"It's something crooked, that's sure, " whispered Noddy. 

"I begin to think so myself, " agreed Jack, "but that man's voice, aswell as his figure, seemed familiar to me when he hailed Judson, but Ican't, for the life of me, think where I heard his voice before. "

The three lads lost no time in concealing themselves behind someornamental bushes in the immediate vicinity. They were none too soon, for hardly had they done so when the figures of two men and a boyappeared at the top of the steps. 

"Phew, " panted Judson, "I'm not as young as I was. That climb has mademe feel my age. Let's sit down here. "

"Very well, that bench yonder will be just the place, " agreed the manthe boys had followed, and who had seemed so oddly familiar to Jack. 

The seat they had selected could hardly have been a better one for theboys' purpose. It was placed right against the bush behind which theywere hiding. The voices came to them clearly, although the speakers tookpains to modify them. 

"Well, I've been waiting for you, " came in the voice of the man the boyshad instinctively followed. 

"We'd have got here sooner, but were delayed by an accident, or rather asort of accident on purpose that occurred this afternoon. I was glad tosee that you hadn't forgotten our night signal code, " said Judson. 

"What was the accident?" asked the man, who was a stranger to the boys, who were listening intently. 

"Oh, just three brats who are summering here, " scoffed Donald Judson. "They appeared to think they owned the bay, and I guess it was up to meto show them they didn't. I guess Jack Ready will be on the market foranother boat before long and----"

"Hold on, hold on, " exclaimed the strange man. "What was that name?"

"Ready, Jack Ready. He thinks he's a wizard at wireless. Why, do youknow him, Jarrow?"

Jarrow, at the sound of the name there, brought into Jack's mind therecollections of the rascally partner of Terrill & Co. , who had financedhis uncle's treasure hunt and had then tried to steal the hoard fromhim. It was Jack who had overthrown the rascal's schemes and made himseek refuge in the west to escape prosecution. Yet he had apparentlyreturned and in some way become associated with Judson. Noddy, too, ashad Bill, had started at the name. Both nudged Jack, who returned thegesture to show that he had heard and understood. 

"So Ready is here, eh?" growled Jarrow. "Confounded young milksop. "

"You appear not to be very fond of him, " interjected the elder Judson. 

"Fond of him! I should think not! I hate him like poison. "

"What did he ever do to you?"

"He--er--er--he upset an--er--er--business deal I was in with hisuncle. "

"The one-legged old sea captain?"

"That's the fellow. He trusted me in everything till Jack Ready camenosing in and spoilt his uncle's chance of becoming a rich man throughhis association in business with me. "

"I've no use for him either, " exclaimed Donald vindictively. "I'll givehim a good licking when I see him. "

"Well, well, let's get down to business, " said the elder Judsondecisively. "You have been to Washington, Jarrow?"

"Yes, and found out something, but not much. The new naval wireless codeis not yet completed. I found out that by bribing a clerk in the NavyDepartment and----"

"This business is proving pretty expensive, " grumbled Judson. 

"We're playing for a big stake, " was the reply. "I found out that thecode has been placed in the hands of a Captain Simms, recently attachedto the revenue service, for revision. I believe that it is the sameCaptain Simms against whom I have a grudge, for it was on his ship thatI was insulted by aspersions on my business honesty, and that, also, wasthe work of this Jack Ready. "

"Pity he didn't tell them that he was in irons at the time, " thoughtJack to himself. 

"Where is this Captain Simms?" asked Judson, not noticing, or appearingnot to, his companion's outbreak. 

"That's just it, " was the rejoinder. "Nobody knows. His whereabouts arebeing kept a profound secret. Since it has become rumored that the Navywireless code was being revised, Washington fairly swarms with secretagents of different governments. Simms is either abroad or in somemighty safe place. "

"Our hands are tied without him, " muttered Judson, "and if I don't getthat code I don't stand a chance of landing that big steel contract withthe foreign power I have been dealing with. "

"I'm afraid not, " rejoined Jarrow. "I saw their representative inWashington and told him what I had learned. His answer was, 'no code, nocontract. ' I'm afraid you were foolish in using that promise as a meansto try to land the deal. "

"I had my thumb on the man who would have stolen it for me at the time, "rejoined Judson, "but he was discharged for some minor dishonesty beforeI had a chance to use him. "

"The thing to do is to locate this Captain Simms. "

"Evidently, you must do your best. The wind has died down and I guesswe'll stop at the hotel till to-morrow. Anyhow, it's too long a sailback to-night. Come on, Donald; come, Jarrow. " The bench creaked as theyrose and made off, turning their footsteps toward the hotel. 

Not till they had gone some distance did the boys dare to speak, andeven then they did not say much for a minute or two. The firstexpression came from Jack. It was a long, drawn-out:

"We-e-l!"

"And so that is the work that Captain Simms has been doing in thatisolated retreat of his, " exclaimed Billy. 

"And these crooks have just had the blind luck to tumble over him, "exploded Noddy. "Just wait till they take a look at the hotel register. "

"Maybe by the time they enter their names the page will have turned, "suggested Billy. 

"No, " rejoined Jack, "our names were at the top of the page and therewould hardly have been enough new arrivals after us at this time ofnight to have filled it since. "

"We must find Captain Simms at once and tell what is in the wind, "decided the young wireless man a moment later. "I guess the instinctthat made us follow Jarrow was a right one. "

"I wonder how the rascal became acquainted with Judson?" pondered Billy. 

"Mixed up with him in some crooked deal or other before this, " saidNoddy. 

"I shouldn't wonder, " said Jack. 

They began to walk back to the hotel. They did not enter the lobby bythe main entrance, for the path they followed had brought them to a sidedoor. They were glad of this, for, screened by some palms, they saw, bending intently over the register, the forms of the three individualswhose conversation they had overheard. 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE NAVAL CODE. 

"Now that you boys know the nature of the work I have been engaged on, Imay as well tell you that confidential reports from Washington havewarned me to be on my guard, " said Captain Simms. "It was in reply toone of these that I sent a code dispatch to-night. "

It was half an hour later, and they were all seated in the Captain'sroom, having told their story. 

"But I should have imagined making up a code was a very simple matter, "said Billy. 

"That is just where you are wrong, my boy, " smiled Captain Simms. "Acommercial code, perhaps, can be jumbled together in any sort offashion, but a practical naval code is a different matter. Besidesdealing in technicalities it must be absolutely invulnerable to even thecleverest reader of puzzles. The new code was necessitated by the factthat secret agents discovered that an expert in the employ of a foreignpower had succeeded in solving a part of our old one. It was only a verysmall part, but in case of trouble with that country it might have meantdefeat if the enemy knew even a fragment of the wireless code that wasbeing flashed through the air. "

"Have you nearly completed your work?" asked Jack. 

"Almost, " was the reply, "but the fact that these men are here rathercomplicates matters. At Musky Bay, the name of the little settlementwhere I am stopping, they think I am just a city man up for the fishing. I do not use my right name there. By an inadvertence, I suppose it washabit, I wrote it on the hotel register to-night. That was a sadblunder, for it is practically certain that these men will not rest tillthey have found out where I am working. "

"At any rate I'm mighty glad we followed that Jarrow, " said Jack. 

"And caught enough of their plans to put you on guard, " chimed in Billy. 

"Yes, and I am deeply grateful to you boys, " was the rejoinder. "'Forewarned is forearmed. ' If Judson and his crowd attempt any foultactics they will find me ready for them. "

"Judson apparently wishes now that he had not been so anxious to securethat contract as to promise the naval code as a sort of bonus, " saidJack. 

"I don't doubt it, " answered Captain Simms. "Now that I recall it, Iheard rumors that Judson, who once had a steel contract with ourgovernment, is not so sound financially as he seems. I judge he would goto great lengths to assure a large contract that would get him out ofhis difficulties. "

"I should imagine so, " replied Jack. "What was the reason he never didany more work for the government?"

"The inferior quality of his product, I heard. There were ugly rumorsconcerning graft at the time. Some of the newspapers even went so far asto urge his prosecution. "

"Then we are dealing with bad men?" commented Jack. 

"Unquestionably so. But I think we had better break up this council ofwar and get to bed. I want to get an early start in the morning. "

But when morning came, it was found that the repairs to the _Skipjack_would take longer than had been anticipated. While Captain Simmsremained at the boat yard to superintend the work, the lads returned tothe hotel and addressed some post cards. This done they sauntered out onthe porch. Almost the first person they encountered chanced to beJarrow. He started and turned a sickly yellow at the sight of them, although he knew, from an inspection of the register the night before, that they were there. 

"Why--er--ahem, so it is you once more. Where did you spring from?"

"We came out of that door, " murmured Jack, while Noddy snickered. "Wheredid you come from?"

"I might say from the same place, " was the rejoinder, with a look ofmalice at Noddy. 

"We thought you were in the west, " said Billy. "Great place, the west. They say the climate out there is healthier than the east--for somefolks. "

"Boy, you are impudent, " snarled Jarrow. 

"Not at all. I was merely making a meteorological remark, " smiled Billy. 

"Wait till I get that word, " implored Noddy, pulling out a notebook anda stub of pencil. 

"Splendid grounds they have here for taking strolls at night, " Jackcould not help observing. 

From yellow Jarrow's face turned ashen pale. Muttering something about atelephone call, he hurried into the hotel. 

"Goodness, that shot brought down a bird, with a vengeance, " chuckledBilly. 

Jarrow's head was suddenly thrust out of an open window. He glared atthe boys balefully. His face was black as a thundercloud. 

"You boys have been playing the sneak on me, " he cried angrily. "If youtake my advice, you will not do so in the future. "

He withdrew his head as quickly as a turtle draws its headpiece into itsshell. 

"He's a corker, " cried Noddy. "I'll bet if he had a chance, he'd like tohalf kill us. "

"Shouldn't wonder, " laughed Jack, "but he isn't going to get thatchance. But hullo! What's all this coming up the driveway?"

The others looked in the same direction and beheld a curious spectacle. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

A MONKEY INTERLUDE. 

"Well, here's something new, and no mistake, " cried Billy. 

"Good, it will help pass our morning, " declared Noddy, who was beginningto find time hang heavily on his hands now that he had nobody to playpranks on, like those he used to torment poor Pompey with. 

An Italian was coming up the road toward the hotel. Strapped across hisshoulders was a small hand-organ. He led a trained bear, and two monkeyssquatted on the big creature's back. He came to a halt near the grinningboys. 

"Hurray! This is going to be as good as a circus!" declared Noddy. "Start up your performance, professor. "

"They're off!" cried Billy. 

Summer residents of the hotel, anxious for any diversion out of theordinary, came flocking to the scene as the strains of the barrel organreached their ears, and the bear, in a clumsy fashion, began to dance tothe music of the ear-piercing instrument. 

"Where are you going, Noddy?" asked Jack, as the red-headed lad tried toget quietly out of the crowd. 

"I just saw a chance for a little fun, " rejoined Noddy innocently. 

"Well, be careful, " warned Jack. "This is no place for such jokes as youused to play on Pompey. "

"Oh, nothing like that, " Noddy assured him as he hurried off. 

"Just the same I'm afraid of Noddy when he starts getting humorous, "thought Jack. 

He would have been still more afraid if he could have seen Noddy makehis way to the hotel kitchen and bribe a kitchen maid to get him threelarge sugar cakes. Then he made his way to the dining-room, and boringtiny holes in the buns filled each of them with red pepper from thecasters. 

"Now for some fun, " he chuckled. 

"I just know that boy is up to some mischief by the look on his face, "remarked an old lady as he hurried by. 

Quite a big crowd was round the Italian when Noddy got back. Almost assoon as he arrived the man began passing the hat, and taking advantageof this, Noddy proffered his buns to the animals. They accepted themgreedily. 

"Peep! Peep!" chattered the monkeys. 

"You mean 'pep, ' 'pep', " chuckled Noddy to himself. 

Both bear and monkeys tore into their buns as if they were half starved. In their hunger they got a few mouthfuls down without appearing tonotice that anything was wrong. Then suddenly one of the monkeys hurledhis bun at the bear and the other leaped on the big hairy creature'shead. Apparently they thought the innocent bear had something to do withthe trick that had been played on them. 

"Da monk! da monk!" howled the Italian, "da monk go a da craz'. "

"He says they are mad, " exclaimed an old gentleman, and hurried away. 

Just as he did so, the bear discovered something was wrong. He set up aroar of rage and broke loose from his keeper. The monkeys leaped awayfrom the angry beast and sought refuge. One jumped on the head of anelderly damsel who was very much excited. The other made a dive for afashionably dressed youth who was none other than Donald Judson. 

"Help!" screamed the old maid. "Help! Will no one help me?"

"I will, madam, " volunteered an old gentleman, coming forward. He seizedthe monkey and tugged at its hind legs, but it only clung the tighter tothe elderly damsel's hair. 

Suddenly there came a piercing scream. 

"Gracious, her hair's come off!" cried a woman. 

"She's been scalped, poor creature!" declared another. 

"Oh, you wretch, how dare you!" shrieked the monkey's victim, rushing atthe gallant old gentleman. She raised her parasol and brought it down onhis head with a resounding crack. In the meantime the Italian washowling to "Garibaldi, " as he called the monkey, to come to him. 

But this the monkey had no intention of doing. Clutching the old maid'swig in its hands, it leaped away in bounds and joined its brother on theperson of Donald Judson. 

"Ouch, take them off. They'll bite me!" Donald was yelling. 

The monkeys tore off his straw hat with its fancy ribbon and tore it tobits and flung them in the faces of the crowd. Then, suddenly, they bothdarted swiftly off and climbed a tree, where they sat chattering. 

It was at that moment that the confused throng recollected the bear, which had not remained in the vicinity but had gone charging off acrossthe lawn looking for water to drown the burning sensation within him. Now, however, an angry roar reminded them of him. The beast was comingback across the lawn, roaring and showing his teeth. 

"Look out for the bear!"

"Get a gun, quick. "

"Oh, he'll hug me, " this last from the old maid, were some of the crieswhich the crowd sent up. 

"He's mad, shoot him!" cried somebody. The Italian set up a howl ofprotest. 

"No, no, no shoota heem. Mika da gooda da bear. No shoota heem. "

"If you don't want him shot, catch him and get out of here. You'll havemy hotel turned into a sanitarium for nervous wrecks the first thing youknow, " cried the proprietor of the place. 

"Somebody playa da treeck, " protested the Italian. "Mika da nica dabear, da gooda da bear. "

"I guess he's like an Indian, only good when he's dead, " said the hotelman. "I'm off to get my gun. "

Noddy watched the results of his joke with mixed feelings. He had notmeant it to go as far as this. He looked about him apprehensively, buteverybody was too frightened to notice him. 

Suddenly the bear headed straight for Noddy. Perhaps his red head was ashining mark or perhaps the creature recollected the prank-playing youthas the one who had given him the peppered bun. At any rate he chargedstraight after the lad, who fled for his life. 

"Help!" he called as he ran. "Help, help!"

"Noddy's getting a dose of his own medicine, " cried Jack to Billy. 

"But we don't want to let the bear get him, " protested Billy. 

"Of course not, but he'll beat the bear into the hotel, see if hedoesn't. "

The hotel front door was evidently Noddy's objective point. It appearedhe would reach it first, but suddenly he tripped on a croquet hoop andwent sprawling. He was up in a minute, but the bear had gained on him. As he rushed up the steps it was only a few inches behind him. 

Noddy gave a wild yell and took the steps in three jumps. The nextsecond he was at the door and swinging it shut with all his might. Butjust then an astonishing thing happened. 

Just as Noddy swung the door shut the bear made a leap. The resultsurprised Noddy as much as Bruin. 

The edge of the door caught the big creature's neck and held him as fastas if he had been caught in a dead-fall. He was gripped as in a visebetween the door and the frame. But poor Noddy was in the position ofthe man who caught the wild cat. 

He didn't know how to let go!

CHAPTER IX. 

NODDY AND THE BEAR. 

"I've got him!" yelled Noddy. "Help me, somebody!"

"Goodness, Noddy's caught the bear, " cried Jack, as he and Billystreaked across the lawn, followed by the less timid of the guests. 

"Hold him tight, " shouted some in the crowd. 

"Let him go, " bawled others. 

Perspiring from his efforts, Noddy braced his feet and kept the doortightly closed on the bear's neck. But the creature's struggles made theportal groan and creak as if it would be shoved off its hinges. 

"Gracious, I can't hold it much longer. Can't somebody hit him on thehead with a club?"

The negro bell boys and clerk, together with several of the guests whohad been in the lobby, began to come back, now that they saw there wasno immediate chance of the bear rushing in. 

"Ah reckon ah knows a way ter fix dat b'ar widout hurting him, " criedone of the negro boys. 

He snatched a fire extinguisher off the wall of the office and squirtedits contents full in the bear's face. The animal gave one roar of dismayand a mighty struggle that burst the door open and threw Noddy off hisfeet. He set up a yell of fright. But he need not have been afraid. Theugliness had all gone out of the bear, and besides being half choked hewas temporarily blinded by the contents of the fire extinguisher. 

The Italian came running up, carrying a chain and a muzzle. 

"Gooda da boy! Gooda da Mika!" he cried ingratiatingly. 

The bear was as mild as a kitten, but nevertheless the muzzle wasbuckled on and the Italian departed in search of his monkeys just as themanager appeared with his gun. It had taken him a long time to find, heexplained, whereat Noddy, who had recovered his spirits, snickered. 

"I'm going to pay the bill and get out of here, " whispered Jack inNoddy's ear. "You'd better get away as quietly as you can. Severalpeople saw you give those buns to the animals. If they find you here, they'll mob you. "

"Being chased by a bear is quite enough excitement for one day, "rejoined Noddy, "but my! It was good fun while it lasted. Did you seethat old maid's hair, did you see Donald Judson, did you----"

"Get out of here quickly, " warned Jack, and this time Noddy took hisadvice without waiting. It was just as well he did, for the elderlygentleman, whose shining bald head had been belabored by the old maid'sparasol, came in, accompanied by the damsel. She had recovered her hairwhen the monkeys were caught and had tendered handsome apologies to thewould-be gallant. 

"Where is that boy who started all this?" demanded the old gentleman. 

"It was one of that gang there, " cried Donald Judson, who had followedthem and whose face showed plenty of scratches where the monkeys hadclambered up to demolish his hat. 

"Oh, what a terrible boy he must be, " cried the old maid. "He ought togo to prison. Where is he?"

"Ask them, they'll know, " cried Donald, pointing to Jack and Billy. 

"No, it wasn't either of them. They were back in the crowd, " cried theold maid; "it was another boy, a red-headed one. "

"I'm glad I told Noddy to get out, " whispered Jack to his friends. 

"Look, they are whispering to each other. I told you they knew all aboutit, " cried Donald, who saw a chance of avenging himself for histreatment by the monkeys. 

"Say, young man, " said the manager, coming up to Jack, "I think yourfriend was responsible for this rumpus. "

"What rumpus?"

"Why, that trouble with the bear, of course. You boys are at the bottomof it all. "

"Why, the bear chased my friend harder than anyone else, " said Jack, with assumed indignation. 

"I guess we'll pay our bill and leave, " struck in Billy. 

"Think you'd better, eh?" sneered the manager. 

"If you want your money you'd better be civil, " said Jack. 

"Yes, but--your bill is eight dollars. "

"Here it is. Now don't bother us any more or I'll report you to theproprietor. "

"I know, but look here. "

"I can't see in that direction. "

"I don't know if that man has caught his monkeys yet. "

"No use of your worrying about that unless you're afraid one of themwill get your job. "

There was a loud laugh at this and in the midst of it the boys passedout of the hotel, leaving the clerk very red about the ears. 

"I hope that will teach Noddy a lesson, " said Jack, as they hurried downto the boat yard where Noddy had been instructed to precede them. 

"It ought to. Being chased by a bear is no joke. "

But when they reached the yard they were just in time to see the man whowas working on the boat clap his hand to the back of his neck and yell:

"Ouch! A bee stung me. "

Not far off, looking perfectly innocent, stood Noddy, but Jack detectedhim in the act of slipping into his pocket a magnifying glass, by whichhe focused the sun's rays on the workman's neck. 

CHAPTER X. 

"WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IT?"

The _Skipjack_ was all ready for them and no delay was had in making astart back to Musky Bay, where, it will be remembered, the boys had lefttheir boat to be repaired. A brief stop was made at the Pine Islandhotel and then the trip was resumed. 

"Wonder where Judson and his crowd have gone to?" pondered Jack, as theymoved rapidly over the water. 

"One thing sure, they never started back home in the _Speedaway this_morning, " said Billy. "The water is like glass, and there's not a breathof wind. "

"Look, there's a handsome motor boat off yonder, " exclaimed Jackpresently. He pointed to a low, black craft, some distance behind themand closer in to the shore. 

"She's making fast time, " said Bill. 

"Maybe she wants to give us a race, " suggested Noddy. 

"I'm afraid we wouldn't stand much chance with her, " laughed CaptainSimms. 

They watched the black boat for a time, but she appeared to slackenspeed as she drew closer, as if those in charge of her had no desire tocome any nearer to the _Skipjack_ than they were. 

"That's odd, " remarked Jack. "There is evidently nothing the matter withher engine, but for all that they don't seem to want to pass us. That'sthe first fast boat I ever saw act that way. "

"It does seem queer, " said Captain Simms, and suddenly his brow clouded. 

"Could it be possible----" he exclaimed, and stopped short. 

Jack looked at him in a questioning way. 

"Could what be possible, sir?" he asked. 

"Why, that Judson and the others are on board that black craft?"

"Ginger! That never occurred to me!" cried Jack; "and yet, if they werefollowing us to find out where you are located that would be just thesort of way in which they would behave. "

"So I was thinking, " said Captain Simms thoughtfully. "However, we cansoon find out. "

He opened a locker and took out his binoculars. Then he focused them onthe black craft. 

"Well?" questioned Jack, as the captain laid them down again. 

"There's a man at the wheel, but he isn't the least like yourdescriptions of your men, " said the captain. 

"What does he look like?" questioned Billy. 

"He's rather tall and has a full black beard, " was the answer. 

"Then it's not one of Judson's crowd, " said Jack with conviction. 

"I guess we are all the victims of nerves to-day, " smiled the captain. 

They swung round a point and threaded the channel that led among theshoaly waters of Musky Bay. The point shut out any rearward view of theblack motor boat and they saw no more of it. Captain Simms invited themup to the house he occupied, which was isolated from the half dozen orso small habitations that made up the settlement. It was plainlyfurnished and the living room was littered with papers and documents. 

"What made you select Musky Bay as a retreat?" asked Jack. 

"I come from up in this part of the country, " rejoined Captain Simms, "and I thought this would be a good quiet place to hide myself till mywork was complete. But it seems, " he added, with a smile, "that I mayhave been mistaken. "

"Oh, I don't know, " replied Jack. "Those fellows would never think oftrailing you here. I guess they think you are still in Clayton. "

"Let us hope so, anyway, " said the captain, and here the discussionended. 

Soon after they said good-by, promising to run over again before long. Their boat was all ready for them. A good job had been done with it. 

"It looks as good as new, " commented Jack. 

"She's a fine boat, " said Billy. 

"A regular pippin, " agreed Noddy. 

"Well, young men, your-craft-will-carry-you-through many a blow yet. She's as nice a little-ship-as-I-ever-saw. "

"I guess he says that of every boat that brings him a job, " grinnedNoddy, as Jack paid the man, and they got ready to get under way. Alight breeze had risen, and they were soon skimming along, taking greatcare to avoid shoals and sand-banks. By standing up to steer, Jack waseasily able to trace the deeper water by its darker color and they gotout of the bay without trouble. 

As they glided round the point, which had shrouded the black motor boatfrom their view when they entered the bay, Billy, who was in the bow, uttered a sharp cry and pointed. The others looked in the direction heindicated, realizing that something unusual was up. 

"Well, look at that, will you?" exclaimed Jack. 

The black motor-boat was anchored close in to the shore. Her dinghy layon the beach, showing that somebody had just landed. Clambering up thesteep and rocky sides of the point were three figures. When the boyscaught sight of them the trio had just gained the summit of the rockyescarpment. 

They crouched behind rocks, as if fearing that they would be seen, andone of them drew from his pocket a pair of field glasses. He gazedthrough these down at the settlement of Musky Bay, which lay below. Thenhe turned to his companions and made some remark and each in turn tookup the glasses. 

"What do you make of it?" asked Billy, turning to Jack. 

The wireless boy shook his head dubiously. 

"I'll tell you what _I_ make of it, " he said. "Just this. Those threefigures up yonder are Judson, Donald and Jarrow. They trailed us here inthat motor boat but were too foxy to round the point. When they saw usturn into the bay, they knew they could land and sneak over the pointwithout being seen. They are spying on the settlement and watching forCaptain Simms. At any rate, they will see his boat tied up there andrealize that they have struck a home trail. "

"What will we do?" asked Billy, rather helplessly. 

"There's only one thing to do, " said Jack with decision, "and that is toturn back and warn Captain Simms of what is going on. "

The _Curlew_ was headed about and a few moments later was in sight ofMusky Bay again. 

CHAPTER XI. 

A SWIM WITH A MEMORY. 

"So they did find me out, after all?" said Captain Simms grimly, afterhe had heard the boys' story. "Well, it will not do them much good. I amwell armed and the government is at my back. If I get the chance I willdeal with those rascals with no uncertain hand. "

"Why don't you have them arrested right now?" asked Noddy. 

"Because it would be premature to do so at the present moment. Theagents of several nations are keen on getting a copy of the code. Ifthese men were arrested, it would reveal, directly, the whereabouts ofthe code and its author. "

"It seems too bad such rascals can carry on their intrigues withoutbeing punished, " said Jack. 

As it was noon by that time, and the appetites of all were sharp set, Captain Simms invited the boys to have lunch with him. It was a simplemeal, consisting mainly of fish; but the boys did ample justice to it, and finished up with some pie, which the captain had brought fromClayton to replenish his larder. 

After dinner the capricious breeze died out entirely. The heat wasintense, and the water glittered like a sheet of molten glass. The boyslooked longingly at the bay, however. The idea of a cool swim seemedvery attractive just then. Captain Simms had left them to their owndevices while he took a nap. 

"Tell you what, " said Billy, "let's take a swim, eh, fellows?"

"Suits me down to the ground, " said Jack. 

"Suits me down to the water, " grinned Noddy. 

They had bathing trunks on their boat, and, having found what lookedlike a good spot, a little cove with a sandy beach, they disrobed andwere soon sporting in the water. 

"Ouch! It's colder than I thought it was, " cried Noddy. 

"You'll soon warm up, " encouraged Jack. "I'll race you out to thatanchored boat. "

"Bully for you, " cried Billy. 

"You're on, " echoed Noddy, not to be outdone. But, as a matter of fact, the red-headed lad, who had eaten far more than the others, wasn'tfeeling very well. However, he did not wish to spoil the fun, so hedidn't say anything. 

Jack and Billy struck out with long, strong strokes. 

"Come on, " cried Jack, looking back at Noddy, who was left behind, andwho began to feel worse and worse. "What's the trouble--want atow-rope?"

"I'll beat you yet, Jack Ready, " cried Noddy, fighting off a feeling ofnausea. 

"I guess I went in the water too soon after eating, " he thought. "Itwill wear off. "

"Help!"

The single, half-choked cry for aid reached the ears of Jack and Billywhen they were almost at the anchored boat, which was the objectivepoint of the race. 

"Great Cæsar!" burst from Jack. "What's up now?"

He turned round just in time to see Noddy's arms go up in the air. Thenthe red-headed lad sank out of sight like a stone. 

"He can't be fooling, can he?" exclaimed Billy nervously. 

"He wouldn't be so silly as to do that, " rejoined Jack, who was alreadystriking out for the spot where Noddy had vanished. Billy followed himclosely. 

They were still some yards off when Noddy suddenly reappeared. He wasstruggling desperately, and his eyes seemed to be popping out of hishead. His arms circled wildly, splashing the water helplessly. Then hedisappeared once more. 

"Heavens, he is drowning, " choked out Jack. "We must save him, Billy. "

"Of course we will, old boy, " panted Billy, upon whom the pace wasbeginning to tell. 

Jack reached the spot where the disturbed water showed that Noddy hadgone down for the second time. Just as he gained the place Noddy shot upagain. He was totally unconscious and sank again almost instantly. 

Like a flash Jack was after him, diving down powerfully. He graspedNoddy round the chest under the arms. 

"Noddy! Noddy!" he exclaimed, as they shot to the surface. But the lad'seyes were closed, his face was deadly white, and his matted hair layover his eyes. A terrible thought invaded Jack's mind. What if Noddywere dead and had been rescued too late?

"Here, give me one of his arms. We must get him ashore as quickly as wecan, " cried Billy. 

"That's right; he's a dead weight. Oh, Billy, I hope that he isn't----"

A moan came from Noddy. Suddenly he opened his eyes and grasped at Jackwildly, with five times his normal strength. The movement was sounexpected that Jack was dragged under water. But the next momentNoddy's drowning grip relaxed and they rose to the surface. 

"He's unconscious again, " panted Jack. "He'll be all right, now. Takehold, Billy, and we'll make for the shore. "

It was an exhausting swim, but at last they reached shallow water, and, ceasing swimming, carried Noddy to the beach. They anxiously bent overhim. 

"We must get that water out of his lungs, " declared Jack, who knewsomething of how to treat the half-drowned. 

Luckily, an old barrel had drifted ashore not far off, and over thispoor Noddy was rolled and pounded and then hoisted up by the ankles tillmost of the water was out of his lungs and he began to take deep, gasping breaths. 

But it was a long time before he was strong enough to get on his feet, and even then his two chums had to support him back to Captain Simms'house, where they received a severe lecture for going in the water sosoon after eating. 

"It was an awful sensation, " declared Noddy. "It just hit me like anelectric shock. I couldn't move a limb. Then I don't remember much ofanything more till I found myself on the beach. "

Noddy's deep gratitude to his friends may be imagined, but it was toopainful a subject to be talked about. It was a long while, however, before any of them got over the recollection of Noddy's peril. 

CHAPTER XII. 

A TALE FROM THE FROZEN LANDS. 

Although Noddy had recovered remarkably quick, thanks to his ruggedconstitution, from the effects of his immersion, Captain Simms orderedhim on the sick-list and he was, much against his will, sent to bed. 

"He'd better stay there all night, " said the captain. "We don't want torun any risks of pneumonia. I don't suppose your uncle will worry aboutyou?"

"He's got over that long ago, " laughed Jack; "besides, there's aprofessor stopping at the hotel who is on the lookout for funny plantsand herbs. That's Uncle Toby's long suit, you know. "

"So I have heard, " smiled the captain. "Well, you boys may as well makeyourselves at home. "

"Thank you, we will, " said Billy. Whereat there was a general laugh. 

There was a phonograph and a good selection of records in the cottage, so they managed to while away a pleasant afternoon. Jack cooked supper, "just by way of paying for our board, " he said. After the meal they satup for a time listening to Captain Simms' tales of seal poachers in theArctic and the trouble they give the patrol assigned to see that they donot violate the international boundary, and other laws. Before he hadtaken command of the _Thespis_, of the Ice-berg Patrol, Captain Simmshad been detailed to command of the _Bear_ revenue cutter, and hadchased and captured many a sealer who was plying his trade illicitly. 

The boys listened attentively as he told them of the rough hardships ofsuch a life, and how, sometimes, a whole fleet of sealers, if frozen inby an early formation of ice, must face hunger and sometimes death tillthe spring came to release them from their imprisonment. 

"It must take a lot of nerve and courage to be a sealer, " said Jack. 

"It certainly does, " agreed the captain. "Yet I heard from one sealingcaptain the story of a young fellow whom it turned from a weak cowardinto a brave man. This lad, who was regarded as a weakling, savedhimself and two companions from a terrible death simply by an act ofalmost sublime courage. Would you like to hear the story?"

"If you don't mind spinning the yarn, " said Jack. 

"Well, then, " began the captain, "to start with, the name of my hero isShavings. Of course he had another name, but that's the one he wasalways known by, and I've forgotten the right one. He was a long-legged, lanky Vermont farmer, with dank strings of yellow hair hanging about hismild face. This hair gave him his nickname aboard the sealing schooner, _Janet Barry_, on which he signed as a boat man. How Shavings came toSt. Johns, from which port the _Janet Barry_ sailed, or why he pickedout such a job, nobody ever knew. He had, as sailors say, 'hayseed inhis hair' and knew nothing about a ship. 

"But what he didn't know he soon learned under the rough method oftuition they employed on the _Barry_. A mate with a rope's end sent himaloft for the first time and kept sending him there till Shavingslearned how to clamber up the ratlines with the best of them. He learnedboat-work in much the same way, although he passed through a lot ofexperiences while chasing seals, that scared him badly. He told thecaptain long afterward that, although he was afraid of storms and gales, still he sometimes welcomed them, because he knew the boats would nothave to go out. 

"One day, far to the north, they ran into an exceptionally fine schoolof seals. All the boats were sent away, and among them the one to whichShavings belonged. In command of this boat was Olaf Olsen, the mate whohad taught Shavings the rudiments of his profession by means of hardknocks. Dark clouds were scurrying across the sky, and the sea lookedangry, but that made no difference to the sealers. Lives or no lives, women in the States had to have their sealskin coats. 

"So the boats pursued the seals for a long distance, and in theexcitement nobody noticed what the weather was doing. Nobody, that is, but Shavings, and he didn't dare to say that it was growing worse, forfear of angering the mate. The hunters harpooned a goodly catch beforethe gale was upon the little fleet almost without warning. 

"Then the storm broke with a screech and a massing of angry water. Theboats had been under sail, and in a flash two of them were over-turned. Shavings saw all this with terror in his eyes and a cold clutch at hisheart. He knew the men in those boats would never go sealing again. 

"Then his eyes fell on the mate, Olaf Olsen. The man appeared to bepetrified with fright. He made no move to do anything. Then something inShavings seemed to wake up. 

"Perhaps that yellow hair of his was a survival of some old Vikingstrain, or perhaps all those months of rough sea life had made him overwithout his knowing it. But he seized the mate and shook him by theshoulder:

"'Give an order, man!' he shouted. 'Order the sail reefed. '

"But the sight of the death of his shipmates had so unnerved the matethat he could no nothing. Shavings kicked him disgustedly, and wentabout the job himself. Clouds of spray burst over him. Time and again hewas within an inch of being swept overboard, but at last he had the sailreefed down. Then he took the tiller and headed back for the schooneracross the immense seas through the screeching gale. 

"He handled that boat skillfully, meeting the big seas and riding theirsummits, only to be buried the next instant in the watery valley betweenthe giant combers. But always he rose. He had the cheering sight of theschooner before him and it grew closer. The boat sailed more on her beamthan on her keel, but at last Shavings, more dead than alive, ran her inunder the lee of the schooner's hull, and willing hands got thesurvivors out of the boat. 

"The skipper of that craft was a rough man. He drove Olaf Olsen forwardwith blows and curses and the strong Swede whimpered like a whipped cur. Then he came aft to where the cook was giving Shavings and the rest hotcoffee. 

"'Shavings, ' he said, 'after this you're mate in that coward Olsen'splace. You're a man. '

"'No, sirree, ' rejoined Shavings, 'I'm a farmer. No mate's job for me. When we gets back ter home I'm goin' ter take my share uv ther catch andbuy a farm. '

"But he was finally persuaded to take the job of mate when his canny NewEngland mind grasped the fact that the mate's share of the profits ismuch bigger than a foremast hand's. He was as good as his word, however, and, when the _Janet Barry_, with her flag at half mast but her holdfull of fine skins, docked at St. Johns after the season was over, Shavings drew his money and vanished. I suppose he is farming itsomewhere in Vermont now, but I agree with his captain, who told me thestory, that there was a fine sailor lost in Shavings. "

CHAPTER XIII. 

A NIGHT ALARM. 

Jack sat bolt upright in bed and listened with all his might. Outsidethe window of the little room he occupied that night in the captain'scottage he was almost certain he had heard the sound of a furtivefootfall and whisperings. His blood beat in his ear-drums as he sattense and rigid, waiting a repetition of the noise. 

Suddenly, there came a low whisper from outside. 

"If only we knew if the captain was alone. For all we know thosebothersome boys may be with him, and, if they are, we are likely to getthe worst of it. "

"Donald Judson!" exclaimed Jack to himself. "What ought I to do?"

He pondered a moment and then recollected that there was a door to hisroom which let directly out on a back porch without the occupant of theroom having to traverse any other chamber. Jack at once formed a boldresolve. He did not wish to arouse the others unnecessarily, but he didwant, with all his power, to find out what was going on. 

He rose from the bed as cautiously as he could, and made his way to thedoor. It was a ticklish task, in the dark, to accomplish without noise, but he succeeded in doing it. Outside it was very dark, with a velvetysort of blackness. The boy was glad of this, for it afforded himprotection from the men he felt sure were reconnoitering the house forno good purpose. 

Suddenly he saw, not far off, the gleam of a light of some sort. If itbelonged to the Judsons, they must have presumed that nobody was about, or not have realized that the place where they had left it was visiblefrom the cottage. 

"Now I wonder what they've got up there?" mused Jack. "Maybe it would bea good scheme to go up and see. "

Anything that looked like an adventure aroused Jack's animation, and afew seconds after the idea had first taken hold of him he was making hisway up a rather steep hillside, covered with rocks and bushes, towardthe light. At last he reached a place where he could get a good look atthe shining beacon. He hardly knew what he had expected to see, butsomehow he felt a sort of sense of disappointment. 

The lantern stood by itself on a rock and the idea suggested itself toJack that it might have been placed there as a beacon to guide themidnight visitors back when they had accomplished whatever they purposeddoing. 

"I've a good mind to carry off their lantern, " said Jack to himself; "ifthey put it there to guide them that would leave them in a fine fix andwe could easily capture them. "

Once more, half involuntarily, his feet appeared to draw him toward thelantern. The next instant he had it in his grasp. 

"Now to turn it out, " he muttered, when he felt himself seized frombehind in a powerful grip and a harsh voice growled in his ear:

"Yer would, would yer, you precious young scallywag. "

The lantern was wrested from his grasp, and Jack felt a noose slippedover his head. 

"Who are you?" he demanded indignantly of his unknown captor. 

"Bill Smiggers, of the motor boat _Black Beauty_, " was the gruff reply. "They left me up here to watch by the light, and I guess they'll be gladthey did when they see who I've caught. I reckon you're one of thosesnoopy kids I've heard them talking about. "

"I don't know what you mean, " replied Jack, "but you'd better let me goat once. "

"Huh, I'd be a fine softy to do that, wouldn't I? No, young man, hereyou are, and here you stay. I'm getting well paid for this job, and I'mgoing to do a good one. "

Just then footsteps were heard coming up the hillside. Then a low, cautious voice whispered out of the darkness:

"What's the matter, Bill? We saw the light waved, and came right back. Is there any danger?"

"Not right now, I reckon, " rejoined Bill, with grim humor. "Any of yougents know this young bantam I've got triced up here?"

"Jack Ready, by all that's wonderful!" cried Judson, stepping forward. He was followed by young Judson and Jarrow. 

"Dear me, what an--er--what a pleasant encounter, " grinned Jarrow. 

"So you thought you'd spy on us, did you?" snarled Donald, vindictively;"well, this is the time that we've got you and got you right. "

Jack's heart, stout as it was, sank like lead within him. He was in thehands of his enemies and that, largely, by his own foolishness. 

"So this is that Ready kid I hearn you talkin' about?" asked Bill. 

"That's the boy, confound him! He's always meddling in my schemes, "growled Jarrow. 

"Bright looking lad, ain't he?"

"Too bright for his own good. He's so sharp he'll cut himself. "

"No, his brightness won't help him now, " chuckled Donald maliciously. "I'll bet you're scared to death, " he went on, coming close to Jack. 

"Not particularly. It takes more than a parcel of cowards and crooks tofrighten me. "

"Don't you put on airs with me. You're in our power now, " jeered Donald. "I'll make you suffer for the way you've treated me. "

"It would be like you to take advantage of the fact that my arms aretied, " retorted Jack. 

Donald came a step closer and stuck his fist under Jack's nose. 

"You be careful, or I'll crack you one, " he snarled. 

"You're a nice sort of an individual, I must say. Why don't you try fairdealing for a change?"

"I do deal fair. It's you that don't. I----"

"That will do, " interrupted his father; "I've been talking with Bill andhe says he knows a place where we can take this young bantam and leavehim till he cools off. "

"You mean that you are going to imprison me?" demanded Jack indignantly. 

"You may call it that, if you like, " said Judson imperturbably; "you arequite too clever a lad to have at large. "

"Where are you taking me to?"

"You'll find that out soon enough. Now then, forward march and, if youattempt to make an outcry, you'll feel this on your head. "

Judson, with a wicked smile, flourished a stout club under the captiveboy's nose. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

JACK'S CURIOSITY AND ITS RESULTS. 

"What do you intend to do with me?" repeated Jack, as they hurried overthe rough ground, following Bill, who trudged ahead with the lantern. 

"You'll find out quick enough, I told you before, " said Donald. 

"Don't you know that my friends are in the neighborhood? They willinvoke the law against you for this outrage. "

"We know all about that, " was the elder Judson's reply, "but we're notworrying. We'll have them prisoners, too, before long. "

Jack made no reply to this, but he judged it was an empty threat made toscare him. He knew that nothing would have delighted Donald Judson morethan to see him breaking down. So he kept up a brave front, which he wasin reality far from feeling at heart. 

From the bold manner in which Bill displayed the lantern as he led theparty on, Jack knew that the rascal must be familiar with the country, and know it to be sparsely inhabited. So far as Jack could judge theywere retreating from the river and going up hill. 

About an hour after they had started, Bill paused in front of an ancientstone dwelling--or rather what had been a dwelling, for it was nowdilapidated and deserted. 

"This is the place, boss, " he grated, holding up his lantern so that itsrays fell on the old place, which looked as grim as a fortress. 

"It's haunted, too, isn't it, Bill?" asked Donald meaningly. 

"Well, they do say there was a terrible murder done here some years agoand that's the reason it's been deserted ever since, but I really couldnot say as to the truth of that, Master Judson, " rejoined Bill, fallinginto Donald's plan to tease Jack. 

Inside the place was one large room. A few broken bits of furniturestood about. Bill set the lantern down on a rickety table and then wentto guard the door, while the others retreated to a corner and held aparley. 

At its conclusion Judson came over to Jack. 

"Well, Ready, " he said, "you've caused us a lot of trouble, but still Imight come to terms with you. "

"Are you ready to release me?" demanded Jack. 

"Yes, under certain conditions. First, you must tell us all you knowabout that naval code of Captain Simms. "

"And the truth, too, " snarled Jarrow. "We'll find out quick enough ifyou're lying, and we'll make it hot for you. "

"You bet we will, " chimed in Donald. 

"Donald, be quiet a minute, " ordered his father. "Well, Ready, what haveyou to say?"

"Suppose I tell you I know nothing about the naval code?" said Jackquietly. 

"Then I should say you were not telling the truth. "

"Nevertheless I am. "

"What, you know nothing about the code?"

"Nothing except that Captain Simms was ordered to get up something ofthe sort. "

"You don't know if it's finished or not?"

"I have no idea. "

"Is your life worth anything to you?" struck in Jarrow. 

"What do you mean?" asked Jack. 

"Just what I say. If it is, you had better make terms to save it. "

"Impossible. You are fooling with me, Jarrow. Even a man as base as youwouldn't dare----"

"I wouldn't, eh? Well, you'll find out before long if I'm in earnest ornot. "

Jack was a brave lad, as we know, and carried himself well through manydangerous situations. But he was not the dauntless hero of a nickelnovel whom nothing could scare. He knew Jarrow for a desperado and, although he could not bring himself to believe the man would actuallycarry out any such threat as he had made, still he realized to the fullthe peril of his situation. 

"Well, what do you say?" demanded Jarrow, after a pause. 

"I don't know just what to say, " said Jack. "My head is all in a whirl. Give me time to think the thing over. I can hardly collect my thoughtsat present. "

The men made some further attempts to get something out of him, but, finding him obdurate, they ordered Bill to see that his bonds were tightand then to put him in the "inner room" he had spoken of. Bill gave theropes a savage yank, found they were tight and then led Jack to a greendoor at the farther end of the large room. Jack had a glimpse of asquare room with a broad fireplace at one end and a small window. Itappeared to be used as a storehouse of some kind, for it was half filledwith bags, apparently containing potatoes. In one corner stood agrindstone operated by a treadle. Then the door was shut with a bang, and he was left to his own, none-too-pleasant reflections. Outside hecould hear the buzz of voices. But he couldn't catch much of what wasbeing said. Once he heard Jarrow say:

"You're too soft with the boy. A good lashing with a black-snake wouldbring him to his senses quick enough. "

"I'd like to lay it on, " he heard Donald chime in. 

At last they appeared to grow sleepy. Jack heard a key turned in thelock of the inner room that he occupied and not long thereafter came thesound of snores. Evidently nobody was on guard, the men who had capturedhim thinking that there was no chance of the boy's escape. 

"Now's my chance, " thought Jack. "If only I could get my hands free, Imight be able to do something. But, as it is, I'm helpless. "

His heart sank once more, as he thought bitterly of the predicament intowhich his own foolhardiness had drawn him. 

CHAPTER XV. 

BILLY TAKES THE TRAIL. 

"What's the matter?"

Just as Jack stole out of the house Billy Raynor sat bolt upright in bedand asked himself that question. He was on the other side of thecottage, and, like Jack a few minutes before, he too heard the cautiousfootsteps of the marauders, as they crept round the cottage, reconnoitering. 

"Somebody's up to mischief, " thought the boy. "It may only be commonthieves, or it may be that rascally outfit. I'll go and rouse Jack. Perhaps we can get after them. "

He tiptoed across the main room of the cottage to Jack's door. Insidethe room he struck a match. He almost cried out aloud when he saw thatthe bed was empty and that there was no sign of his chum. 

"Where can he be?" thought the lad. "Surely he has not gone after thatgang single-handed. "

Raynor hastened to his own room, slipped on some clothes, and went tothe door. Far up on the hillside a lantern was twinkling like somefallen star. 

"That's mighty odd, " reflected the lad. "I guess I'll take a look upthere and see what's coming off. "

He picked his way cautiously up the rough hillside. But the lanternretreated as he went forward. As we know, Judson and his gang, led byBill, were carrying off Jack. Without realizing how far he had gone, Raynor kept on and on. Some instinct told him that the dodgingwill-o'-the-wisp of light ahead of him had something to do with Jack, and he wanted to find out what that something was. 

But, not knowing the trail Bill was following, and having no light butthe spark ahead of him, Raynor found it pretty hard traveling. At lasthe was so tired that he sat down to snatch a moment's rest, leaning hisback against a bush. 

As his weight came against the bush, however, a strange thing happened. The shrub gave way altogether under the pressure. Raynor struggled foran instant to save himself, and then felt himself tumbling backward downan unknown height. He gave a shout of alarm, but his progress down whatappeared to be a steep wall of rock, was over almost as soon as it hadbegun. 

"What happened?" gasped the lad, as, shaken by his adventure, he pickedhimself up and tried to collect his wits. "Oh, yes, I know, that bushgave way and I toppled over backward. I must be in some sort of hole inthe ground. Well, the first thing to do is to get a light. "

Luckily Raynor's pockets held several matches, and he struck one of themand looked about him. 

His eyes fell on the bush which lay at his feet. 

"No wonder it gave way, " he muttered. "The thing is dead and withered. But"--as a sudden thought struck him--"it will make a dandy torch andhelp save matches. "

He lit the dead bush, which blazed up bravely, illumining hissurroundings with a ruddy glow. Above him was a dark hole, presumablythe one through which he had fallen. But there was no way of escape inthat direction. He turned his gaze another way. The cave appeared torecede beyond the light of the blazing branch. 

Looking down, he saw that the floor of the cave was thickly litteredwith leaves and small branches. This encouraged him a good deal. 

"They couldn't have been blown in by the hole I fell through, " he mused, "for the dead bush covered that. Their being here must mean that thereis another entrance to this place. "

Carrying his torch aloft, he struck off into the cave. Its floor slopedgently upward as he progressed and the walls began to grow narrower. Theair, too, rapidly lost its musty odor, and blew fresh and sweet on hisperspiring head. 

"This will be quite an adventure to tell about if I ever get out ofhere, " muttered Raynor, and the thought of Jack, whom he had almostforgotten in his fright at his fall into the cave, occurred to him. 

What could have happened to his chum? Surely he had not been foolhardyenough to face the marauders alone? Raynor did not know what to make ofit. 

"Somehow, " he pondered, "I am sure that lantern had something to do withJack. I wonder if they would have dared to carry him off? I wish togoodness I'd kept on, instead of leaning against that bush. Even if I doget out of here, the light must be far out of sight by this time, andI'll have to wait till daylight, anyhow, for I must have walked almost amile from the other entrance to the cave by this time. "

His thoughts ran along in this strain as he walked. The thought ofCaptain Simms' alarm, too, when he found both boys missing, gave him agood deal of worry. 

He was thinking over this phase of the situation when he was startled bya low growl, coming from a pile of rocks just ahead of him. What couldit be? Holding his breath painfully, while a cold chill ran down hisspine, Raynor came to a dead pause and listened. His improvised torchhad almost burned out and it was appalling to think that he faced thepossibility of being in darkness ere long, with a wild beast close athand. 

Again came the growl. It echoed and re-echoed hollowly in the cave tillthe frightened lad appeared to be menaced from all directions. 

"It must be a bear, or some wild beast just as bad, " thought Raynor. 

The growling was repeated, but now it appeared to be retreating fromhim. Plucking up courage, after a while, Raynor, waving his torch, pushed forward again. He came to a place where it was necessary toscramble up to a sort of platform considerably higher than the path hehad been traversing. 

As he gained this, he saw several tiny bright lights in front of him. 

"Hurrah! It's the stars!" he cried aloud. 

"The--s-t-a-r-s!" the echoes boomed back. 

At almost the same instant Raynor saw, in front of him, what looked liketwo balls of livid green flame. 

But the boy knew that they were the eyes of whatever beast it was thathad sent its growls echoing fearfully through the cave. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

A "GHOSTESS" ABROAD. 

Suddenly, like an inspiration, Jack thought of a way in which he mightfree his captive hands. Naturally quick-witted, the emergency he foundhimself facing had made his mind more active than usual. 

"That grindstone, " he thought. "I can work the treadle with my foot, while I stand backward to it. If I hold the rope against the sharp edgeof the stone it ought to cut through in a very short time. "

It was quite a task to locate the grindstone in the darkness withoutmaking a noise. But at last Jack, by dint of feeling softly along thewalls, located it. Then he turned his back to the machine and put hisfoot on the treadle. As the wheel began to turn he pressed the rope thatbound his hands against the rough stone. In ten minutes he was free. 

"Now for the next move, " counseled the boy. "I've got to do whatever Idecide upon quickly. If I don't escape, and that gang finds how I'vefreed my wrists, they'll shackle me hand and foot, and I'll not getanother chance to get away. If it was only daylight I'd stand a muchbetter opportunity of getting out. "

There was the door, but to try that was out of the question. Jack hadheard it locked and the key turned. The window? It was too small for abig, well-grown boy like Jack to creep through. He had noted that duringthe time the door was open and his prison was lighted by the rays of thelantern. 

"There's that fireplace, " thought the boy, "that's about the lastresort. I wonder----"

He located the big, old-fashioned chimney, built of rough stones andfull of nooks and crannies, without trouble. Getting inside it on thehearthstone he looked upward; it was open to the sky and at the top hecould see a faint glow. 

"It's getting daylight, " he exclaimed to himself. 

The next moment he noticed that right across the top of the chimney wasthe stout branch of a tree. 

"If I could get up the chimney that branch would afford me a way ofgetting to the ground, " he thought. 

"By Jove! I believe I could do it, " he muttered, as the light grewstronger and he saw how roughly the interior of the chimney was built. "It's not very high, and those rough stones make a regular ladder. "

As time was pressing, Jack began the ascent at once. For a lad as activeas he was, it proved even more easy than he had anticipated. But longbefore he reached the top he was covered from head to foot with soot, although, oddly enough, that thought never occurred to him. At length, black as a negro in mourning, he reached the top of the chimney andgrasped the tree branch he had noticed from below. 

He swung into it and made his way to the main trunk of the tree, anancient elm. It was no trick at all then for him to slide to the ground. Then, silently as a cat, he tiptoed his way from the old stone house, with its occupants sleeping and snoring, blissfully unaware that Jackhad stolen a march on them. 

"Well, things have gone finely so far, " he mused. "Now, what shall bethe next step?"

He looked about him. The country was a wild one. There was no sign of ahouse, and, as far as he could see, there was nothing but an expanse oftimber and rocks. 

"This is a tough problem, " thought the boy. "I've no idea where I am, orthe points of the compass. If I go one way, I might come out all right, but then again I might find myself lost in the forest. Hanged if I knowwhat to do. "

But, realizing that it would not do to waste any time around the oldhouse, Jack at length struck off down what appeared to have been, inbygone days, some sort of a wood road. It wound for quite a distanceamong the trees, but suddenly, to his huge delight, the boy beheld infront of him the broad white ribbon of a dusty highway. 

Suddenly, too, he heard the sound of wheels and the rattle of a horse'shoofs coming along at a smart rate. 

"Good; now I can soon find out where I am, " thought the boy, and hehurried forward to meet the approaching vehicle. It contained a prettyyoung woman, wearing a sunbonnet. 

Jack had no hat to lift, but he made his best bow as the fair drivercame abreast of him. 

"I beg your pardon, " he began, "but could you tell me----"

The young woman gave one piercing scream. 

"Oh-h-h-h-h-h!" she cried, and gave her horse a lash with the whip thatmade it leap forward like an arrow. In a flash she was out of sight in acloud of dust. 

"Well, what do you know about that?" exclaimed Jack. "She must be crazy, or something, or else she's the most bashful girl I ever saw. "

He sat down on a rock at the side of the road to rest and waited foranother rig or a foot passenger to come by. Before long he heard asprightly whistle, and a barefooted boy, carrying a tin pail, and with afish pole over his shoulder, appeared round a curve in the road. 

"Now, I'll get sailing directions, " said Jack to himself, and then, asthe boy drew near:

"Hullo, sonny! Can you tell me----"

The boy gave one look and then, dropping his can of bait, and his pole, fled with a howl of dismay. 

"Hi! Stop, can't you? What's the matter with you?" shouted Jack. He ranafter the boy at top speed. But the faster he ran the faster theyoungster sped along the road. 

"Oh-h-h-h-h! Help! Mum-muh!" he yelled, as he ran, in terrified tones. 

At length Jack gave up the chase. He leaned against a fence and gave wayto his indignation. 

"Bother it all, " he said. "What can be the matter with these people?Everyone I speak to runs away from me, as if I had the plague orsomething. Anyhow, that youngster can't be very far down this road. Iguess I'll keep right on after him, and then I'm bound to come to someplace where there are some sensible folks. "

As he assumed, it was not long before he came in sight of a neat littlefarm-house, standing back from the road in a grove of fine trees. Hemade his way toward it. In the front yard an old man was trimmingrose-bushes. 

"Can you tell me----" began Jack. 

The old man looked up. Then uttering an appalling screech, he ran forhis life into the house. "Mandy! Mandy! Thar be a ghostess in the yard!"he yelled, as he ran. 

Jack looked after him blankly. What could be the matter?

CHAPTER XVII. 

ONE MYSTERY SOLVED. 

"Well, I'll be jiggered!" exclaimed Jack. "What _can_ be the matter? Itbeats me. I----"

"Hey you, git out of thar. I don't know what of critter ye be, but youscared my old man nigh ter death. Scat now, er I'll shoot!"

Jack looked up toward an upper window of the farm-house, from which thevoice, a high-pitched, feminine one, had proceeded. An old lady, with adetermined face, stood framed in the embrasure. In her hands, andpointed straight at the mystified Jack, she held an ancient butmurderous looking blunderbuss. 

"It's loaded with slugs an' screws, an' brass tacks, " pleasantlyobserved the old lady. "Jerushiah!" this to someone within the room, "stop that whimperin'. I'm goin' ter send it on its way, ghost or noghost. "

"But, madam----" stammered Jack. 

"Don't madam me, " was the angry reply. "Git now, and git quick!"

"This is like a bad dream, " murmured Jack, but there was no choice forhim but to turn and go; "maybe it is a dream. If it is I wish I couldwake up. "

He turned into the hot, dusty road once more. He felt faint and hungry. His mouth was dry, and he suffered from thirst, too. Before long hefound a chance to slake this latter. A cool, clear stream, spanned by arustic bridge, appeared as he trudged round a bend in the road. 

"Ah, that looks good to me, " thought Jack, and he hurried down the bankas fast as he could. 

He bent over the stream at a place where an eddy made an almost stillpool, as clear as crystal. But no sooner did his face approach the waterthan he gave a violent start. A hideous black countenance gazed up athim. Then, suddenly, Jack broke into a roar of laughter. 

"Jerusalem! No wonder everybody was scared at me when I scare myself!"he exclaimed. "It's the soot from that chimney. Just think, it neveroccurred to me why they were all so alarmed at my appearance. Why, I'dmake a locomotive shy off the track if it saw me coming along. "

It did not take Jack long to clean up, and, while his face was stillgrimy when he had finished, it was not, at least, such a startlinglooking countenance as he had presented to those from whom he sought tofind his way back to Musky Bay. 

"Now that I look more presentable I guess I'll try and get somebreakfast, " thought the boy as, his thirst appeased, he scrambled up thebank again. 

About half a mile farther along the road was the queerest-looking houseJack had ever seen. It was circular in form, and looked like three giantcheese-boxes, perched one on the top of the other, with the smallest atthe top. 

"Well, whoever lives there must be a crank, " thought Jack; "but still, since I've money to pay for my breakfast, even a crank won't drive meaway, I guess. "

A man was sawing wood in the back yard and to him Jack addressedhimself. 

"I'd like to know if I can buy a meal here?" he said. 

"No, you can't fry no eel here, " said the man, and went on sawing. 

"I didn't say anything about frying eels. I said 'Can I get a meal?'"shouted Jack, who now saw that the man was somewhat deaf. 

"Don't see it makes no difference to you how I feel, " rejoined the man. 

"I'm hungry. I want to eat. I can pay, " bellowed Jack. 

"What's that about yer feet?" asked the deaf man. 

"Not feet--eat--E-A-T. I want to eat, " fairly yelled Jack. 

"What do you mean by calling me a beat?" angrily rejoined the deaf man. 

"I didn't. Oh, Great Scott, everything is going wrong to-day, " criedJack. Then he cupped his hands and fairly screeched in the man's ear. 

"Can I buy a meal here?"

A light of understanding broke over the other's face. 

"Surely you can, " he said. "Araminta--that's my wife--'ull fix up a bitefer yer. Why didn't you say what you wanted in the fust place?"

"I did, " howled Jack, crimson in the face by this time; "but you didn'thear me. You are deaf. "

"Wa'al, I may be a _little_ hard o' hearing, young feller, " admitted theman, "but I hain't deef by a dum sight. "

Jack didn't argue the point, but followed him to the house, where apleasant-faced woman soon prepared a piping hot breakfast. As he ate anddrank, Jack inquired the way to Musky Bay. 

"It ain't far, " the woman told him, "five miles or so. "

"Can I get anyone to drive me back there?" asked Jack, who was prettywell tired out by this time. 

"Oh, yes; Abner will drive you over fer a couple of dollars. "

She hurried out to tell her husband to hitch up. Jack could hear hershouting her directions in the yard. 

"All right. No need uv speaking so loud. I kin hear ye, " Jack could hearthe deaf man shouting back. "I kin hear ye. "

"Just think, " said the woman when she came back into the kitchen, whereJack had eaten, "Abner won't admit he's deef one bit. At church onSundays he listens to the sermon just as if he understood it. If anyoneasks him what it was about, he'll tell 'um that he doesn't care todiscuss the new minister, but he's not such a powerful exhorter as theold one. He's mighty artful, is Abner. "

The rig was soon ready and Jack was on his homeward way. To hisannoyance, Abner proved very talkative and required answers to all hisremarks. 

"Gracious, I'll have no lungs left if I have to shout this way all theway home, " thought Jack. "It'll be Husky Bay. If ever I drive with Abneragain, I'll bring along some cough lozenges. "

"Must be pretty tough to be really, down-right deef, " remarked Abner, after Jack had roared out answers to him for a mile and a half. 

"It must be, " yelled Jack. 

"Yes, sir-ee, " rejoined Abner, wagging his head. "I'm just a trifle thater-way, and it bothers me quite a bit sometimes, 'specially in dampweather. Gid-ap!"

CHAPTER XVIII. 

BILL SNIGGERS DECIDES. 

We left Billy Raynor in a most unpleasant position. With escape from thecave within his grasp the way was blocked, it will be recalled, by somewild beast, the nature of which Billy did not know. His torch, made fromthe withered bush that was responsible for his dilemma, was burning low. Just in front of him glowed two luminous green eyes. 

While Billy stood there hesitating, the creature gave another of itsalarming growls. Hardly thinking what he was doing, Billy, startled by ashrill caterwaul, which followed the growl, flung his lighted torch fullat the eyes, and heard a screech that sounded as if his blazing missilehad struck its mark. 

[Illustration: While Billy stood there hesitating, the creature gaveanother of its alarming growls. ]

There was a swift patter of feet and the eyes vanished. 

"Great Christmas, I've scared the creature off, " said Billy to himself, with a sigh of relief; "a lucky thing I had that torch. "

He walked forward more boldly. The evident alarm of the animal that hadscared him, when the torch struck, convinced the boy that there was nomore danger to be feared from it. In a few seconds more he was out inthe open air and on a hillside. 

It was still pitch dark, but the stars seemed to be growing fainter. Billy drew out his watch and, striking a match, looked at it. The handspointed to three-thirty. 

"It will be daylight before long, " thought Billy. "If I start walkingnow I will only lose myself. I'll wait till it gets light and then tryto get my bearings. "

Never had dawn come so slowly as did that one, in the opinion of thetired and impatient lad. But at last the eastern sky grew faintly grayand then flushed red, and another day was born. In the growing light, Billy stood up and looked about him. The bay or any familiar landmarkswere not in sight. Billy was in a quandary. But before long he came to adecision. 

"I'll strike out for a main road, " he decided; "if I can find one, thatwill bring me to where I can get some information, at any rate. "

With this end in view, he scrambled down the hillside and found himselfin some fields. After a half-hour's walk across these, he saw, withdelight, that he had not miscalculated his direction. A road lay justbeyond a brush hedge. 

Billy made his way through a gap and struck off, in what he wastolerably sure was the way to Musky Bay. If he had but known it, however, he was proceeding in an exactly opposite direction. He hadwalked about a mile when another foot passenger hove in sight. 

The lad was glad of this at first, for, although he had walked somedistance, he had not passed a house, nor had any vehicles come by. But asecond glance at the man who was coming toward him made him by no meansso pleased at his appearance. The other foot passenger was a heavilybuilt man with a lowering brow. He wore clothes that savored of anautical character. 

"Hullo, there, young feller, " he said, as he halted to allow Billy tocome up to him. 

"Good morning, " said Billy. "I am trying to find my way to Musky Bay. Can you direct me?"

The other looked at the boy with a glance of quick suspicion. "Livin'there?" he asked. 

"Yes, that is to say, I'm staying there with friends. "

"Umph! I know a crowd of folks there. Who you stopping with?"

Before Billy realized what he was saying he had made a fatal slip. 

"With Captain Simms--that is, " he hurried on, in an effort to correcthis blunder, "I----"

"Know a kid named Ready--Jack Ready?"

"Why, yes, he's my best friend. He--here, what's the matter?"

The other had suddenly drawn a pistol and held it pointed unwaveringlyat Billy. 

"Jerk up yer hands, boy, and get 'em up quick!" he snarled. 

Billy had no recourse but to obey. The man facing him was a hard-lookingenough character to commit any crime. With a sudden pang Billy recalledthat he was wearing the handsome watch--one of which had been given bothto Jack and himself for services they had performed for a high officialin Holland, when they rescued the latter's wife and daughter fromrobbers who had held up the ladies' automobile. 

He saw the man's eyes fixed on the chain with a greedy glare. "Hand overthat watch, " he ordered. 

Billy did as he was told. Then came another order while the pistol waspointed unwaveringly at him. 

"Now come across with your cash. "

Billy handed over what money he possessed--about fifteen dollars. Therest was in a New York bank, and some in a safe at the hotel. 

The man looked at the inscription on the watch. 

"William Raynor, eh? Your friend was talking about you just before wehad to----"

All his fear was forgotten as the man spoke. His tones were sinister. Billy realized, like a flash, that this man was an ally of the Judsons, and must have had a hand in Jack's disappearance. 

"Had to what?" Billy demanded. "You don't mean that you committed anyact of violence?"

"Well, I'm not sayin' as to that, " rejoined the other, who, as ourreaders will have guessed, was Bill Sniggers, "you'll find out soonenough. "

The man was deliberately torturing Billy. 

Soon after Jack's escape, Judson had awakened, and had been the first todiscover that the boy had got away. A hasty and angry consultationfollowed, and it had been decided to send Bill, who was not known bysight in the vicinity, out to scout and see if the hunt for the missingboy was up. His astonishment at running into Billy was great. At first, till the boy spoke of Musky Bay, Bill, who was an all-around scoundrel, merely regarded him as a favorable object of robbery when he spied hisgold watch chain. Now, however, the boy was a source of danger. 

"Come over here, and I'll tell you all about it, " said Bill. "Oh, youneedn't be scared. I won't hurt you. I got all I wanted off of you. Yousee your friend got a little uppish after we carried him off, and so wehad--_to hit him this way_!"

The last words were spoken quickly and were accompanied by a terrificblow aimed at Billy's chin. The boy sank in the roadway without a moan. He lay white and apparently lifeless, while Bill, with a satirical grinon his face, regarded him. 

"Well, you won't come to life this little while, young feller, " hemuttered. "I'll just put you over this hedge for safekeeping, so as youwon't attract undue attention, and then be on my way. "

He picked the unconscious boy up as if he had been a feather and placedhim behind the hedge. Then, with unconcern written on his brutal face, the rascal walked on. He was bound for a neighboring village to getprovisions; for, till they knew how the land lay, none of the Judsongang dared to leave the deserted house. Bill, in his rough clothes, would attract little or no attention. But the others were smartlydressed and wore jewelry, and Donald had on yachting clothes. Had theybeen seen they could not have failed to be noticed in that simplecommunity. 

"This must be my lucky day, " muttered Bill, as he walked along. "I gotmy pay for that job last night, and now I've got a gold watch and chainand fifteen dollars beside. Tell you what, Bill, old-timer, I won't goback to that old house again. I'll just leave that bunch up there, andbeat it out of these parts in my motor-boat. That's what I'll do--go, while the goin's good, because I kin smell trouble coming sure as nextelection. "

CHAPTER XIX. 

WHAT A "HAYSEED" DID. 

Billy opened his eyes. His head swam dizzily, and he felt sick andfaint. The hot sun was beating down on him, but at first he thought hewas at home and in bed. Then he began to remember. He sat up, and then, not without an effort, rose to his feet dizzily. 

"Where on earth am I?" he thought. "And what happened? Let's see whattime it is. "

But his watch pocket was empty, and then full recollection of what hadoccurred came back to him. He was still rather painfully trying toregain the road when he heard the sound of a voice. It was a very loudvoice, even though the owner of it was not yet in sight. 

"Looks like we might have rain. I said it looks like we might have ashower. "

Then another voice--a boyish one--shouted back:

"YES--IT--DOES. "

"Gid-ap, " came in the first voice, and then came hoof-beats and therumble of wheels. The next minute a ramshackle, two-seated rig, with aman and a boy on the front seat, came into sight. Billy gave one longstare, as one who doubted the evidence of his own eyes. Then he brokeinto a glad shout:

"Jack!"

"Billy, old fellow, what in the world? Why, you're white as a sheet. "

With alarm on his face, Jack sprang out, as Abner stopped the rig, andrushed toward Billy. 

"How did you get here? What has happened?" demanded Jack. 

Billy told his story in as few words as possible. 

"Oh, the rascal, " broke out Jack, when Billy described the hold-up. "That was Bill Sniggers. He's the man who led the way to the stonehouse--but get in and I'll tell you my story as we go along. "

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Musky Bay; but a few hours ago I didn't think I'd ever see itagain. "

Jack had to shout both his story and Billy's for Abner's benefit. But hegave them in highly condensed versions, as his sorely taxed vocal organshad almost reached the limit of their strength. He had just reached theconclusion, having been interrupted several times by Abner'sexclamations, when, ahead of them, on the road, they spied a figureshuffling along in the dust. The two boys were on the rear seat of therig, so that the man, when he saw the rig approaching, having turned hishead at the sound of hoofs, did not see the boys. 

"Reckon that feller means ter ask fer a ride, " remarked Abner, as a bendin the road ahead screened the man from view for a few minutes. 

A sudden idea had come into Jack's head. 

"Let him have it, " he said; "and then drive to the nearest village andup to the police station. I'll pay you well for it. "

"But--but--who is he?" demanded Abner, stopping his horse. 

"Bill Sniggers, the rascal who is in league with Judson. "

"Great hemlock! You bet I'll pick him up right smart. But he'll see youboys and scare. "

"No, we'll hide in here, " and Jack raised a leather flap that hung fromthe back seat. "It will be a tight fit, but there'll be room. "

"Wa'al, if that don't beat all, " said Abner. "Git in thar, then, andthen the show kin go on. "

As Jack had said, it was a "tight fit" in the recess under the seat, but, as Abner's rig had been made to take produce to market, there was asort of extension at the back, which gave far more room than wouldordinarily have been the case. Pretty soon the boys, in theirhiding-place, felt the rig come to a stop. Then came a voice bothrecognized as Bill's. 

"Say, gimme a ride, will yer?"

"Did ye say my harness was untied?"

"No, I said gimme a ride, " roared Bill, at the top of his powerfullungs. 

"Oh, all right. Git in. Whoa thar', consarn yer (this to the horse). Whar yer goin'?"

"Nearest village. I'm campin' up the bay. I want to get some grub, "shouted Bill. 

"Yer a long ways frum ther river, " remarked Abner. 

"Maybe; but I reckon that ain't your business, " growled Bill. 

"Not ef you don't want ter tell it, 'tain't, " said Abner apologetically. He had heard enough of Bill's character not to argue with him. 

"That's a nice-looking watch you've got there, " the boys heard Abner saypleasantly. 

There was a pause and then Bill roared out:

"What's that to you if it is?"

"Oh, nothing, only I jest saw that printing on it, and calkilated itmight have bin a present to yer. "

Jack could almost see Bill hurriedly thrusting the watch back into hispocket. Then, after a little while, he spoke again. 

"Didn't see nothing of a kid back there in the road, did yer?"

"He means you, Billy, " whispered Jack. 

"No, I didn't see nothing of nobody, " was Abner's comprehensiverejoinder. 

There was a long silence, during which the boys sweltered in their closeconfinement. But they would have gone through more than that for thesake of what they hoped to bring about--the apprehension of at least oneof Judson's aides. 

"Getting near a village?" asked Bill presently. 

"Yep; 'bout half a mile more, " rejoined Abner. 

In a short time the rig began to slacken its pace. Then it stopped. 

"Here, what's this?" the boys heard Bill exclaim. "You're stopping infront of a police station. "

"Sure. The chief is Araminta's--that's my wife--cousin. I'm goin' in tersee him a minit. Hold the horse, will yer, he's a bit skittish. "

The boys heard Abner get out, and then an eternity seemed to elapse. Then a door banged and a sharp voice snapped out:

"Throw up your hands, gol ding yer. I'm the chief uv perlice, an' Iarrest ye fer ther robbery of one gold watch and assault and batt'ry. "

"Confound it, the old hayseed led me into a trap!" exclaimed Bill. 

He threw himself out of the rig and started to run. But, as he did so, Jack and Billy, who had crawled out from the back, suddenly appeared. Bill gave a wild shout, and the next instant he was sprawling headlongin the dusty street, while a crowd came rushing from all directions. 

Jack had tripped him by an old football trick. With an oath thedesperado reached for his revolver. But, before he could reach it, hewas pinioned by a dozen pairs of hands, and marched, struggling andswearing, into the police station. 

He was searched, and Billy's watch found on him, as well as the money. Then he was locked up. He refused to give any information about theJudsons, in which he showed his astuteness, for, if they had beencaught, his plight would have been worse than it was, for they wouldhave been certain to implicate him deeply. So he contented himself bysaying that he knew nothing about them. They had hired him to help theelder Judson recover his nephew from another uncle, who had treated himbadly. He knew nothing more about the case, he declared, except that, after Jack's escape, the Judsons had left for New York. (It may be saidhere that he was eventually found guilty of the theft and the assaultand received a jail sentence. )

Abner was well rewarded for the clever way he had brought about Bill'scapture; and, well pleased with the way everything had come out, theboys resumed their journey. 

"I hope Abner will invest part of what I gave him in an ear-trumpet, "said Jack, as they entered Musky Bay. 

"I hope so, " laughed Billy. He was going to add something, but a shoutstopped him. 

"There's Captain Simms and Noddy, " shouted Jack, as the two came runningtoward the vehicle. There is no need to go into the details of thereunion, or to relate what anxious hours the captain and Noddy had gonethrough after their discovery that the boys had vanished. If they hadnot reappeared when they did, Captain Simms was preparing to organizeposses and make a wide search for them, as well as enlisting the aid ofthe authorities. In the vague hope that the Judsons and Jarrow mighthave remained in the stone house, waiting Bill's return, a partysearched it next day, under the guidance of a native who knew the trailto it. But it was empty. A search for the black motor boat, too, resulted in nothing being found of her. 

As a matter of fact, not many minutes after Bill, from whom they wishedto be separated, had left the house, the Judsons--father and son--andJarrow, had made all speed to the point where the motor craft had beenleft and had hastily made off in her. They knew that the search for Jackwould be hot and wished to get as far away from Bill as he treacherouslywished to get from them. In their case there was certainly none of theproverbial honor among thieves. 

The black motor boat was left at Clayton and afterward claimed by arelative of Bill, who, by reason of "circumstances over which he had nocontrol, " was unable to claim her himself. As for the Judsons, theyvanished, leaving no trace behind them. The same was the case withJarrow. 

A message had been sent to Uncle Toby, telling him of the reason for theboys' delay at Musky Bay, _via_ a small mail steamer that plied thosewaters. His reply was characteristic:

 "Them buoys is as hard to hurt as gotes, and as tuff as ship's biskit on a Cape Horner. Best wishes to awl. Awl well here at eight bells. 

 "Cap'n Toby Ready, "_Inventor and Patentee of the Universal Herb Medicine, Guaranteed to Cure All Ills, Both of Man and Quadruped. _"

CHAPTER XX. 

THE "CURLEW" IN TROUBLE. 

"Looks as if we might have a blow, Jack. "

The _Curlew_ was lazily moving along, with all sail set, carrying theboys back to Pine Island from their adventurous visit to Musky Bay. But, although every bit of canvas was stretched on her spars, she hardlymoved. Her form was reflected in the smooth water with almostmirror-like accuracy. 

"A blow? Pshaw, " scoffed Noddy, "there isn't a breath of wind. I wish wecould get a blow and cool off. "

"Well, your wish is likely to come true before very long, " said Jack, who was at the tiller. 

"How's that?"

"See that cloud bank over yonder, that ragged one?"

"Yes, what's that got to do with it?"

"Well, that's as full of wind as an auto tire, " said Jack. "I've beenwatching it for some time. It'll be a nasty storm when it hits us. "

"Hadn't we better run in for shelter somewhere?" asked Billy. 

"There's so little wind now that I doubt if we could get inshore beforethe squall hits us, " replied Jack. "I'll try to, though. "

He headed for the distant shore, where the outlines of some sort of awooden structure could be seen. 

"If it gets very bad we can take refuge there, " he said. 

"That's so. I've no great fancy for getting wet, " said Billy. 

"Nor have I. We've had enough experiences of late to last us a longtime, " laughed Jack. 

"And I was left out of every one of them, " grumbled Noddy. 

"For which you ought to be duly thankful, " said Billy. 

"Yes, I didn't enjoy that stone house much, or the soot, " declared Jack. 

"That cave didn't make much of a hit with me, either, " said Billy. "My, those green eyes gave me a scare. I thought it was a bear or a mountainlion, sure; but they say there aren't any such animals in this part ofthe country. "

"Abner said it must have been a lynx, " said Jack. 

"That being the case, you should have cuffed it, " chuckled Noddy. 

For the time being he escaped punishment for perpetrating this allegedpun, for the wind began to freshen and the _Curlew_ slid through thewater like a thing of life. The shore drew rapidly nearer. 

But the cloud curtain spread with astonishing rapidity, till the wholesky was covered. The water turned from green to a dull leaden hue. Puffsof wind came with great velocity, heeling over the _Curlew_ till thefoam creamed in her lee scuppers. 

The wind moaned in a queer, eerie sort of way, that bespoke the comingof a storm of more than ordinary severity. Jack was a prey to someanxiety as he held the _Curlew_ on her course. If they could not makethe dock he was aiming for before the storm struck, there might beserious consequences. 

But, to his great relief, they reached the wharf, a tumble-down affair, before the tempest broke. The _Curlew_ was made "snug, " and this hadhardly been done before a mighty gust of wind, followed by a blanket ofrain, tore through the air. 

"Just in time, boys, " said Jack, as they set out on the run for thestructure which they had observed from the water. On closer view itturned out to be nothing more than a barn, not in any too good repair, but still it offered a shelter. 

The boys reached it just as a terrific blast of wind swept across thebay, roughening it with multitudinous whitecaps. A torrent of rainblotted out distances at the same time and turned all the world in theirvicinity into a driving white cloud. 

The barn proved to be even more rickety than its outside had indicated. The door was gone and its windows were broken out. But at least it waspleasanter under a roof than it would have been out in the open. Therain, driven by the furious wind, penetrated the rotten, sun-driedshingles and pattered on the earthen floor, but the boys found a dryplace in one corner, where there was a pile of hay. 

As the storm increased in fury the clouds began to blot out thedaylight. It grew as dark as night almost. The roar of the rain was likethe voice of a giant cataract. 

"We may have to stay here all night, " said Billy, after a long silence. 

"That's true, " rejoined Jack. "It would be foolhardy to take a boat likethe _Curlew_ out in such a storm. "

Suddenly there came a terrific flash of lightning, followed by a sharpclap of thunder. It was succeeded by flash after flash, in blindingsuccession. 

"My, this is certainly a snorter, " exclaimed Billy, and the othersagreed with him. 

"We won't forget it in a hurry, " said Jack. "I can't recall when I'veheard the wind make such a noise. "

To add to their alarm, as the fury of the wind increased, the old barnvisibly quavered. It seemed to rock back and forth on its foundations. The noise of the wind grew so loud that conversation was presentlyimpossible. 

Suddenly there came a fiercer blast than any that had gone before. Therewas a ripping and rending sound. 

"Great Scott! Boys, run for your lives, the old shack is tumbling down, "cried Jack. 

He had scarcely spoken when what he had anticipated happened. Beams, boards and shingles flew in every direction. There was no time even tothink. Acting instinctively, each boy threw himself flat upon the pileof moldy hay. 

Noddy, in his terror, burrowed deep into it. The noise that accompaniedthe dissolution of the old barn was terrific. Each boy felt as if at anymoment a huge beam might fall on him and crush his life out. Above itall the wind howled with a note of triumph at its work of destruction. 

The boys felt as if the end of the world had come. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE END OF JACK'S HOLIDAY. 

Fortunately, otherwise this story might have had a different ending, thebarn was lifted almost entirely from its foundations and hurled over onits side. The roof was ripped off like an old hat and hurtled throughthe tempest to the water's edge. 

None of the wreckage and débris struck the crouching boys. But the meresound was terrifying enough. Even Jack was cowed by the tremendous forceof the elements. Each lad felt as if the next moment would be his last. 

But at last Jack mustered up courage and looked up. The beating rain, which had already soaked them all through, stung his face likehailstones. 

"Hullo, fellows, " he exclaimed, "is--is anybody hurt?"

"All right here, " rejoined Billy. "But say, wasn't that the limit?"

"It sure was, " agreed Jack. "At one time I thought we were goners, and----"

"Goo-oof-g-r-r-r-r-r!" An extraordinary sound, which can only betypographically rendered in this manner, suddenly interrupted him. 

"Heavens, what's that?" gasped Billy, looking about him in a ratheralarmed manner. 

"Ugh-ugh-groof-f-f-f-f-f-f!"

"It's Noddy!" cried Jack. 

"Gracious, he must be dying, " gasped Billy. 

In his eagerness to escape the full fury of the storm and the flyingwreckage of the barn, Noddy had plunged into the hay with his mouthopen, and now his throat was full of the dry stuff. He was almostchoked. 

"Pull him out, " directed Jack, and he and Billy laid hold of Noddy'sheels and dragged him out of the hay-pile. The lad was almost black inthe face. 

"Ug-gug-groo-o-o-o-o-o!" he mumbled, making frantic gestures with hisarms. 

"Goodness, this is as bad as the time he was almost drowned, " criedJack. "Clap him on the back good and hard. That's it. "

There were several gulps and struggles, and then Noddy began to cough. But all danger from strangulation had passed, thanks to the heroicefforts of Jack and Billy. 

"Phew! I thought I was choked, " sputtered Noddy, as soon as he found hisvoice. "I'd hate to be a horse and have to eat that stuff. "

"You are a kind of a horse, " said Billy slyly. 

"How do you make that out?" demanded Noddy, falling into the trap. 

"A donkey, " laughed Billy teasingly, but poor Noddy felt too badly afterhis experience in the hay to retaliate in kind. 

After the restoration of Noddy, they began to survey the situation. Allwere soaked through, and the rain beat about them unmercifully. But theywere thankful to have escaped with their lives. Through the whitecurtain of rain they could make out the outlines of the _Curlew_, ridingat the dock. 

"I'm glad to see that, " observed Jack. "I was half afraid that she mighthave broken away. "

"Then we _would_ have been in a fine fix, " said Billy. 

"What will we do next?" asked Noddy, removing some fragments of hay fromhis ears. 

"Wait till the clouds roll by, " laughed Billy. "I guess that's about theprogram, isn't it, Jack?"

"Seems to be about all that there is to do, " replied Jack; "but it seemsto me that the storm is beginning to let up even now. Look in thenorthwest--it's beginning to get lighter. "

"So it is, " agreed Billy. "Let's get under that clump of trees yondertill it blows over altogether. "

"Say, fellows, if we had a fire now, it would feel pretty good, "observed Noddy. 

"Well, what's the matter with having one?" asked Jack. "We can get someof those old shingles and tarred posts. They're pretty wet, but we canstart the blaze going with dried hay from the bottom of the pile. "

"Good for you. Volunteer firemen, get to work, " cried Billy. 

Soon the boys were carrying the dry hay and such wood as seemed suitablefor their purpose to the clump of trees. Jack took some matches from hissafe and struck a lucifer after the wood had been properly piled. 

It blazed up cheerily. Each lad stripped to his underclothes and theirdrenched garments were hung in front of the hot fire. The drippingclothes sent up clouds of steam, but it was not long before they weredry enough to put on. By the time this was done the storm had abated. Presently the rain, which did not bother the boys under the thick clumpof trees, ceased altogether. Only in the distance a dull muttering ofthunder still went on. A rainbow appeared, delighting them with itsbrilliant colors. 

"Well, that's over, " observed Jack, as he dressed. "Now we'll go downand pump out the _Curlew_. I'll bet she's half full of water. "

His conjecture proved correct. On their return to their trim littlecraft they found a foot or more of water in her hull. But this was soondisposed of and, with a brisk breeze favoring them, they set out oncemore for Pine Island. On their return they found Captain Toby, who hadspied them from a distance, awaiting them on the dock. 

In his hand he held a yellow envelope. It was a telegram for Jack. Theboy eagerly tore it open, and for a moment, as he scanned its contents, his face fell. But almost instantly he brightened. 

"Well, what's the news?" demanded his uncle. 

"Good and bad, " rejoined Jack. "I guess our holiday is over. Billy and Iare ordered to join the _Columbia_ as soon as we can. "

"Hurrah! I was beginning to long for the sea again, " declared BillyRaynor. 

"I must confess I was, too, " said Jack. 

"It's a great life for lads--makes men out of them, " said Captain Toby. "I must see if I've got two bottles of the Universal Remedy for you boysto take to sea with you, " and he hurried off. 

Noddy looked rather blue. 

"You are lucky fellows--off for more adventures and fun, " he said, "while I just stick around. "

"Nonsense, you've got your business in New York to attend to, and, asfor adventures, I've had plenty of them for a time, haven't you, Billy?"

"A jugful, " declared Raynor. "Enough to last me for the rest of mylife-time, and, anyhow, life at sea is mostly hard work. "

"That's what makes it worth living, " said Jack. "I'll be glad to getdown to work again after our long holiday. "

"And I really believe I will, too, " said Billy; "and on a crack linerlike the _Columbia_ we may be able to make our marks. "

"I hope we will. I mean to work mighty hard, anyhow, " said the youngwireless man, "but hark, there goes the bell for supper. Hurry up, fellows, I'll race you to the house. "

The next day was devoted to saying good-by to the scenes and the peoplewho had helped make up a happy vacation for the lads. Noddy, it wasdecided, would stay on with Captain Toby for the present, as hispresence was not required in New York. 

Of course the lads visited Captain Simms. He told them that his holidayalso was almost over. The naval code was nearly completed, and he mustget back to Washington within a week or so. 

"Well, here's to our next meeting, " he said, as he heartily clasped thehands of both lads in farewell. 

Under what circumstances that meeting was to occur none of them justthen guessed. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

"THE GEM OF THE OCEAN. "

The _Columbia_, a magnificent and imposing vessel of more than 20, 000tons burden, lay at her New York dock two weeks later. Within her steelsides, besides the usual cabin accommodations, she had swimming pools, Roman courts, palm gardens and even a theater. Elevators conveyed herpassengers from deck to deck. The new vessel of the Jukes shippinginterests was the last word in shipbuilding, and from her stern flew theStars and Stripes. 

It was sailing day. From the three immense black funnels smoke wasrolling. Steam issued, roaring from the escape pipes. The dock buzzedand fermented with a great crowd assembled to see their friends off onthe first voyage of the great ship. Wagons, taxicabs and autos blockedthe street in front of the docks. Photographers and reporters swarmedeverywhere. The confusion was tremendous, yet, promptly at the hour setfor sailing, the booming siren began to sound, last farewells wereshouted, and the invariable late stayer on board made his wild leap forthe gang-plank before it was drawn in. 

A perceptible vibration ran through the monster ship. Her propellersbegan to churn the water white. A small fleet of tugs helped to swingher against the tide as she slowly backed into the stream. Majesticallyher monster bulk swung round, her bow pointing seaward. Her maidenvoyage had begun. 

It is doubtful if among her delighted passengers and proud officers, however, there were any more enthusiastic about the great vessel thantwo lads who were seated in the wireless operators' cabin on the topmostdeck. 

"Well, Billy, this is different from the old _Ajax_, eh?"

"Is it? Well, I should say so, " responded Billy. "You ought to see theengine-room. You could have put the _Ajax_ in it, almost. "

"We ought to be proud of our jobs, " continued Jack. 

"I know I am. It's a great thing to be part of the human machinery of ahuge vessel like this, and the best part of it is that she flies theAmerican flag, " added Billy enthusiastically. 

"I heard that the _Gigantia_, of the London Line, sails to-day, too. ByJove, there she comes now. "

He pointed out of the open door back up the river. The great Britishsteamer, till then the biggest thing on the ocean, was backing out. Herfour red-and-black funnels loomed up imposingly above her black hull. 

"Then we'll have a race for certain, " said Billy, his eyes dilating withexcitement; "good for us, but my money goes on the _Columbia_. "

"That Britisher can travel, though, " said Jack. 

"Oh, we won't have an easy time of it, but I'll bet my shirt we'll winthe blue ribbon of the ocean. "

"I hope so, " rejoined Jack with a smile at the other's enthusiasm. "Butwhat do you think of my quarters, Billy?"

"Why, they're fit for a king or a millionaire, " laughed Raynor. "I'llbet you never thought, when you were in that little rabbit hutch of awireless room on the old _Ajax_, that some day you'd be traveling insuch style?"

Raynor's eyes wandered to the instrument table, with its array of themost up-to-date wireless apparatus. 

"Hullo! What's that thing?" he asked suddenly, pointing to a device thatlooked unfamiliar. It was a box-shaped arrangement, metal, withcomplicated wires strung to it and had a "telephone" receiver attachedto it with a band to hold it securely to the operator's head. 

"Oh, that's an invention of my own that I'm trying out, " said Jack. "Idon't just know what success I'll have with it. I haven't really put itto the test yet. "

"What do you call it?"

"The Universal Detector, " replied Jack. 

"Just what is that?"

"Well, at present you know a ship can only receive wireless messagesfrom a ship that is 'in tune' with her own radio apparatus. TheUniversal Detector should make it possible to catch every wirelesssound. I am very anxious, if I perfect it, to get it adopted in thenavy. It would be of great value in time of war, for by its use everymessage sent by an enemy, even if they were purposely put 'out of tune, 'could be caught. "

"By the way, speaking of the navy, did you hear from Captain Simms?"

"Yes; he is still up at Musky Bay. Some difficulties in the code havearisen, and he will not be through with his work for two weeks or moreyet, he says. "

"No more attempts to steal his work, or to spy on him?"

"He doesn't mention any. I guess we're through with the Judson crowd. "

"Looks that way. What a gang of thorough-paced rascals they were. "

"I guess Judson's business must be in a bad way to make him take suchdesperate chances to recoup by landing that contract. "

"I suppose that's it. "

Raynor lifted his eyes to the ship's clock above Jack's operatinginstruments. 

"By Jove, almost eight bells! I've got to go on watch. This is my firstjob as second engineer, and I mean to keep things on the jump. Well, solong, old fellow. "

"See you this evening, " said Jack, as Raynor hurried off. 

Jack soon became very busy. The air was full of all sorts of messages. Besides that, his cabin was crowded with men and women who wished tofile last messages to those they left behind them. He worked steadilythrough the afternoon, catching meteorological radios as well asinformation from other steamers scattered along the Atlantic lane. 

He knew that he might expect hard work and plenty of it all that day. There would be no chance for him to experiment with his UniversalDetector. About dusk, Harvey Thurman, his assistant, came into thewireless room to relieve him while he went to dinner. 

Thurman was a short, thick-set young man, with a flabby, pallid face andshifty eyes. He had got his job on the new liner through a "pull" thathe possessed through a distant relationship with Mr. Jukes. Jack had notmet him before, and, since they had been on board, they had exchangedonly a few words, but he instinctively felt that he and Thurman were notgoing to make very good shipmates. 

As Jack relinquished the head-receivers and the key to his "relief, "Thurman's gaze rested on the Universal Detector. 

"What's that?" he demanded. 

"Oh, just a little idea I'm working on, " said Jack, "a new invention. IfI can perfect it, it may be valuable. "

"Yes, but what is it? What's it for?" persisted Thurman. 

Jack explained what he hoped to accomplish with the instrument, and aninstant later was sorry he had done so, for he noticed an expression ofcupidity creep into Thurman's eyes. The youth persisted in asking a hostof questions, and Jack, having started to explain, could not very wellrefuse to answer. Besides, inventors are notoriously garrulous abouttheir brain children, and Jack, even though he did not like Thurman, soon found himself talking away at a great rate. 

"Huh, I don't think the idea's worth a cent, " sniffed Thurmancontemptuously, when Jack had finished. 

"I guess that's where you and I differ, " said Jack, controlling histemper with some difficulty, for the sneer in Thurman's voice had beenmarked. "I'm going to make it a success, and then we shall see. "

He left the wireless room, and the instant he was gone Thurman, with acrafty look on his flabby face, eagerly began examining the detector. Ashe was doing so Jack, who had forgotten his cap, suddenly reëntered thewireless room. Thurman had been so intent on his scrutiny of thedetector that he did not hear him. 

"You appear to be taking great interest in that useless invention, " saidJack in a quiet voice. 

Thurman started and spun round. His face turned red and he had an almostguilty look. 

"I didn't think you were coming creeping back like that, " he exclaimed, "a fellow would almost think you were spying on him. "

"Have you any reason to fear being spied upon?" asked Jack. 

"Me? No, not the least. That's a funny question. "

"I want to tell you, Thurman, that my invention is not yet completed andtherefore, of course, is not patented. I was pretty free with you indescribing it, and I shall trust to your honor not to talk about it toanyone. "

"Certainly not, " blustered Thurman. "I'm not that sort of a chap. "

But, after Jack had gone out, he resumed his study of the detector asecond time, desisting every time he heard a step outside. 

"So it's not patented, eh?" he muttered to himself. "That will help. It's an idea there that ought to be worth a pot of money. "

CHAPTER XXIII. 

JACK'S BIG SECRET. 

The next day Jack found an opportunity to sandwich in some work on hisinvention between his regular work. The thing fascinated him, and hetried and tested it in a hundred different combinations. Suddenly, justafter he had altered two important units of the device, a new note cameto his ears through the "watch-case" receivers that were clamped to hishead. 

"It's code--somebody sending code!" exclaimed Jack, and then the nextinstant, "it's some ship of the navy! Hurrah! The detector is working, for they use different wave lengths from the commercial workers, and, ifit hadn't been for the Universal Detector, I'd never have been able tolisten in at their little talk-fest. "

He waited till the code message, a long one from Washington to the_Idaho_, of the North Atlantic fleet at Guantanamo, Cuba, was finished, and then he could not refrain from "butting in. "

"Hello, navy, " he chattered with the wireless key, "that was a nicelittle message you had. How's the weather up your way?"

"Who is this?" demanded the navy wireless in imperious tones. 

"Oh, just a fellow who was listening, " responded Jack. 

"Butting in, you mean. But say, how did you ever get on to our sending?We were using eccentric wave-lengths to keep our talk a secret. "

"I'll have to keep how I caught your talk a secret, too, for thepresent, old man. "

"Great Scott! It isn't possible that you've solved the problem of auniversal detector. Why, that's a thing the navy sharps have beenworking on for years. "

"I can't say how I caught your message, " shot back Jack's radio throughspace. 

"You'll have to tell if the government gets after you, " was the reply. "Uncle Sam isn't going to have a fellow running round loose withanything like that. "

"What do you mean?"

"That you will be forbidden to use it. "

"Is that so?"

"Yes, that's so. I'm going to make out a report for my superiors aboutit right now. You're pretty fresh. "

"Put that in the report, too, " chuckled the _Columbia's_ wirelessdisdainfully. 

"You'll find it's no joke to monkey with the government, " snapped backthe naval man. 

Jack didn't answer. A message from the _Taurus_, of the Bull Line, wascoming in. She had sighted an iceberg, something very unusual at thattime of year. Jack hurried the message, which gave latitude andlongitude of the menace, to Captain Turner. 

"Well, that won't bother us, " said that dignitary. "We're far to thesouth of that. Those Bull fellows run to Quebec. Send a radio to CaptainSpencer, of the _Taurus_, thanking him for his information. "

The great man, the captain of a liner, who has literally more power thana king, lit a cigar, and bent his head once more over the problem innavigation he was wrestling with. Jack saluted and hurried back to hisquarters. 

He was highly elated over the success of his Universal Detector. Thethreats of the government man did not alarm him, for he did not proposeto place his invention on the general market, but to sell it outright tothe government, whose secret it would then remain. 

He resolved to test it again. A moment after he had put the receivers tohis ears, a broad grin came over his face. The air was literally vibrantwith the calls of the navy men, flinging their high-powered currentsthrough space. 

". .. He's a cheeky beggar, whoever he is, but he's got the goods, " wasthe first he heard. 

"Hum, that's Mr. Washington, " thought Jack. Then, from some other pointcame another message. 

"Great Scott! Uncle Sam won't let him get away with anything like that. "

"I should say not. The Secret Service department is already at worktrying to find out who the dickens he is. "

"That will be a sweet job, " came the naval station at Point Judith. 

"Talk about a needle in a haystack, " sputtered the U. S. S. _Alabama_. 

"Not a patch on it, " agreed the great dreadnought _Florida_. 

Then came Washington again. 

"I'll tell you it's stirred up a fuss here, " he said. "I wonder who itcan be. "

"Maybe that Italian fellow who invented the sliding sounder, " suggestedthe _Florida_. 

"Or Pederson, out in Chicago, " came from a land station. All the navymen appeared to be joining in the confab. 

"Gracious, what a fuss I've stirred up, " thought Jack, with a quietsmile. "They'd never guess in a million years that it's a kid of anoperator who's causing all the trouble. "

"No; both the men you mentioned are in Europe, " declared Washington. "The department's been trailing them since they got my news. "

"Well, the wireless men are going to be a happy hunting ground for theSecret Service fellows for this one little while, " chuckled the_Florida_. 

"Wonder if he's listening now?" struck in the _North Dakota_, which hadnot yet talked. 

"Shouldn't wonder, " remarked the _Idaho_. 

Jack pressed down his key and the spark began to flash and crackle. 

"You fellows are having a grand old pow-wow, " he said. "Sorry I can'tgive you any information. I know you're dying of curiosity. "

"You've got your nerve, I must say, " sputtered Washington indignantly. "Have you been listening right along?"

"Yes; that Secret Service hunt is going to be very interesting. "

"It won't be very interesting for you, whoever you are, when they getyou, " thundered the mighty _Florida_. "It's bad business monkeying withUncle Sam. "

"Maybe they won't get me, " suggested Jack's spark. 

"Oh, yes, they will, " came from Washington, "and you'll find it doesn'tpay to be as sassy as you've been. "

"M-M-M, " sent out Jack mischievously. 

The three letters mean, in telegraphers' and wireless men's language, "laughter. "

Washington's dignity took fire at this gross insult. They must havesizzled as from the national capital an angry message shot out to theother ships to talk in code. Jack's fun was over, but he had thoroughlyenjoyed all the excitement he had stirred up. As he laid down thereceivers Raynor came in. 

"You look tickled to death over something, " he exclaimed. "What's up?"

Jack sprang to his feet. His eyes were shining. He clasped Raynor's handand wrung it pump-handle fashion. Raynor looked at the usually quiet, rather self-contained lad, in blank astonishment. 

"What's happened--somebody wirelessed you that you're heir to amillion?" he demanded. 

"No, better than that, Billy. "

"Great Scott! Tell me. "

"Billy, old boy, it works. It works like a charm. I've got half the navyall snarled up about it now. By to-morrow they'll be after me withSecret Service men. "

"Gee whillakers. You've done the trick! Good for you, old boy. "

A sudden shadow in the open door made them both look round. Thurmanstood in the embrasure. 

"May I add my congratulations?" he said, holding out his hand. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE NAVY DEPARTMENT "SITS UP. "

Jack could not refuse the proffered hand. But he took it with an uneasyair. There was something not quite "straight" about Thurman, it seemedto Jack, but as the former offered his congratulations he appearedsincere enough. 

"After all, it may be just his misfortune that he can't look you in theeyes, " Jack told himself. 

But if he had been in the wireless room that night he would have deemedhis suspicions only too well founded. Thurman busied himself withroutine matters till he was sure Jack was asleep. Then he began callingWashington with monotonous regularity. 

An irritable operator answered him. By the wave length the Washingtonman knew that it was not a naval station or vessel calling. 

"Yes--yes--what--is--it?" he snapped. 

"I know the fellow who has that Universal Detector. "

"What!" The other man, hundreds of miles away, almost fell out of hischair. Recovering himself, he shot out another message:

"Who is this?"

"Never mind that, just for the present. "

"Say, you're not that fresh fellow himself talking just to kid us, areyou?"

"No, I'm far from joking. I expect to make some money out of this. "

"A reward?"

"That's the idea. "

"Well, there's no doubt but you would get it if you really have theinformation. The department's been all up in the air ever since thatfellow butted in. "

"Are you going to report this conversation?"

"Most assuredly. "

"Don't forget that I demand a substantial reward for the information. "

"I won't. When will you call me again?"

"About this time to-morrow night. "

"All right, then. Good-by. "

Thurman took the receiver from his head with a slow smile ofsatisfaction. 

"I guess that will cook that fresh kid's goose, " he said. "It's a meanthing to do, maybe, but I need the money, and I'm glad to get a chanceto set him down a peg or two. "

Thurman could hardly wait for the next night to come. During the dayJack had been having some more fun with the navy men, driving themalmost wild. When Thurman finally got Washington, therefore, everythingin the government's big wireless station was at fever heat. A highofficial of the navy sat by the operator, waiting for Thurman's promisedcall to come out of space. 

Men of the Secret Service were scattered about the room as well asdepartment officials. The air was tense with expectancy. At lastThurman's message came. 

His first question was about the reward. 

"Tell him he will be liberally rewarded, " ordered the naval official. "Tell him to give us the information at once. That fellow has beenplaying with us all day, and we've been powerless to outwit theUniversal Detector, or whatever device it is he uses. The man must be awizard to have solved a problem that has baffled the keenest minds inthe Navy Bureau. "

"Reward is assured you, " flashed back the naval operator. "Now give usyour information. Time is precious. "

But Thurman's answer proved disappointing to those in the room. 

"Impossible to do so now. Inventor is on the high seas. Will wirelessyou later when he will return. "

"Confound it, " grumbled the naval official. "I thought we would have hadour hands on the fellow before daylight. Now it seems we shall have toplay a waiting game. "

"If the man is on the high seas, it is not unlikely that he is thewireless man on one of the liners, " put in Burns, a spare, grizzled manand Chief of the Secret Service. 

"That's probable, Burns, " rejoined the navy official. 

"More than likely, I think, " put in another member of the group, "butit's impossible to find out which one. "

"Yes, we are at the mercy of our unknown informant, " said Burns. "Whythe deuce was he so mysterious about it?" He tugged at his gray mustacheas a sudden thought struck him. 

"Jove!" he exclaimed. "You don't think it's a put-up job to get moneyout of the government? Put up, I mean, by an agent of the inventorhimself. "

"I don't know, Burns, " was the official's reply. "It's all mightymysterious. I confess I can't hazard a guess as to the man's identity. We've looked up all the most prominent wireless sharps all over thecountry. I am satisfied this fellow is not one of their number. "

"Some obscure fellow, I guess, " said a Secret Service man. 

"Well, he won't remain obscure long, " remarked Burns, "if he has brainsenough to turn the navy department topsy-turvy for forty-eight hours. "

CHAPTER XXV. 

A MYSTERY ON BOARD. 

Two days later the monotony of the voyage, which was broken only by theradiograms which were posted daily concerning the race between theAmerican and British liners--the _Columbia_ being in the lead--wasrudely shattered by an incident in which Jack was destined to play animportant part. Jack had been on a visit to Raynor during the youngengineer's night watch in the engine-room. They had stayed chatting andtalking over old times till Jack suddenly realized that it was longafter midnight and time for him to be in his bunk. 

Hastily saying good-night, he made his way through the desertedcorridors of the great ship, which stretched empty and dimly lit beforehim. As he traversed them the young wireless man could not but think ofthe contrast to the busy life of the day when stewards swarmed andpassengers hurried to and fro. Now everything was silent and deserted, except for the still figures up on the bridge and below in the engineand fire rooms, guiding and powering the great vessel onward through thenight at a twenty-four-knot clip. 

The lad had just reached the end of one corridor, and was about to turninto another which led to a companionway, which would bring him to hisown domain, when he stopped short, startled by the sound of a singlesharp outcry. It came from the corridor he was about to turn into. Jackdarted round the corner and almost instantly stumbled over the huddledbody of a man lying outside one of the cabin doors. 

A dark stain was under his head, and Jack saw at once that the man hadbeen the victim of an attack. At almost the same moment, by the dimlight, he recognized the unconscious form as being that of JosephRosenstein, a diamond merchant, so wealthy and famous that he had beenpointed out to Jack by the purser as a celebrity. 

"Queer fellow, " the purser had said. "Won't put his jewels in the safe, although I understand he is carrying three magnificent diamonds withhim. Likely to get into trouble if anyone on board knows about it. "

"He's taking big chances, " agreed Jack, and now here was the proof ofhis words lying at the boy's feet. Suddenly he recalled having receiveda message a few days before from New York for the injured man. 

"Be very careful. F. Is on board, " it had read, and Jack interpretedthis to be meant as a warning to the diamond merchant. But he did notdevote much attention to it just then, except to rouse the sleepystewards. Within a few minutes the captain and the doctor were on thescene. 

"A nasty cut, done with a blackjack or a club, " opined Dr. Browning, ashe raised the man. 

"Is it a mortal wound?" asked the captain. "This is a terrible thing tohave happen on my ship. "

"I think he'll pull through if no complications set in, " said thedoctor, and ordered the man removed to his cabin. Suddenly Jackrecollected what the purser had said about the diamonds. 

"I beg your pardon, sir, " said he to the captain, "but I heard that thisman carried about valuable diamonds with him. He was probably attackedfor purposes of robbery. "

"That's right, " answered the captain, with a quick look of approval atJack. "Browning, we'd better examine the contents of his pockets. " Theydid so, but no traces of precious stones could be found. 

"Whoever did this, robbed him, " declared the captain, with a somberbrow, "and the deuce of it is that, unless we can detect him, he willwalk ashore at Southampton or Cherbourg a free man. "

The door of the stateroom opposite to which the injured man lay openedsuddenly, and a little, wizen-faced man, wearing spectacles, looked out. He appeared startled and shocked as he saw the limp form. 

"Good gracious! This is terrible, terrible, captain, " he sputtered. "Is--is the man dead?"

"No, Professor Dusenberry, although that does not appear to be the faultof whoever attacked him, " was the rejoinder. 

"He was attacked, then, for purposes of robbery, do you think?"

"I suspect so. "

"Oh, dear, this has so upset me that I shan't sleep the rest of thenight, " protested the little man, and withdrew into his stateroom. 

The next day, naturally, the whole ship buzzed with the news of thenight's happenings, and speculation ran rife as to who could haveattacked the diamond merchant, who had recovered consciousness and wasable to talk. He himself had not the slightest idea of his assailant. Hehad sat up till late in the smoking saloon, he said, and was comingalong the corridor to his stateroom when he was struck down from behind. A black leather wallet, containing three diamonds, which were destinedto be sold to the scion of a European royal house, was missing from hispocket, and the loss nearly drove the unfortunate diamond man frantic. He valued the stones at $150, 000, so that perhaps his frenzy at losingthem was not unnatural. 

In the afternoon, Professor Dusenberry, dressed in a frock coat and tophat, although he was at sea and the weather was warm, came into thewireless room. He wanted to send a message, he said, a wireless toLondon. He was very cautious about inquiring the price and all thedetails before he sat down to write out his dispatch. When it wascompleted he handed it to Jack with his thin fingers, and asked that itbe dispatched at once. Then he retreated, or rather faded, from thewireless room. Jack scanned the message with thoughtful eyes. It seemedan odd radiogram for a college professor, such as he had heard Prof. Dusenberry was, to be sending. It read as follows:

 "Meet me at three on the granite paving-stones. The weather is fine, but got no specimens. There is no suspicion as you have directed, but I'm afraid wrong. "

 F. 

"Well, that's a fine muddle for somebody to make out when they get it, "mused Jack, as he sent out a call for the Fowey Station. 

"Must be some sort of a cipher the old fellow is using. He's a dry sortof old stick. Goodness! How scared he was when he saw that man lyingoutside his door. I thought he was going to faint or something. "

"Wonder what sort of a cipher that is, " mused Jack, as he waited for ananswer to his call. "Looks to me as if it's one of those numericalciphers where every second or third or fourth or fifth word is takenfrom the context and composes a message. Guess I'll try and work it outsome time. It'll be something to do. And, hullo, he signs himself 'F'. "

Jack looked up at the printed passenger-list that hung before him. "Professor F. Dusenberry" was the last of the "D's"

"His initial, " thought Jack, "but it's a funny coincidence that itshould be the same as that of the man the diamond merchant was warned towatch out for, and that it should have been the professor's door outsideof which he was struck down. "

CHAPTER XXVI. 

A "FLASH" OF DISTRESS. 

Having dispatched the message, Jack sat back in his chair and mused overthe future of the Universal Detector. It was a fascinating subject today-dream over, but his reverie was rudely interrupted by a sharpsummons from space. 

"Yes--yes--yes, " he shot back, "who--is--it?"

"This is the _Oriana_, " came back the reply, "Hamburg for New York. Weare in distress. "

"What's the trouble?"

The spark crackled and writhed, as Jack's rapid fingers spelled out themessage. 

"We struck a half submerged derelict and our bow is stove in. We believewe are sinking. This is an S. O. S. "

Then followed the position of the craft and another earnest appeal torush to her aid. Jack roughly figured out the distances that separatedthe two ships. 

"Will be there in about two hours, " he flashed, and then hurried toCaptain Turner's cabin with his message. 

The captain scanned the message with contracted brow. 

"The _Oriana_, " he muttered, "I know her well. Rotten old tramp. We musthave full speed ahead. Stand by your wireless, Ready, and tell them weare rushing at top speed to their aid. Confound it, though, " he went on, half to himself, "this will lose us the race with the Britisher, butstill if we can save the lives of those poor devils I shall be just aswell satisfied. "

The captain hastened to the bridge to issue his orders and change thebig ship's course. Jack went quickly back to his cabin and beganflashing out messages of good cheer. About half an hour later CaptainTurner came along. 

"Any more news, Ready?" he asked. 

"No, sir. Their current is getting weak. The last time I had them theoperator said that the ship was slowly settling, but that they had thesteam pumps going and would keep them working till the water reached thefires. The officers were keeping the firemen at their work withrevolvers. "

"I've been through such scenes, " remarked the captain. "It's part of aseaman's life, but it's an inferno while it lasts. "

"Notify me if you hear anything further, " said Captain Turner a fewmoments later. 

"Yes, sir. Hullo, here's something coming now. It's the _Borovian_, ofthe Black Star line. She got that S. O. S. Too, and is hurrying to therescue. But she's far to the south of us. "

"Yes, we shall reach the _Oriana_ long before she does, " said thecaptain. "By the way, Ready, I've heard that you have quite a reputationfor loving adventure. "

Jack colored. He did not quite make out what the captain was "drivingat, " as the saying is. 

"I do like action, yes, sir, " he replied. 

"Well, then, " said Captain Turner, "you've got a little excitement dueto you for your prompt action last night in the case of the assault onthat diamond merchant. If you want to go on the boats to the _Oriana_, you may do so. Get Thurman to stand by the wireless while you're gone. You can make the time up to him on some other occasion. "

Jack's eyes danced. He could hardly express his thanks at theopportunity for a break in the rather monotonous life on shipboard. Butthe captain had turned on his heel as he finished his speech and leftthe grateful lad alone. 

Thurman was sleeping when Jack roused him. When he learned that Jack wasto make one of the boat parties and that he (Thurman) was to remain onduty, the second wireless man's temper flared up. 

"That's a fine thing, I must say, " he growled. "You're to go on a junketwhile I do your work. I won't stand for it. "

"Pshaw, Thurman, " said Jack pacifically. "I'll do the same for you atany time you say. Besides, I heard you say once you wouldn't like to goin the small boats. "

"Think I'm afraid, eh?"

"I said no such thing, " retorted Jack, "I----"

"I don't care, you thought it. I'll complain to Captain Turner. "

"I would not advise you to. "

"Keep your advice to yourself. I've got pull enough to have you fired. "

"This line treats its employees too fairly for any such claim as a'pull' to be advanced. "

"You think so, eh? Well, I'll show you. You've been acting like aswelled head all the way over, Ready, " said Thurman, forgetting allbounds in his anger. "I'll find a way to fix you----"

"Say, you talk like an angry kid who's been put out of a ball game, "said Jack. "I hope you get over it by the time you come on duty. "

An angry snarl was Thurman's only rejoinder as Jack left the wirelessoperator's sleeping quarters. But the next instant all thought ofThurman was put out of his mind. The lookout had reported from thecrow's-nest. On the far horizon a mighty cloud of dark smoke was risingand spreading. 

Before many moments had passed it was known that fire--that greatest ofsea perils--had been added to the sinking _Oriana's_ troubles. 

As the news spread through the ship the passengers thronged to therails. Suppressed excitement ran wild among them. Even Jack foundhimself unable to stay still as he thought of the lives in peril underthat far-off smoke pall. All communication with the stricken ship hadceased, and Jack knew that things must have reached a crisis for hercrew. 

Then came an order to cast loose four boats, two on the port and two onthe starboard side. Officers and men obeyed with a will. By the timethey were ready to be dropped overside, the outlines of the burningsteamer were plainly visible. She looked very low in the water. From hermidships section smoke, in immense black clouds, was pouring. 

But to Jack's surprise no boats surrounded her, as he had expected wouldbe the case. Instead, on her stern, an old-fashioned, high-raised one, he could make out, through his glasses, a huddled mass of human figures. Suddenly one figure detached itself from the rest and Jack saw a pistolraised and aimed at the lower deck. Spurts of smoke from the weaponfollowed. Thrilled, Jack was about to report what he had seen to thebridge when the third officer, a young man named Billings, came up tohim. 

"You're in my boat, " he said. "Cut along. "

CHAPTER XXVII. 

A STRANGE WRECK. 

"Well, boys, we got here just in time, " observed Mr. Billings, as theboat cut through the water. 

"I'm not so sure that we have arrived in time to avert a tragedy, " saidJack, and he told of the shooting that he had witnessed. 

"Probably a mutiny, " said Mr. Billings, with the voice of experience. "The crews on those old tramps are the riff-raff of a hundred ports. Badmen to handle in an emergency. "

He had hardly finished speaking when, borne toward them on the wind, which was setting from the burning, sinking ship, came a most appallinguproar. It sounded like the shrieks of hundreds of passing souls mingledwith deep roars and screeches. 

Even Mr. Billings turned a shade paler under his tan. 

"In the name of heaven what was that?" he exclaimed. 

As he spoke a huge tawny form was seen to climb upon the rail of therusty old steamer and then launch itself into the sea with a mightyroar. 

"A lion!" exclaimed Jack, "by all that's wonderful, a lion. "

"That explains the mystery of those noises and the predicament of thosepoor fellows crowded on the stern away from the boats, " said Mr. Billings, who had quite regained his self-possession. 

"But--but I don't understand, " said Jack. 

"That ship has a cargo of wild animals on board, " explained Mr. Billings. "Such shipments are regularly made from Hamburg, her hailingport, to America. Most probably she had lions, tigers, leopards, greatserpents and other animals on board. When her bow was stove in a numberof cages were smashed and the wild beasts escaped. "

"That accounts for the shooting I saw, then, " exclaimed Jack; "they musthave been firing from the raised stern at the animals which menaced themon the main deck. "

"Unquestionably. I am glad I brought my own shooting iron, " said Mr. Billings. "I packed it along in case we had trouble with a mutinouscrew. "

They were now close to the blazing ship. The heat and odor of the flameswere clearly felt. 

"We'll have to pull around on the weather side, " decided Mr. Brown. "Ifwe come up under the wind, we'd all be scorched before we could effectany rescues. 

"Pull round the stern, my lads, " he ordered. 

"Aye, aye, sir, " came in a deep-throated chorus from the crew. 

As the four boats made under the stern, white, anxious faces looked downon them. 

"Thank heaven you've come!" exclaimed the captain, whose haggardcountenance showed all that he had been through. "We're just about atour last ditch. The animals we were taking from Jamrachs, in Hamburg, for an American circus, broke loose after the collision with thederelict. They've killed two of my men and maimed another. "

"All right, my hearties, just hold on a minute and we'll have you out ofthat, " exclaimed Mr. Billings cheerfully. 

More roars and screeches from the loosened animals checked him. Thencame more shots, telling of an attack on the stern, the only cool partof the ship left, which had been repulsed. The flames shot up, seemingto reach to the sky, and the smoke blotted out the sun, envelopingeverything in the burning ship's vicinity in a sort of twilight. 

"Do you think we'll be able to get all of them off?" asked Jack eagerly. 

"I'm in hopes that we will, " said Mr. Billings, "if nothing untowardhappens. "

There was, Jack noticed, a shade of anxiety in the young officer's tone. There was, then, some peril, of which he knew nothing as yet, attachedto the enterprise, thought Jack. But of the nature of the danger he hadno guess till later. 

As the first boat, Mr. Billings' craft, drew alongside the blisteringside of the burning ship, a Jacob's ladder came snaking down from thestern. At almost the same moment Jack, who had been looking upward, uttered a shout of alarm. 

The fierce face of a wild beast had suddenly appeared above the rail ofthe blazing _Oriana_. The next instant a great lithe, striped bodystreaked through the air straight for the boat. Instinctively Jack, whosaw the huge form of the tiger, for that was the desperateflame-maddened creature that had made the jump, sprang for the side ofthe boat and dived overboard. 

[Illustration: The next instant a great lithe, striped body streakedthrough the air. --]

He was not a second too soon. The tiger struck the side of the boat inthe stern just where Jack had been sitting a fragment of a minutebefore. The boat heeled over as the great beast, mad with terror, clawedat its sides with its fore-paws and endeavored to climb in. Mr. Billings, pale but firm, whipped out his revolver with an untremblinghand while the men, utterly unnerved, dropped their oars and shoutedwith alarm. 

Bang! The tiger gave a struggle that almost capsized the boat. Then, suddenly, its claws relaxed their hold and it slid into the water, limpand lifeless, shot between the eyes. But where was Jack? The questionjust occurred to Mr. Billings when, looking up suddenly, he sawsomething that made him yell a swift order at the top of his lungs. 

"Row for your lives, men, row. She's going to blow up!"

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

CAST AWAY WITH A PYTHON. 

When Jack dived overboard he was so unnerved by the sudden apparition ofthe fear-frenzied tiger that he rose some distance back of the boat. Hecame to the surface just in time to see the slaying of the animal andhear Mr. Billings' sharp cry of warning. 

Before he could attract attention the boats were all pulling at topspeed from the burning ship. 

"She's going to blow up!" the words etched themselves on Jack's brainwith the rapidity of a photographic plate. 

He saw a convulsive tremor shake the big steel fabric and the despairingshouts of the men in the stern rang in his ears. At the same moment hedived and began swimming with all his strength away from the doomedship. Suddenly came a shock that even under water seemed to drive hisear-drums in. 

Then he felt himself seized as if in a giant's grip and dragged down, down, down. His vision grew scarlet. His heart beat as if it must burstfrom his frame and his entire body felt as if it was being cruellycompressed in a monster vise. Jack knew what had occurred: the boilersof the _Oriana_ had blown up and he was being carried down by thesuction of the hull as it sank. 

Just as he felt that he could no longer endure the strain, the draggingsensation ceased. Like a stone from a catapult Jack was projected upagain to the surface of the sea. The sky, the ocean, everything burnedred as flame as he regained the blessed air and sucked it in in greatlungfulls. 

For a moment or so he was actually unconscious. Then, as his normalfunctions returned, and his sight grew less blurred, he made out a hatchfloating not far from him. He struck out for this and clambered upon it. The sea was strewn with the wreckage of the explosion. Beams, skylights, even charred and blistered metal liferafts floated all about him. Butthese did not engross Jack's attention for long after he had cast hisgaze in the direction where the _Oriana_ last lay. There he encounteredan extraordinary sight. 

On the surface of the ocean floated the stern section of the sunkensteamer. To it still clung the occupants that he had last seen there. Jack rubbed his eyes and looked and looked again. Yes, there was nodoubt about it, the after part of the _Oriana_ was still afloat, although how long it would remain so it was impossible to say. 

Jack guessed, and as it afterward transpired, guessed correctly, thatthe watertight bulkhead doors, which had automatically been closed allover the ship when the collision occurred, were sustaining the sternfragment of the ship on the surface. This part of the _Oriana_, unharmedby the explosion or the collision, was now floating much as a corkedbottle might be expected to do, excepting, of course, that there was amarked list to the drifting fragment. [1]

[Footnote 1: The after part of the ill-fated tank steamer _Oregon_, sunk100 miles off Sandy Hook, in 1913, when, during a severe storm, shebroke in two, floated with the survivors in exactly the manner describedin the _Oriana's_ case. --Author's Note. ]

Jack now saw the scattered boats returning to the scene. The man incommand of each was urging the crews on with voice and gesture. Not onehad been harmed, but it was a narrow escape. Jack set up a shout, butapparently, in the excitement of racing for the floating stern part ofthe _Oriana_, he was unnoticed. However, this did not alarm him, for hewas sure of being able to attract attention before long. 

A sudden lurch of the hatchway on which he was drifting, and the soundof a slithering motion as of some heavy body being dragged along somerough surface, made him turn his head. 

What he saw made him almost lose his grip on the hatchway. 

[Illustration: What he saw made him almost lose his grip on thehatchway. ]

The hideous flat head and wicked eyes of a huge python faced him. Thegreat snake, escaping somehow from the catastrophe to the menagerieship, had swum for the same refuge Jack had chosen. Now it was draggingits brilliantly mottled body, as thick as a man's thigh, up upon thehatchway. The floating "raft" dipped under the great snake's weight, while Jack, literally petrified with horror, watched without motion oroutcry. 

But apparently the snake was too badly stunned by the explosion to beinclined for mischief. It coiled its great body compactly in gay-coloredfolds on the hatch and lay still. But Jack noticed that its mottled eyesnever left his figure. 

"Gracious, I can't stand this much longer, " thought Jack. 

He looked about him for another bit of wreckage to which he might swimand be free of his unpleasant neighbor. But the débris had all driftedfar apart by this time and his limbs felt too stiffened by hisinvoluntary dive to the depths of the ocean for him to attempt a longswim. 

Not far off he could see the boats busily transferring the castaways ofthe _Oriana_ on board. Supposing they pulled away from the scene withoutseeing him? Undoubtedly, they deemed him lost and would not make asearch for him. Warmly as the sun beat down, Jack felt a chill thatturned his blood to ice-water run over him at the thought. Left to drifton the broad Atlantic with a serpent for a companion and without aweapon with which to defend himself. The thought was maddening and heresolutely put it from him. 

So far the great snake had lain somnolently, but now, as the sun beganto warm its body, Jack saw the brilliantly colored folds begin to writheand move. It suddenly appeared to become aware of him and raised itsflat, spade-shaped head above its coils. 

Its tongue darted in and out of its red mouth viciously. Jack becameconscious of a strong smell of musk, the characteristic odor ofserpents. 

His mouth went dry with fear, although he was naturally a brave lad, aswe know. A dreadful fascination seemed to hold him in thrall. He couldnot have moved a muscle if his life, as he believed it did, depended onhis escape. The hideous head began to sway rhythmically in a sort ofdance. Still Jack could not take his eyes from that swaying head anddarting red tongue. A species of hypnotic spell fell over him. He heardnothing and saw nothing but the swaying snake. 

All at once the head shot forward. With a wild yell Jack, out of histrance at last, fell backward off the hatch into the water. At the sameinstant Mr. Billings' pistol spoke. Again and again he fired it till thegreat snake's threshing form lay still in death. Unwilling to give Jackup for lost, although he feared in his heart that this was the case, thethird officer would not leave the scene till all hope was exhausted. Sweeping the vicinity with his glasses, he had spied the impendingtragedy on the hatch. 

Full speed had been made to the rescue at once and, as we know, aidarrived in the nick of time. As Jack rose sputtering to the surfacestrong hands pulled him into the boat. He was told what had happened. 

"A narrow escape, " said Mr. Billings, beside whom sat Captain Sanders ofthe lost steamer. He looked the picture of woe. 

"I owe my life to you, Mr. Billings, " burst out Jack, holding out hishand. 

The seaman took it in his rough brown palm. 

"That's all right, my lad, " he said. "Maybe you'll do as much for mesome day. "

And then, as if ashamed even of this display of emotion, he bawled outin his roughest voice:

"Give way there, bullies! Don't sit dreaming! Bend your backs!"

As the boats flew back toward where the great bulk of the _Columbia_, her rails lined with eager passengers, rested immobile on the surface ofthe ocean, the castaway captain turned a glance backward to the stern ofhis ship, which was still floating but settling and sinking fast. It waseasy to guess what his thoughts were. 

"That's one of the tragedies of the sea, " thought Jack. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

CAPTURED BY RADIO. 

It was two days later and they were nearing Southampton, but the stopthey had made to aid the _Oriana's_ crew had given the Britisher a biglead on them. The passengers eagerly clustered to read Jack's wirelessbulletin from the other ship which was posted every day. Excitement ranhigh. 

Jack had seen no more of Professor Dusenberry, but he had spent a gooddeal of leisure time pondering over the code message the queer littledried up man had sent. Raynor, who had quite a genius for such things, and spent much time solving the puzzles in magazines and periodicals, helped him. But they did not make much progress. 

Suddenly, however, the night before they were due to reach Southampton, Jack was sitting staring at the message when, without warning, as suchthings sometimes will, the real sense of the message leaped at him fromthe page. 

"Meet me at _three_ on the paving _stones_, the weather is _fine_ butgot no _specimens_, there is no _suspicion_ as you have _directed_ butI'm afraid _wrong_. "

Taking every fourth word from the dispatch then, it read as follows:

 "Three stones. Fine specimens. Suspicion directed wrong. "

Jack sat staring like one bewitched as the amazingly simple cipherrevealed itself in a flash after his hours of study. Granted he hadstruck the right solution, the message was illuminating enough. Professor Dusenberry was a dangerous crook, instead of the harmless old"crank" the passengers had taken him for, and his cipher message was toa confederate. 

But on second thought Jack was inclined to believe that it was merely acoincidence that placing together every fourth word of the jumbledmessage made a dispatch having a perfectly understandable bearing on thejewel theft. It was impossible to believe that Professor Dusenberry, mild and self-effacing, could have had a hand in the attack on thediamond merchant. Jack was sorely perplexed. 

He was still puzzling over the matter when the object of his thoughtsappeared in his usual timid manner. He wished to send another dispatch, he said. While he wrote it out Jack studied the mild, almost benevolentfeatures of the man known as Prof. Dusenberry. 

"But there's one test, " he thought to himself. "If the 'fourth word'test applies to this dispatch also, the Professor is a criminal, of adangerous type, in disguise. But he contrived to glance carelessly overthe dispatch when the professor handed it to him and fumbled in hispocket for a wallet with which to pay for it. Not till the seeminglymild old man had shuffled out did Jack apply his test to it. The messageread as follows:

 "_Columbia_ fast as motor-boat, watch her in Southampton. Am well and will no more time throw away on fake life-preserver. "

 F. 

With fingers that actually trembled, Jack wrote down every fourth word. Here is the result he obtained:

 "Motorboat Southampton. Will throw life-preserver. "

"By the great horn-spoon, " exclaimed Jack to himself, "it worked outlike a charm. But still, what am I going to do? I can't go to thecaptain with no more evidence than this. He would not order the mandetained. I have it!" he cried, after a moment of deep reflection. "TheSouthampton detectives have been already wirelessed about the crime andare going to board the ship. I'll flash them another message, tellingthem of the plan to drop the jewels overboard in a life-preserver sothat they will float till the motor-boat picks them up. "

Jack first, however, sent the supposed Prof. Dusenberry's messagethrough to London, with which he was now in touch. He noted it was tothe same address as before, that of a Mr. Jeremy Pottler, 38 SouthTotting Road, W. Then he summoned the Southampton station, and, beforelong, a messenger brought to the police authorities there a dispatchthat caused a great deal of excitement. He had just finished doing thiswhen Jack's attention was attracted by the re-entrance of the professor. 

He wanted to look over the dispatch he had sent again, he said, but Jacknoticed that his eyes, singularly keen behind his spectacles, swept thetable swiftly as if in search of something. The abstract that Jack hadmade of the cipher dispatch lay in plain view. Jack hastily swept it outof sight by an apparently careless movement. But he felt the professor'seyes fixed on him keenly. 

But if Prof. Dusenberry had observed anything he said nothing. He merelyremarked that the dispatch appeared to be all right and walked out againin his peculiar shambling way. 

"The old fox suspects something, " thought Jack. "I wonder if he saw thatlittle translation I took the liberty of making of his dispatch. If hedid, he must have known that I smelled a rat. "

Just then Raynor dropped in on his way on watch. 

"Well, we're in to-morrow, Jack, " he said, "but I'm afraid the Britisherwill beat us out. "

"I'm afraid so, too, " responded Jack. "Their operator has been crowingover me all day. But at any rate it was in a good cause. "

"Yes, and they're taking up a subscription for the shipwrecked men atthe concert to-night, I hear, so that they won't land destitute. "

"That's good; but say, Bill, you're off watch to-morrow and I want youto do something for me. "

"Anything you say. "

"This may involve danger. "

"Great Scott, you talk like Sherlock Holmes or a dime novel. What's up?"

"I've got the man who stole those diamonds. "

"What!"

"Don't talk so loud. I mean what I say. Listen. "

And Jack related everything that had occurred. 

"Now, what I want you to do is to watch Prof. Dusenberry, as he callshimself, to-morrow when we get into the harbor. His is an insidestateroom so that he can't throw it out of a porthole from there. He'llmost likely go to one at the end of a passage. "

"Yes, and then what?"

"I'd do it myself but the old fox suspects me, I half fancy, and if hesaw me in the vicinity he'd change his plans. You'd better take two ofyour huskiest firemen with you, Billy. He's an ugly customer, I fancy, and might put up a bad fight. "

"U-m-m-m, some job, " mused Billy. "Why don't you put the whole thing upto the captain?"

"It would do no good the way things are now, and he might get wind of itand hide the jewels so that they couldn't be found. Anyhow, we've noproof against him till he is actually caught throwing the jewels out inthat life-preserver to his confederates in the motor-boat. "

"I see, you want to catch him red-handed, but what about those cipherradios?"

"There's no way of proving that I read the cipher right, " said Jack. "Our only way is to do as I suggested. "

"I hear that Rosenstein has offered a big reward for the recovery of thediamonds, " said Billy. "He's up and about again, you know. "

"Well, Billy, I think he'll have his diamonds back by to-morrow noon ifwe follow out my plan. "

And so it was arranged. The next morning Jack received a message fromSouthampton:

"All ready. Does our man suspect anything?"

This was Jack's answer:

"Not so far as I know. Have a plan to catch him red-handed. You watchthe motor-boat. "

Saluted by the whistles of a hundred water craft, the _Columbia_ madestately progress into Southampton harbor. As her leviathan bulk movedmajestically along under reduced speed, her whistles blowing and herflag dipping in acknowledgment of the greeting, Jack with a beatingheart, stood on the upper deck watching earnestly for developments. 

He knew that Billy and the two firemen he had selected to help him, onwhat might prove a dangerous job, were below watching Prof. Dusenberry. They all wore stewards' uniforms so that the man who Jack believedstruck down the diamond merchant and stole the stones might not getsuspicious at seeing them about in the corridors. 

"I believe they must have changed their plans, after all, " Jack wasthinking when, from the shore, there shot out, at tremendous speed, asharp-bowed, swift motor-boat. It headed straight for the _Columbia_. Asit drew closer, Jack saw it held two men. Both were blowing a whistle, waving flags and pointing at the big ship as if they, like many othersmall water craft, were just out to get a glimpse of the triumph ofAmerican shipbuilders. 

They maneuvered close alongside, while Jack's fingers grasped the railtill the paint flaked off under the pressure he exerted in hisexcitement. What was happening below? he wondered. Could Billy and hiscompanions carry out their part of the program? Not far from the boy thediamond merchant, unconscious of the drama being enacted on his account, stood, with bandaged head, explaining for the hundredth time the beautyand the value of the gems he had lost. 

"Five thousand thalers I give if I get them back, " he declared. 

Suddenly Jack's heart gave a bound. From a port far down on the side ofthe ship, and almost directly under him, a white object was hurled. Itstruck the water with a splash and spread out, floating buoyantly. 

Instantly the black motor-boat darted forward, one of the men on boardholding a boat hook extended to grasp the floating life-preserver, hidden in which was a king's fortune in gems. 

Jack stood still just one instant. Then, driven by an impulse he couldnot explain, he threw off his coat, kicked off the loose slippers hewore when at work, and the next moment he had mounted the rail and madea clean, swift dive for the life-preserver. 

Billy rushed on deck, excitement written on his face, just as Jack divedoverboard. 

"Jack! Jack!" he shouted. 

But he was too late. 

"Great Neptune, has the boy gone mad?" exclaimed Captain Turner, who hadpassed along the deck just in time to see Jack's dive. Regardless of seaetiquette, Billy grasped the skipper's arm and rushed into a narrativeof the plan he and Jack had hoped to carry out. 

"But Dusenberry was too quick for us, sir, " he concluded. 

"Never mind that, now, " cried the captain, "that boy may be in danger. "

He looked over the rail, which, owing to most of the passengers beingbusy below with their preparations for landing, was almost deserted. Billy was at his side. In the black motor-boat two men stood with theirhands up. Alongside was a speedy-looking launch full of strapping bigmen with firm jaws and the unmistakable stamp of detectives the worldover. Some of them were hauling on board the police launch Jack'sdripping figure, which clung fast to the life-preserver. Others kept themen in the black launch covered with their pistols. 

Half an hour later, when the passengers--all that is but Mr. Rosenstein--had gone ashore (the diamond merchant had been asked by thecaptain to remain), a little group was assembled in Captain Turner'scabin. In the center of it stood Professor Dusenberry, alias Foxy Fred, looking ever more meek and mild than usual. He had been seized and boundby the two disguised firemen as he threw the life-preserver, but not intime to prevent his getting it out of the port. Beside him, alsomanacled, were the two men who had been in the motor-boat and who, according to the Southampton police, formed a trio of the most daringdiamond thieves who ever operated. 

"I think we may send for Mr. Rosenstein now, " said Captain Turner with asmile. "Only I hope that he is not subject to attacks of heart failure. Ready, " he said, turning to Jack, who stood side by side with Billy, "take these and give them to Mr. Rosenstein with your compliments. "

Jack blushed and hesitated. 

"I'd, --I'd rather--sir--if you--don't mind----" he stammered. 

"You may regard what I just said as an order if you like, " said CaptainTurner, trying to look grim, while everybody else, but Jack and theprisoners, smiled. 

"You wanted to see me on important business, captain?" asked Mr. Rosenstein, as he entered. "You will keep me as short a time aspossible, please. I must get to Scotland Yard, my diamonds----"

"Are right here in this boy's hand, " said the captain, pushing Jackforward. 

"What! This is the fellow who took them?" thundered the diamondmerchant. 

"No; this is the lad you have to thank for recovering them for you fromthose three men yonder, " said the captain. 

"Professor Dusenberry!" exclaimed the diamond expert, throwing up hishand. 

"Or Foxy Fred, " grinned one of the English detectives. 

"Oh, my head, it goes round, " exclaimed Mr. Rosenstein. 

"This lad, with wonderful ingenuity, and finally courage, when he leapedoverboard to save your property, traced the guilty parties, " went on thecaptain, "and by wireless arranged for their capture. "

"It's a bit of work to be proud of, " said the head of the Englishcontingent. 

"It is that, " said the captain. "It has cleared away a cloud that mighthave hung over this ship till the mystery was dispelled, which probablywould have been never. "

Mr. Rosenstein, who had taken the diamonds from Jack, stood apparentlystupefied, holding them on his palm. Suddenly, however, to Jack's greatembarrassment, he threw both arms round the boy's neck and saluted himon both cheeks. Then he rushed at Billy and finally the two firemen, whododged out of the way. Then he drew out a check book and began writingrapidly. He handed a pink slip of paper to Jack. It was a check for$5, 000. 

"A souvenir, " he said. 

"But--but----" began Jack, "we didn't do it for money. It was our dutyto the company and----"

"It's your duty to the company to take that check, then, " laughedCaptain Turner, and in the end Jack did. The two firemen, who had helpedthe boys, received a good share of it and later were promoted by thecompany for their good work. As for Prof. Dusenberry and his companions, they vanish from our story when, in custody of the detectives, they wentover the side a few minutes later. But Jack and Billy to-day have twovery handsome diamond and emerald scarf-pins, the gifts of the gratefulMr. Rosenstein. 

"Looks as if we are always having adventures of some kind or another, "said Billy to Jack that evening as they strolled about the town, for theship would not sail for Cherbourg, her last port before the homewardvoyage, till the next day. 

"It certainly does look that way, " agreed Jack and then, with a laugh, he added:

"But they don't all turn out so profitably as this one. "

With which Billy agreed. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

THURMAN PLOTS. 

It was two nights before the _Columbia_, on her homeward voyage, enteredNew York harbor. On the trip across she had once more had the bigBritish greyhound of the seas for a rival. But this time there was adifferent tale to tell. The _Columbia_ was coming home, as Billy Raynorput it, "with a broom at the main-mast head. "

All day the wireless snapped out congratulations from the shore. Jackwas kept busy transmitting shore greetings and messages from returningvoyagers who had chosen the finest ship under the stars and stripes onwhich to return to the United States. Patriotism ran riot as everybulletin showed the _Columbia_ reeling over two or three knots more anhour than her rival. One enthusiastic millionaire offered atwenty-dollar gold piece to every fireman, and five dollars each to allthe other members of the crew, if the _Columbia_ beat her fleet rival bya five-hour margin. The money was as good as won. 

Thurman sat in the wireless room. His head was in his hands and he wasthinking deeply. Should he or should he not send that message toWashington which, he was sure, would cause Jack's arrest the instant theship docked. He had struggled with his conscience for some time. Butthen the thought of the reward and the fancied grudge he owed Jackovertopped every other consideration. He seized the key and begancalling the big naval station. 

It was not long before he got a reply, for when not talking to warshipsthe land stations of the department use normal wave-lengths. 

"Who is this?" came the question from the government man. 

"It's X. Y. Z, " rapped out Thurman. 

This was the signature he had appended to his other messages. 

"The thunder you say, " spelled out the other; "we thought we'd neverhear from you again. "

"Well, here I am. "

"So it appears. Well, are you ready to tell us who this chap is who'sbeen mystifying us so?"

"I am. "

"Great ginger, wait till I get Rear-admiral ---- and Secretary ---- onthe 'phone. It's late but they'll get out of bed to hear this news. "

But it transpired that both the officials were at a reception andThurman was asked to wait till they could be rushed at top speed to thewireless station in automobiles. At last everything was ready andThurman, while drops of sweat rolled down his face, rapped out histreachery and sent it flashing from the antennæ across the sea. 

"Thank you, " came the reply when he had finished, "the secretary alsowishes me to thank you and assure you of your reward. Secret Service menwill meet the ship at the pier. "

"And Jack Ready, what about him?"

"He will be taken care of. You had better proceed to Washington as soonas possible after you land. "

"How much will the reward be?" greedily demanded Thurman. 

"The secretary directs me to say that it will be suitable, " was therejoinder. 

The next morning, when Jack came on duty, he sent a personal message toUncle Toby via Siasconset. This was it:

 "Universal detector a success. Will you wire Washington of my intention to proceed there with all speed when I arrive?

 "JACK. "

Late that day he got back an answer that appeared to astonish him a gooddeal, for he sat knitting his brows over it for some moments. 

 "Washington says some ding-gasted sneak has been cutting up funny tricks. Looks like you have been talking. 

 "TOBY READY. "

This characteristic message occupied Jack for some moments till hethought of a reply to its rather vaguely worded contents. Then he gotSiasconset and shot this through the air:

 "Have talked to no one who could have seen Washington. My last letter to the Secretary of the Navy was that I thought I was on the road to success. 

 "JACK. "

No reply came to this and Jack went off watch with the matter as much ofa mystery as ever. But as Thurman came in to relieve him a suddensuspicion shot across Jack's mind. Could Thurman have----?

He recalled the night he had caught him examining the device with suchcare! Jack had since removed it, but in searching in the waste basketfor a message discarded by mistake he had since come across whatappeared to be crude sketches of the Universal Detector. If Thurman hadnot drawn them, Jack was at a loss to know who had. But for somemysterious reason he only smiled as he left the wireless room. 

"If you've been up to any hocus-pocus business, Mr. Thurman, " he said tohimself, as he descended to dinner, "you are going to get the surpriseof your life within a very short time. "

After dinner he came back to the upper deck again, but as he gained ithis attention was arrested by the scream of the wireless spark. It was awarm night and the door of the cabin was open. Jack stoppedinstinctively to listen to the roaring succession of dots and dashes. 

"He's calling Washington, " said Jack to himself as he listened. 

"He's got them, " he exclaimed a minute later. 

"Hullo! Hullo! I guess I was right in my guess, then, after all. Oh, Thurman, what a young rascal you are. "

He listened attentively as Thurman shot out his message to the NationalCapital. Jack repeated it in an undertone as the spark crackled andsquealed. 

"Do--I--get--my--reward--right--away?"

Jack actually burst, for some inexplicable reason, into a hearty laugh. 

"Oh, Thurman! Thurman!" he exploded to himself. "What a badly fooledyoung man you are going to be. "

CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE "SUITABLE REWARD. "

The arrival of the _Columbia_ at her dock the next day was in the natureof an ovation. A band played "Hail Columbia, " and a dense crowd blockedthe docks and adjacent points of vantage to view the great liner whichhad taken the blue ribbon of the seas from England's crack ship. News ofthe dramatic rescue of the crew of the _Oriana_, wirelessed at the timeof the occurrence to the newspapers, had inflamed public interest in thebig ship too, and her subsequent doings had been eagerly followed in thedailies. 

"Great to be home again, isn't it, old fellow?" asked Raynor, coming upto Jack as a dozen puffing tugs nosed the towering _Columbia_ into herdock. 

"It is, indeed, " said Jack, looking over the rail. "I'm going to----"

He broke off suddenly and began waving frantically to two persons in thecrowd. One was an old man, rather bent, but hale and hearty andsunburned. Beside him was a pretty girl. It was Helen Dennis and herfather, Captain Dennis, who had been rescued from a sinking sailing shipduring Jack's first voyage, as told in the "Ocean Wireless Boys on theAtlantic. " Captain Dennis, since the disaster, had been unable to getanother ship to command and had been forced to accept a position aswatchman on one of the docks, but Jack had been working all he knew howto get the captain another craft, so far, however, without success. 

"There's one reason why you're glad to be home, " said Raynor slyly, waving to Helen. "You're a lucky fellow. "

The gang-plank was down, but before any passengers were allowed ashore, way was made for four stalwart, clean-shaven men who hurried on board. 

"Wonder who those fellows are?" said Raynor; "must be some sort ofbig-wigs. "

"Yes, they certainly got the right of way, " responded Jack without muchinterest. 

Thurman joined them. 

"I hear that the Secret Service men are on board, " he said. "Must belooking for someone. "

"I suppose so, " said Jack. "They usually are. "

Somebody tapped Jack on the shoulder. It was one of the men who hadboarded the ship. An evil leer passed over Thurman's face as he sawthis. 

"Are you Jack Ready?" asked the man. 

"That's my name, " replied Jack. 

The man threw back his coat, displaying a gold badge. His threecompanions stood beside him. 

"I want you to come to Washington with us at once, " said the man. "I amoperative Thomas of the United States Secret Service. "

"Why what's the matter? What's he done?" demanded Raynor. 

"That's for the Navy Department to decide, " said the man sternly. Thurman had slipped away after the man had displayed his badge. Hisenvious mind was now sure of its revenge. He, too, meant to get thefirst train to Washington. 

"Don't worry, old fellow, " said Jack. "Just slip ashore and make myexcuses to Helen and her father, will you, and then meet me inWashington at the Willard. I think I shall have some news that willsurprise you. "

Greatly mystified, Raynor obeyed, while Jack and the four men, two oneach side of him, left the ship. Thurman followed them closely. Hisflabby face wore a look of satisfaction. 

"Two birds with one stone, " he muttered to himself. "I've got even withJack Ready and I get a reward for doing it. Slick work. "

The trip to Washington was uneventful. On their arrival there Jack andthe Secret Service men went straight to the Navy Department. They passedthrough a room filled with waiting persons having business there, andwere at once admitted to the office of the Secretary of the Navy, adignified looking man with gray hair and mustache, who sat ensconcedbehind a large desk littered with papers and documents. 

There were several other gentlemen in the room. Some of them were innaval uniforms and all had an official appearance that was ratheroverawing. 

"So, this is our young man, " said the Secretary, as Jack removed hishat. "Sit down, Mr. Ready, these gentlemen and myself wish to talk toyou. "

Then, for an hour or more, Jack described the Universal Detector andanswered scores of questions. After the first few minutes his sense ofembarrassment wore off and he talked easily and naturally. When he hadfinished, and everybody's curiosity was satisfied, the Secretary turnedto him. 

"And you are prepared to turn this instrument over to the United Statesnavy?"

"That was the main object I had in designing it, " said Jack, "but I amat a loss to know how you discovered that I was on board the_Columbia_. "

"That will soon be explained, " said the Secretary, with a smile that wasrather enigmatic. "You recollect having a little fun with our navyoperators?"

Jack colored and stammered something while everybody in the room smiled. 

"Don't worry about that, " laughed the Secretary. "It just upset thedignity of some of our navy operators. Well, following that somebodyoffered, for a consideration, to tell us who it was that had discoveredthe secret of a Universal Detector. It turned out, as I had expectedfrom our previous correspondence, that it was you. But not till twonights ago, when our informant again wirelessed, did we know that youwere at sea. "

"But--but, sir, " stuttered Jack, greatly mystified, "who did this?"

The Secretary pressed a button on his desk. A uniformed orderlyinstantly answered. 

"Tell Mr. Thurman to come in, " said the Secretary. 

There was a brief silence, then the door opened and Thurman, with anexpectant look and an assured manner, stepped into the room. 

"Mr. Thurman?" asked the Secretary. 

"Yes, sir, " said Thurman in a loud, confident voice, "I thought I'dhurry over here as soon as the ship docked and talk to you about my workin discovering for you the fellow who invented the Universal Detector. I----"

He suddenly caught sight of Jack and turned a sickly yellow. Jack lookedsteadily at the fellow who, he had guessed for some time, had beenevilly interested in the detector. 

"Well, go on, Mr. Thurman, " said the Secretary, encouragingly, but witha peculiar look at the corners of his mouth. 

Thurman shuffled miserably. 

"I'd prefer not to talk with--with him in the room, " he said, noddinghis head sideways at Jack. 

"Why not? Mr. Ready has just sold his invention to the United Statesgovernment. "

"Sold it, sir----" began Jack, flushing, "why I----"

The Secretary held up a hand to enjoin silence. Then he turned to thethoroughly uncomfortable Thurman. 

"We feel, Mr. Thurman, " he said, "that you really tried to do us a greatservice. "

Thurman recovered some of his self-assurance. Could he have had theskill to read the faces about him, though, he must have known that abomb was about to burst. 

"Thank you, sir, " he said, "I did what I could, what I thought was myduty. And now, sir, about that reward. "

"'Suitable reward, ' was what was said, I think, Mr. Thurman, " said theSecretary. 

"Well, yes, sir, 'suitable reward, '" responded Thurman, his eyesglistening with cupidity. 

"Mr. Thurman, " and the Secretary's voice was serious and impressive, "these gentlemen and I have decided that the most suitable reward for ayoung man as treacherous and mean as you have shown yourself to be, would be to be kicked downstairs. Instead I shall indicate to you thedoor and ask you to take your leave. "

"But--but--I told you who the fellow was that had discovered thedetector. Why, I even made drawings of it for you. "

"I don't doubt that, " said the Secretary dryly. "There was only one weakpoint in your whole scheme, Mr. Thurman, and that was that Mr. Readywrote us some time ago when he first began his experiments about hiswork and asked some advice. At that time he informed us that if hesucceeded in producing a Universal Detector that it would be at theservice of this government. So you see that you were kind enough toinform us of something we knew already. But for a time we were at a lossto know whether it was not some other inventor working on similar lineswho had discovered such a detector. To find out definitely wefine-combed the country. "

"And--and I get no reward?" stuttered Thurman. 

"Except the one I mentioned and the possible lesson you may have learnedfrom your experience. Good-afternoon, Mr. Thurman. "

Thurman was so thunderstruck by the collapse of his hopes of reaping afortune by his treachery that he appeared for a moment to be deprived ofthe power of locomotion. The Secretary nodded to the orderly, who cameforward and took the wretched youth, for whom Jack could not helpfeeling sorry, by the arm and led him to the door. This was the lastthat was seen of Thurman for a long time, but Jack was destined to meethim again, thousands of miles away and under strange circumstances. 

When Jack left the Navy Department he felt as if he was walking on air. In his pocket was a check, intended as a sort of retaining fee by thegovernment, till tests should have established beyond a doubt the valueof his invention. His eyes were dancing and all he felt that he neededwas a friend to share his pleasure with. This need was supplied on hisreturn to the hotel, for there was a telegram from Billy Raynor, tellingJack to meet him on an evening train. It wound up with these words:

 "Helen Dennis and myself badly worried. Hope everything is all right. "

"All right, " smiled Jack, "yes, all right, and then some. "

CHAPTER XXXII. 

THE PLOTTER'S TRIUMPH. 

The face of one of the first of the passengers to disembark from thetrain as it rolled into the depot was a familiar one to Jack. With athrill of pleasure he darted through the crowd to clasp the hand of hisold friend, Captain Simms. 

"Here's a coincidence, " he exclaimed. "I'm here to meet Billy Raynor. Hemust have come on the same train. But are you ill, sir? Is anything thematter?"

"Jack, my boy, " said the captain, who was pale and drawn, "a terriblething has happened. The code has been stolen. "

"Stolen! By whom?"

"Undoubtedly by Judson and his gang. I thought I saw them on the trainbetween Clayton and New York. I was on my way here with the completedcode. I had it under my pillow in my berth on the sleeper. When Iawakened it had gone. "

"Didn't you have a hunt made for Judson when you reached New York?"

"Yes, but we had made two stops in the night. Undoubtedly, they got offat one of them. Unless that code is found I'm a ruined and a disgracedman. "

At that moment Billy Raynor came hurrying up. But there was not muchwarmth in Jack's welcome to him. His mind was busy with other things. 

"What's the matter?" said Billy in a low voice, for he too had noticedCaptain Simms' dejection. 

"Never mind now, " whispered Jack, "I'll tell you later. If I may suggestit, sir, " he said, addressing the captain, who appeared completelybroken by the loss of the code, "hadn't we better get into a cab anddrive to the Willard? You are not going to the department to-night?"

"No, I couldn't face them to-night, " said the captain. "We'll do as yousay. "

"There may be a way of catching the rascals, " said Jack as the taxicabbumped off. 

The captain shook his head. 

"The code is in the hands of the ambassador of the foreign power thatwanted it as the price of a contract by this time, " he said. "It is gonebeyond recovery. I am disgraced. "

On their arrival at the hotel, the captain retired at once to his room. The boys had dinner without much appetite for the meal and then set outfor a stroll to talk things over. 

"This is a terrible off-set to my good news, " said Jack. 

"Don't you think there's a chance of getting the code back?" askedBilly. 

Jack shook his head. 

"I think it is as Captain Simms said, the code is in the hands of thatambassador by this time. "

"Jack Ready, by all that's good, and Billy too, shake!"

The cry came from up the street and a tall, good-looking lad of theirown age came hurrying toward them. It was Ned Rivers, a youth who wasinterested in wireless and in that way had become acquainted with Jackand Billy on board the _Tropic Queen_ while he was accompanying hisfather on a cruise on that ill-fated ship. 

"Ned!" cried Jack. 

"You're a sight for sore eyes, " exclaimed Billy, and a generalhandshaking followed. 

"What are you doing here, Ned?" asked Jack, after a few more words hadbeen exchanged. 

"Yes, I thought you lived in Nebraska, " said Billy. 

"So we did, but we've moved here. Father's in the Senate now. I thoughtyou knew. "

"Congratulations, " said Jack. "I guess we'll have to call you Mr. Senator, Jr. , now and tip our hats to you. "

"Avast with that nonsense, as they don't say at sea, " laughed Ned. "There's our house yonder, " and he pointed to a handsome stoneresidence. 

"Hullo, what's that I see on the roof?" asked Jack. 

"That's my wireless outfit. Mother made an awful kick about having itthere, but at last she gave in. "

"So you're still a wireless boy?" said Billy. 

"Yes, and I've got a dandy outfit too. Come on over. I want to introduceyou to the folks. "

"Thanks, we will some other time, but not to-night. We don't feel fitfor company. You see quite a disaster has happened to a friend of ours, "and under a pledge of secrecy from Ned, who he knew he could rely on, Jack told the lad part of the story of the theft of the code. 

"By jove, that is a loss, " said Ned sympathetically. "I've heard dadtalking about the new code. It was a very important matter. "

"We were going for a walk to discuss the whole question, " said Billy. 

"Can I join you?" asked Ned. 

"Glad to have you, " was the rejoinder. Talking and laughing merrily overold times on the _Tropic Queen_, the boys walked on, not noticing muchwhere they were going till they found themselves on an ill-lightedstreet of rather shabby-looking dwellings. 

"Hullo, " said Ned, "I don't think much of this part of town. Let's getback to a main street. "

"It's a regular slum, " said Billy, and the three boys started to retracetheir steps. But suddenly Jack stopped and jerked his companions into adoorway. Two figures had just come in sight round the corner. They wereheaded down the street on the opposite sidewalk. 

"It's Judson and his son, " whispered Jack. "What can they be doinghere?"

"Hiding, most probably, " returned Billy. 

"Yes, they--hullo! Look, they're going into that alley-way. "

The boys darted across the street. Looking down the alley-way, they sawthe figures of Judson and his son, by the light of a sickly gas lamp, ascending the steps of a rickety-looking tenement house. 

"Jove, this is worth knowing, " exclaimed Jack. "If they are reallyhiding here we can get the police on their track. How lucky that we justlet ourselves roam into this part of town. "

"We ought to have them arrested at once, " said Billy. 

"Yes, that's a good idea. But they may have just sneaked through thehallway and out by a rear way. You fellows wait here till I go and see. "

"Oh, Jack, you may get in trouble. "

"Yes, we'll go with you, " said Ned. 

"No, you stay here, " Jack insisted. "One of us won't be noticed. Threewould. Besides, that house is full of other tenants. Nothing much couldhappen to me. "

In spite of their further protests he walked rapidly, but cautiously, down the alley-way. Noiselessly he entered the hallway and walked to thedoor of a rear room, where he heard voices. But it was a laboring manand his wife quarreling over something. Jack heard a door open on anupper floor. Then came a voice that thrilled him. It was Jarrow's. 

"Hullo, Judson, back again? Well, how did things go?"

Then Jack heard the door closed and locked. 

"So, they are really here, " he muttered. "What a piece of luck. But thequestion is, have they got the code? If it is out of their hands it willbe well nigh impossible to recover it, for it is a serious matter tocharge an ambassador with wrong-doing. "

Jack began to ascend the rickety stairs with great caution. They creakeddismally under his tread. At a door on the second floor he caught thesound of Judson's voice. With a beating heart he crept as close as hedared and listened. 

"The plans have all been changed, " he heard Judson saying. "We are totake the code to Crotona (the capital of the power represented by theambassador) ourselves. There's a steamer that leaves Baltimore forNaples to-morrow. We are to take that and proceed from Naples to ourdestination. "

"What a bother, " came in Donald's voice. "I don't see why the ambassadordidn't take them. "

"He said it was too dangerous. He was being watched by the SecretService men. "

"Well, it's just as dangerous for us, if it comes to that, " grumbledJarrow. 

"I've got another piece of news for you, " said Judson. "As I was passingthe Willard to-night I saw Simms, and who do you think was with him?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. "

"Those two brats who made trouble for us at Alexandria Bay. It was agood thing I was disguised, for I passed close to them before Irecognized them. "

"Confound it all, " burst out Jarrow, "do you think they know we arehere?"

"Not a ghost of a chance of it, " said Judson confidently; "anyhow, we'vepicked a hiding place where no one would ever dream of looking for us. "

"That's so. I'll be glad when we get out of the horrid hole, " grumbledDonald. 

A footstep sounded behind Jack on the creaking boards. It startled him. He had not heard a door open. But now he was confronted by a portlyItalian. The man grabbed him by the shoulder. 

"Whadda you do-a here?" demanded the man, "me thinka you one-a dasneak-a da tief. "

"Let me go, " demanded Jack, striving to wrench himself free. 

"I no leta you go justa yet. I tinka you here steala da tings, " criedthe man in a loud voice. 

The talk inside Judson's room broke off suddenly. 

"Hullo, what's up outside?" exclaimed Donald. "Somebody's collared athief. Let's see what it's all about. "

He flung the door open and the lamplight streamed out full on Jack'sface. 

Donald fell back a pace with astonishment. 

"Great Scott! It's Jack Ready, " he exclaimed. "What in the world are youdoing here?"

"You knowa desa boy?" asked the Italian, still holding Jack fast. 

"Yes, I do. He's no good, " replied Donald. 

"Dena I throwa him out or calla da police. "

"Yes--no, for goodness' sake, not the police, " exclaimed Donald. "Dad, Jarrow, here's that Ready kid spying on us. He was caught in the hall bythat Italian next door, who thought he was a sneak thief. "

"Ha! Ready, you are the most unlucky lad I know, " cried Judson, comingto the door, "we've got you just where we want you this time. There areno chimneys here. Bring him inside. "

"Not much! Help!" Jack began to shout, but Jarrow clapped a hand overhis mouth. 

"Help us run him in here, " he ordered the Italian, "I'll pay you forit. "

"Whatsa da mat'?" asked the Italian suspiciously. "He no lika you. "

"No wonder. He robbed us once. I guess he was here to do it again. Wewant to settle accounts with him. "

"Oh-ho, datsa eet ees it?" said the Italian. "All righta, I no make datroub'. "

He gave Jack a forward shove into the room of the wireless boy'senemies. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

IN THE POWER OF THE ENEMY. 

As soon as the door was shut and locked, Judson faced Jack. 

"Now you keep quiet if you don't want a rap over the head with this, " hesaid, exhibiting a heavy bludgeon. 

"Don't dare touch me, " spoke Jack boldly. 

"That will depend. I want to ask you some questions. Will you answerthem?"

"I shall see. "

"You followed Donald and me here and were spying on us when that Italiancaught you. "

"A good thing he did, " interjected Donald. 

"You heard us planning--er--er something?"

"Possibly I did. "

"Boy, I know you did. "

"Then what's the sense of asking me?"

"None of your impudence, young man! You've always been too much of abusy-body for your own good, " snarled Jarrow. 

"What's the use of questioning him, dad?" said Donald. "He'll only lie. "

"That's probably correct. I guess he heard everything. What shall we dowith him?"

"Make him a prisoner, " said Jarrow. 

"But we can't stay here to guard him and he'd be out of this room in ajiffy. "

"I'll tell you where we'll take him, " said Donald. He whispered in hisfather's ear. Judson's face brightened and he nodded approvingly. 

"Just the place. It will serve him right. He got himself into thismess. "

"Are you going to let me go?" demanded Jack. 

"Certainly not. You've made your bed--you can lie on it. "

Jack made a leap for the door. The key was in the lock, but he didn'thave a chance to turn it before all three threw themselves on him. Ascuffle followed which Judson brought to a quick stop by striking Jack astunning blow on the head with his bludgeon. With a million starsdancing before him in a void of blackness, Jack went down. 

"Now come on quick before anyone spots us, " said Jarrow. 

Jack's limp form was rolled up in a dirty old blanket so as to look likesome kind of a bundle. Then Jarrow and Judson lifted him by the head andfeet, while Donald preceded them with the lamp. 

The younger Judson led the way out of a rear door to a side hallway. From here two flights of stairs led down to an ill-ventilated, lowcellar which was seldom visited and was used mostly for old rubbish andrags. Jack was carried to a high-sided wooden coal bin and his formdropped on a pile of dirty old newspapers and decaying straw. There wasa heavy door with an iron bolt on the outside leading into the place. AsJudson closed this, leaving Jack to his fate, he muttered:

"This is the time we don't need to bother about his getting out. He'llstay there till to-morrow, anyhow, and by that time we'll be at sea. "

"What time will that auto be at the corner?" asked Donald. 

"It should be there in a few minutes. We must get ready right away, "replied his father. "Come on, we've no time to lose. "

In the meantime Billy and Ned waited on the corner. As the minutes flewby they began to get worried. 

"Jack is certainly taking his time, " said Ned. 

"Perhaps he is scouting about, " suggested Billy. 

"Perhaps he has fallen into a trap, " exclaimed Ned. "I've a good mind togo for the police. "

"Well, we'll wait a little longer, " said Billy. 

Almost an hour passed and there was no sign of Jack. 

"I won't wait any longer, " declared Ned, when suddenly three figuresemerged from the house. Their hats were pulled over their eyes and theyglanced about suspiciously. 

"It's the two Judsons and Jarrow, " exclaimed Billy. 

As he spoke a big touring car came down the street and stopped at themouth of the alley-way. The three persons who had just emerged from thetenement house began to hasten to it, but Billy intercepted them. 

"What have you done with Jack?" he demanded. 

"Yes, where is he?" cried Ned. 

"Out of our way, " said Jarrow, giving Billy a shove. 

"We don't know any Jack, " growled Judson. 

Before the boys could stop them they had reached the car and sprung in. 

"Drive off at full speed, " Judson ordered the chauffeur, and, leavingthe boys standing rooted to the spot, the car dashed off with a roar. Borne back to them they could hear the mocking laughter of itsoccupants. 

"Those rascals have played some trick on Jack and they've got awayscot-free, " groaned Billy. 

"We must hunt for him at once, " exclaimed Ned. 

The two boys set out for the tenement. It was pitch dark in the hallway. Ned struck a match. 

"Jack! Jack! where are you?" he called softly. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

THE SEARCH FOR JACK. 

The two boys, with their hearts heavy as lead, ascended the stairscalling for Jack. On the second floor, as they reached it, a door wassuddenly flung open. 

"Be jabers, stop that racket. Can't yez be lettin' a dacent family slapein pace?"

Another door flew open and a black, woolly head was poked out. 

"What fo' you alls come makin' such a cumsturbance at dis yar hour ob denight?"

"We're looking for a boy who we think has been trapped in this building. Have you seen anything of him?" asked Ned. 

"Sure and I haven't. This is a dacent house and dacent folks. Go alongwid yer now and let us slape. "

"By gollys we don't kidsnap no boys, " came from the negro. 

Another door was opened and the Italian who had caught Jack in the hallcame out. 

"Whatsa da mat'?" he asked. 

"We're looking for a boy, our chum. He came into this house two hoursago. We're afraid he----" burst out Billy desperately. 

"I see-a da boy in deesa hall, " said the Italian. "I teenka heem sneakateef. I catcha heem but two men and a boy in data rooma dere dey takaheem. Dey say dat he robba heem and they getta even. "

"Did they take him into the room?" burst out Ned. 

The Italian nodded. 

"Yes, dey takea heem in. I geeva heem to them, " said the manindifferently. 

"Great heavens, they invented that story about his robbing them, " criedBilly. "They've made him a prisoner. We must get him out. Jack! Jack!"

No answer came and then Billy, regardless of consequences, flung himselfagainst the door of the room the Italian had indicated. By this timequite a crowd of tenement dwellers had assembled, attracted by the loudvoices. At first the door stood firm, but when Ned joined Billy it gaveway with a bang, precipitating them into the room. 

But now a new voice was added to the uproar. Hans Pumpernickel, a sourold German who owned the tenements and lived there to save rent in abetter quarter, put in an appearance. 

"Vos is los?" he demanded, "ach himmel, de door vos busted py deroutside. Who did dis?"

"We did, " said Billy boldly. "My chum was decoyed into this house bysome bad characters. This was the room they occupied. But he isn'there. "

"Ach du liebe! Vos iss idt I care aboupt your droubles? I haf mein own. "

"We'll find Jack if we go through this house from cellar to attic, "declared Ned. 

"I dond pelief dot boy vos harmed by der men dot hadt idt dis room, "declared the crabbed old man. "Dey vos very respectable. Now you pay mefor dot door undt den go aboudt your pusiness. "

"If you interfere with us we'll call in the police, " said Billy. 

"Yes, if you want to keep out of trouble, you'll help us, " said Nedboldly. 

"Is dot so? Undt who iss you?"

"I'm the son of Senator Rivers of Nebraska. "

The landlord's jaw dropped. He grew more respectful. 

"Vell, vot am I to do?" he asked. 

"Don't interfere with us. We'll pay for this door. Hullo, what's that onthe floor?" exclaimed Billy. "Why, it's Jack's knife. But where is he?"

"Den dose nice mens, Mr. Jenkins undt Mister Thompson are kidsnabbers, "exclaimed the landlord. 

"Are those the names they gave?" asked Billy. 

"Ches. Dey pay idt me a month in advance. Dey vost nice gentlemen. "

"Yes, very nice, " exclaimed Billy bitterly. "However, knowing thosenames may give a clew later on. "

They searched for several hours but found no further trace of Jack. Atlast, tired out and sick at heart, they returned home. Billy acceptedNed's invitation to stay at the latter's house that night and to lay thematter before the Senator in the morning. 

 * * * * *

Half stunned, Jack lay still for some time on the moldy straw and theold newspapers in the coal bin in the cellar. But at length he musteredhis strength and rose, rather giddily, to his feet. 

"Well, this is the limit of tough luck, " he complained. "If I don't getout of here before to-morrow, when that steamer sails, the code willhave gone for good. If only I'd cut away sooner. Confound that Italian. He spoiled it all with his stupidity. "

Besides being pitch dark, the place was full of cobwebs. To add toJack's discomfort, a spider occasionally dropped on him. Suddenlyoverhead sounded footsteps and voices. 

"Somebody lives up there, " he thought. "If I could only attract theirattention. "

He shouted but nobody answered, although he tried it at intervals forsome hours. At last he gave up and sat down on the pile of straw tothink. He was very thirsty and his mouth and eyes were full of coal dustand dirt. The roof of the cellar was so low, too, that in moving abouthe bumped his head-against the beams. 

Suddenly he remembered that he had some matches. To strike a light wasthe work of a moment. Then he located the door. But all his effortsfailed to make it budge. He struck another light and this time he made adiscovery. 

"Gee whiz, that looks like a trap-door just above me, " he decided. 

He raised his hands and the cut-out square in the flooring came up withease. Jack scrambled up into a kitchen. In one corner was a ladder, nodoubt used when the occupants wished to enter the cellar. Through one ofthe windows daylight was streaming, the gray light of early dawn. 

"Great Scott! I've been down there all night, " ejaculated the boy. 

He was considering his next step when a large woman, with stout redarms, came into the kitchen. Her husband had to be at work early and shewas about to prepare his breakfast. She had a florid, disagreeable face. 

"What are you after doing here?" she demanded, picking up a heavyrolling pin. 

"I'm trying to get out of this house. Will you show me the way?"

"Indade and I will not. I'll hand yez over ter the perlice. " She raisedher voice. 

"Pat! Pat! come here at onct. "

"Phwat's the mather?" came from another room. 

"Thare's a thafe forninst the kitchen. Get ther perlice. I'll holdhim--he's only a gossoon. "

"Are you crazy?" demanded Jack. "I was locked in that cellar by somerascals and got out through your trap-door. "

"Tell that to the marines, " sneered the woman, as she made a grab forhim. 

Jack wrenched himself away and dodged a blow from the rolling-pin. Thewindow was open and it was a short drop to the yard. He darted for thewindow and made the jump. 

"Pat! Pat!" yelled the woman. 

Jack leaped over a fence at the back of the yard and found himself in analley. He ran for his life. Behind him came cries of pursuit but theysoon died away. He ran for several blocks, however, and then came to astandstill. 

"I guess Ned and Billy went home, " he mused. "I'd better hunt up Ned. Ifhis father is a Senator he may be able to use some influence to catchthese rascals before they get away for good. I wonder what time thatship sails? By the way, I don't know her name. "

At the hotel, to which he went first, he slipped up to his room withoutattracting much attention and washed off the dirt of the cellar. Then heinquired for Billy and learned that Raynor had telephoned the nightbefore that he was going to stop at Senator Rivers' house and for Jackto come straight over there, if he came in. Jack procured a copy of acommercial newspaper which he knew listed sailings of ships from allimportant ports. He turned to the Baltimore section. Half way down thecolumn he found this entry:

"Italian-American Line. S. S. _Southern Star_, --Balto. , for Naples, Italy. Sails--A. M. (hour indefinite). Mixed cargo. Ten passengers. "

"Hurrah! That's the ship, all right, " thought Jack, "there's a chanceyet that we can stop them. "

CHAPTER XXXV. 

THE WIRELESS MAKES GOOD. 

He lost no time in hastening to Senator Rivers' house. Just as he turnedinto the gate Billy and Ned emerged. They had spent a sleepless nightand were on their way to Police Headquarters to report Jack's absence. As they saw their missing comrade, they set up a glad shout. 

"Gracious, where have you been?" demanded Billy. 

"We were on our way to the police about you, " put in Ned. 

"Do you know anything about the Judsons and Jarrow?" asked Jack eagerly. 

"Why, yes, they came out of the house some time after you went in. Wechased them but they jumped into a high-powered car and escaped. "

"I know; they've gone to Baltimore. "

"How in the world do you know that?" asked Billy wonderingly. 

"I'll tell you it all in a few minutes. Ned, is your father up yet?"

"Gracious, no. But if it's important I can tell him to hurry up. "

"I wish you would; there's a chance that we can get back the naval codeif you do. "

"I'll tell him that, and he'll be dressed and down in record time, "cried Ned, running off. 

Jack waited to tell his adventures till they were all at breakfast. ThenBilly and Ned had to tell their stories. 

"Well, you boys certainly have your share of adventures, " remarked theSenator, "but the most important thing now is to secure the apprehensionof those rascals without delay. We had better call up the steamshipcompany at Baltimore and find out if anyone called Jenkins or Thompson, I think those are the aliases they gave at the tenement house, are amongthe passengers. "

This was done at once, but to the intense chagrin of all concerned, thetelephone company had seized that early hour of the day to repair somewires which had been knocked down in a thunderstorm near Baltimore thenight before. It was impossible to communicate with that city till somehours later. 

"We might telegraph, " suggested Jack. 

"Yes, I'll call a messenger at once. But I doubt even then that we'll bein time, " said the Senator. 

The telegram was sent, but before a reply came they were able to use thetelephone. 

"Hullo, is this the Italian-American steamship Company?--all right--arethree passengers, two men and a boy, booked on the _Southern Star_ asJenkins and Thompson, --they are, --good, this is Senator Rivers talking, from Washington, --those men are criminals, --they have robbed thegovernment of valuable documents--summon the police and have themarrested and held--I'll take full responsibility--WHAT!--The _SouthernStar_ sailed two hours ago!"

The senator dropped the receiver from his hand in his disappointment. 

"Too late! The code is lost to the United States for good, and thoserascals have escaped!"

But Jack suddenly sprang forward. His cheeks were aflame withexcitement. 

"Senator, " he cried. "There is still a chance. "

"I fail to see it, " said Mr. Rivers. 

"Get the line on the wire again, sir, and find out if the _SouthernStar_ has a wireless. "

"But what--Jove, boy! I see your plan now. "

Eagerly the Senator snatched up the receiver again. Before longconnection was again established. 

"The _Southern Star_ has a wireless, " he exclaimed. "Her call is S. X. A. , and now for your plan, my boy. "

"Show me to your wireless room, will you, Ned?" said Jack, subduing theexcitement in his voice with a struggle. 

"Oh, Jack, I see what you're going to do now, " cried Ned. "Come on. Wedon't want to lose a minute. "

The boys dashed up the stairs three at a time. The Senator followed at amore discreet pace. They entered the wireless room with a bang and ashout. 

Jack fairly flung himself at the key and began pounding out the_Southern Star's_ call. In reality it was only ten minutes, but to thosein that room it seemed hours before he got a reply. When he did, hesummoned the captain through the operator. 

"Have I got authority to use your name, Senator?" asked the boy while hewaited for the announcement that the captain was in the wireless room. 

"You have authority to use the name of the most powerful institution inthe world, my boy, the United States Government, " said the Senatorsolemnly. Then, as if he had suddenly thought of something, he hurriedlyleft the room. Downstairs he once more applied himself to the telephone, but this time he talked to the Secretary of the Navy. 

Fifteen minutes after Jack had spoken to the Captain of the _SouthernStar_ that craft was anchored in the Chesapeake River waiting thearrival of a gunboat hastily detailed by government wireless to proceedat once up that river and take three prisoners off the _Southern Star_. This latter order was the result of Senator Rivers' call to the NavyDepartment. 

Jack's happy task was then to break the good news to Captain Simms, which he lost no time in doing, and the captain's deep gratitude, whichwas none the less because he expressed it in few words, may be imagined. 

"I declare, " he said, "you boys have been my good angels all through. You have helped me as if your own interests had been at stake. I don'tknow how to thank you. "

The code was yielded up by Judson without a struggle, which procured himsome leniency later on. But both he and Jarrow met with heavy punishmentfor their misdeeds. Donald was allowed to go free on account of hisyouth and the government's disability to prove that he had actuallyanything to do with the theft of the code. After the news of his arrestspread, the long threatened disaster to Judson's company happened and itwent into bankruptcy. Donald, the pampered and selfish, had to go towork for a living. The boys heard that he had gone west. They weredestined to meet him again, however, as they were Thurman. 

One of Jack's proudest possessions is a framed letter from the Secretaryof the Navy thanking him for his great aid and that of his friends inthe matter of the Navy Code, but he values the friendship of CaptainSimms as highly. Not long after the successful tests of the detector, there was a joyous gathering on board the old _Venus_, to which queerhome Uncle Toby had returned. All our friends were there and Jack wasable to announce a joyous surprise. He had been able to secure, throughCaptain Simms' influence, the command of a fine new sailing ship forCaptain Dennis. She was a full-rigged bark, plying between New York andMediterranean ports. 

Tears stood in the veteran captain's eyes, as he thanked Jack, and Helencried openly. 

"Oh, Jack, I--I'd like to hug you!" she exclaimed, whereupon everybodylaughed, and the emotional strain was over. 

After a while, Captain Dennis began to tell of some of his adventures. Not only had he gone through many experiences on the sea, but also onland, and especially during the great Civil War. 

"One time, " said Captain Dennis, "while on a foraging expedition, ourmen were surprised, and before I knew what had happened I was aprisoner. I was taken to an old building and put in the upper story ofit. 

"Of course, I wanted to escape. So, after a while, I began to try myluck with the rope tied around my wrists. To my joy I found that I couldmove them. Half an hour later my wrists were free. 

"I peered out of the window. It was a very dark night, and the guard setaround the building was close and vigilant. I felt that my chances toescape were very small. 

"Still, I determined to try. After listening many hours, I thought Ilearned the exact position of the sentries. The spaces between them werevery short, but it would be quite possible, I thought, to pass by themnoiselessly and without being perceived. I may as well state that thewatch would have been even more strict had not the Confederates regardedthe struggle as virtually at an end, and were, therefore, less carefulas to their prisoners than they would otherwise have been. 

"I prepared for escape by tearing up the sheet on the bed, and knottingthe strips into a rope. I opened the window, threw out this rope, andslipped down to the ground. So far I was safe. 

"It was dark and foggy, and very difficult to see two feet in advance. Isoon found that my observations as to the places of the sentries hadbeen useless. Still, in the darkness and thickness of the night, Ithought that the chance of detection was small. 

"Creeping quietly and noiselessly along, I could hear the constantchallenges of the sentries around me. These, excited by the unusualdarkness of the night, were unusually vigilant. 

"I approached until I was within a few yards of the line, and the voicesof the men as they challenged enabled me to ascertain exactly theposition of the sentries on the right and left of me. Passing betweenthese, I could see neither, although they were but a few paces on eitherhand. Suddenly I fell into a stream running across my path. 

"Of course, in the darkness I had not observed it. At the sound of myfalling there was an instant challenge. Then a shot was fired!"

"Oh! How thrilling!" exclaimed Helen. 

Jack and Ned laughed. 

"Well, " resumed Captain Dennis, "I struggled across the stream, andclambered out on the opposite side. As I did so, a number of musketswere fired in my direction by soldiers who had rushed up to the point ofalarm. I felt a sharp, twitching pain in my shoulder, and I knew that Ihad been hit. But fortunately the other shots fired whizzed harmlesslyby. At top speed I ran forward. 

"I was safe from pursuit, for in the darkness it would have beenabsolutely impossible to follow me. So, in a few moments, I ceasedrunning. What was the use of taking chances? All was quiet behind me, but I could no longer tell in what direction I was advancing. 

"So long as I heard the shouts of the sentries, though the sounds seemedfar off, I continued my way; and then, all guidance being lost, I laydown under a hedge and waited for morning. "

"Oh, dear!" Helen cried sympathetically, "did you have to sleep in thatcold, moist night?"

"Quite so, " replied Captain Dennis, smiling good-humoredly; "and in themorning it was still foggy. After wandering aimlessly about for sometime I at last succeeded in striking a road. I decided to take awesterly course. 

"My shoulder was stiff and somewhat swollen. But the bullet had passedthrough its fleshy part, missing the bone; and although it cost muchpain I was able, by wrapping my arm tightly to my body, to proceed. Morethan once I had to withdraw from the road into the fields or bushes whenI heard a straggling number of Confederates coming along. 

"I came upon a house, and although I was hungry and tired, I wascautious. Instead of going to the door I made for the window. But I hadmy trouble for nothing. I looked in and saw a number of Confederatesoldiers there, and knew that there was no safety for me. To add to mydismay, one of the soldiers happened to cast his eyes up as I glanced inthe room and he at once gave a shout of warning. 

"Instantly the others sprang to their feet and started out to pursue me. I fled down the road. A few shots were fired, but fortunately I was nothit again. 

"At last I came to a small village. I wondered why I had not reached mycamp. But you must remember that I was attached to a small number of menonly, and that we always were many miles ahead or in the rear of thearmy, as occasion called for. 

"The village was deserted, for it was late at night again. I made myselfcomfortable in a sort of stable warehouse, climbing over a number ofbales of cotton, and laid myself down next to the wall, secure fromcasual observation. 

"When I awoke the next morning, I nearly uttered a cry of pain a suddenmovement had given to my arm. I, however, suppressed it, and it was wellthat I did so, for I suddenly heard voices right near me. Darkies weremoving bales of cotton but, being well back, I had little fear of beingdiscovered. 

"The hours passed wearily. I was parched and feverish from pain of mywound. Yet I was afraid to move. So I sometimes dozed off into snatchesof fitful sleep. Perhaps I moaned, or I was accidentally discovered. Atall events, when I awoke a mammy was bending over me, her voice fully ofpity. And--well, to make a long story short, I had blundered again, forthe village was being occupied by the Federals, and the cotton thedarkies had been taking away was going North. There is no need to addthat I was well fed and well taken care of. "

Captain Dennis paused, and thoughtfully smoked his pipe. His littleaudience sat very quietly, their eager faces and shining eyes plainlyshowing their rapt interest in the modestly told story. 

"Well, well, " said Captain Dennis, at last breaking the silence, "someday you, Jack and you Ned will be able to tell very many far morethrilling stories. "

"Yes" replied Jack, "but none of them will be about so great a cause. "

"You are right, Jack, " Captain Dennis said fervently; "it was a goodcause. But come, you are tired, so let us say 'good night, ' my friends. "

A half hour later Jack and Ned were fast asleep, dreaming of thosestirring times when the immortal Abraham Lincoln was President of thisglorious nation. 

 * * * * *

The next week the _Columbia_ sailed again. As she passed out of New Yorkharbor, and past Sandy Hook, the passengers crowded to the rail to lookat a beautiful sea picture. 

The sun was setting, and the radiance turned to gold the white sails ofa beautiful bark outward bound. As she heeled over on the starboardtack, it was evident that she would pass close to the steamer. From thewireless room Jack Ready and Billy Raynor watched the pretty sight withmore interest, perhaps--certainly it was so in Jack's case--than anyoneelse on board. 

"It's the _Silver Star_, Jack, Captain Dennis's ship, " said Billy. 

Jack nodded. 

"I know it, " he answered. "She sailed this morning. I've been on thelookout for her all the way down the bay. "

There was silence between the two chums. The _Silver Star_, glidingswiftly through the water, came steadily on. As the steamer passed her, she was quite close, looking like a beautiful toy from the toweringdecks of the _Columbia_. 

"Look!" exclaimed Billy, half in a whisper, as her ensign fluttered downin salute and then climbed upward to the peak again. A booming roar fromthe _Columbia's_ siren acknowledged the compliment. 

But Jack had no eyes for this. His gaze was fixed on the stern deck ofthe _Silver Star_, where, by her steering-wheel, gripped by two stalwartseamen, stood an upright old man, with glasses bent on the _Columbia_. Agraceful girl was at his side. Jack saw her wave, and was wavingfrantically back, when there came an insistent summons from the wirelessroom. 

When he came out on deck again twilight had fallen, but far back on thehorizon was a tiny blur--the _Silver Star_. As Jack gazed back at her, she vanished below the horizon as suddenly as an extinguished spark in apiece of tinder. 

"Good-night, " breathed Jack, and he stood for a long time motionless, leaning on the rail. 

And here, for the time being, we, too, will say good-by to our youngfriends, to meet them all again in the next volume devoted to theirdoings, which will be called "The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Pacific. "

THE END. 

HURST & COMPANY'S BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

KINDERGARTEN LIMERICKS

By FLORENCE E. SCOTT

_Pictures by Arthur O. Scott with a Foreword by Lucy Wheelock_

_A Volume of Cheerfulness in Rhyme and Picture_

The book contains a rhyme for every letter of the alphabet, eachillustrated by a full page picture in colors. The verses appeal to thechild's sense of humor without being foolish or sensational, and will bewelcomed by kindergartners for teaching rhythm in a most entertainingmanner. 

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FRANK ARMSTRONG SERIES

By MATTHEW M. COLTON

_Frank Armstrong's Vacation_

How Frank's summer experiences with his boy friends make him into asturdy young athlete through swimming, boating and baseball contests, and a tramp through the Everglades, is the subject of this splendidstory. 

_Frank Armstrong at Queens_

We find among the jolly boys at Queen's School, Frank, thestudent-athlete, Jimmy, the baseball enthusiast, and Lewis, theunconsciously-funny youth who furnishes comedy for every page that bearshis name. Fall and winter sports between intensely rival school teamsare expertly described. 

_Frank Armstrong's Second Term_

The gymnasium, the track and the field make the background for thestirring events of this volume, in which David, Jimmy, Lewis, the "WeeOne" and the "Codfish" figure, while Frank "saves the day. "

_Frank Armstrong, Drop Kicker_

With the same persistent determination that won him success in swimming, running and baseball playing, Frank Armstrong acquired the art of"drop-kicking, " and the Queen's football team profits thereby. 

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OAKDALE ACADEMY SERIES

Stories of Modern School Sports

By MORGAN SCOTT. 

BEN STONE AT OAKDALE. 

Under peculiarly trying circumstances Ben Stone wins his way at OakdaleAcademy, and at the same time enlists our sympathy, interest andrespect. Through the enmity of Bern Hayden, the loyalty of Roger Eliotand the clever work of the "Sleuth, " Ben is falsely accused, championedand vindicated. 

BOYS OF OAKDALE ACADEMY. 

"One thing I will claim, and that is that all Grants fight open andsquare and there never was a sneak among them. " It was Rodney Grant, ofTexas, who made the claim to his friend, Ben Stone, and this storyshows how he proved the truth of this statement in the face of apparentevidence to the contrary. 

RIVAL PITCHERS OF OAKDALE. 

Baseball is the main theme of this interesting narrative, and that meansnot only clear and clever descriptions of thrilling games, but anintimate acquaintance with the members of the teams who played them. TheOakdale Boys were ambitious and loyal, and some were even disgruntledand jealous, but earnest, persistent work won out. 

OAKDALE BOYS IN CAMP. 

The typical vacation is the one that means much freedom, littlerestriction, and immediate contact with "all outdoors. " These conditionsprevailed in the summer camp of the Oakdale Boys and made it a scene oflively interest. 

THE GREAT OAKDALE MYSTERY. 

The "Sleuth" scents a mystery! He "follows his nose. " The plot thickens!He makes deductions. There are surprises for the reader--and for the"Sleuth, " as well. 

NEW BOYS AT OAKDALE. 

A new element creeps into Oakdale with another year's registration ofstudents. The old and the new standards of conduct in and out of schoolmeet, battle, and cause sweeping changes in the lives of several of theboys. 

 * * * * *

Log Cabin to White House Series

LIVES OF CELEBRATED AMERICANS

FROM BOYHOOD TO MANHOOD

(The Life of Benjamin Franklin). By _Wm. M. Thayer_. 

Benjamin Franklin was known in the scientific world for his inventionsand discoveries, in the diplomatic world because of his statemanship, and everywhere, because of his sound judgment, plain speaking, andconsistent living. 

FROM FARM HOUSE TO WHITE HOUSE

(The Life of George Washington). By _Wm. M. Thayer_. 

The story of the hatchet and other familiar incidents of the boyhood andyoung manhood of Washington are included in this book, as well as manyless well-known accounts of his experiences as surveyor, soldier, emissary, leader, and first president of the United States. 

FROM LOG CABIN TO WHITE HOUSE

(The Life of James A. Garfield). By _Wm. M. Thayer_. 

It was a long step from pioneer home in Ohio where James A. Garfield wasborn, to the White House in Washington, and that it was an interestinglife-journey one cannot doubt who reads Mr. Thayer's account of it. 

FROM PIONEER HOME TO WHITE HOUSE

(The Life of Abraham Lincoln). By _Wm. M. Thayer_. 

No President was ever dearer to the hearts of his people than washomely, humorous "Honest Abe. "

To read of his mother, his early home, his efforts for an education, andhis rise to prominence is to understand better his rare nature andpractical wisdom. 

FROM RANCH TO WHITE HOUSE

(The Life of Theodore Roosevelt). By _Edward S. Ellis. A. M. _

Every boy and girl is more or less familiar with the experiences of Mr. Roosevelt as Colonel and President, but few of them know him as the boyand man of family and school circles and private citzenship. 

Mr. Ellis describes Theodore Roosevelt as a writer, a hunter, a fighterof "graft" at home and of Spaniards in Cuba, and a just and vigorousdefender of right. 

FROM TANNERY TO WHITE HOUSE

(The Life of Ulysses S. Grant). By _Wm. M. Thayer_. 

Perhaps General Grant is best known to boys and girls as the hero of thefamous declaration: "I will fight it out on this line if it takes allsummer. "

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REX KINGDON SERIES

By GORDON BRADDOCK

_Rex Kingdon of Ridgewood High_

A new boy moves into town. Who is he? What can he do? Will he make oneof the school teams? Is his friendship worth having? These are thequeries of the Ridgewood High Students. The story is the answer. 

_Rex Kingdon in the North Woods_

Rex and some of his Ridgewood friends establish a camp fire in the NorthWoods, and there mystery, jealousy, and rivalry enter to menace theirsafety, fire their interest and finally cement their friendship. 

_Rex Kingdon at Walcott Hall_

Lively boarding school experiences make this the "best yet" of the RexKingdon series. 

_Rex Kingdon Behind the Bat_

The title tells you what this story is; it is a rattling good storyabout baseball. Boys will like it. 

Gordon Braddock knows what Boys want and how to write it. These storiesmake the best reading you can procure. 

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NEW BOOKS ON THE WAR

GREAT WAR SERIES

By MAJOR SHERMAN CROCKETT

 _Two American Boys with the Allied Armies_

 _Two American Boys in the French War Trenches_

 _Two American Boys with the Dardanelles Battle Fleet_

The disastrous battle raging In Europe between Germany and Austria onone side and the Allied countries on the other, has created demand forliterature on the subject. The American public to a large extent isignorant of the exact locations of the fighting zones with its smalltowns and villages. Major Crockett, who is familiar with the presentbattle-fields, has undertaken to place before the American boy aninteresting Series of War stories. 

 * * * * *

BOY SCOUT SERIES

_ENDORSED BY BOY SCOUT ORGANIZATIONS_

By LIEUT. HOWARD PAYSON

BOY SCOUTS OF THE EAGLE PATROL

In this story, self-reliance and self-defense through organizedathletics are emphasized. 

BOY SCOUTS ON THE RANGE

Cow-punchers, Indians, the Arizona desert and the Harkness ranch figurein this tale of the Boy Scouts. 

BOY SCOUTS AND THE ARMY AIRSHIP

The cleverness of one of the Scouts as an amateur inventor and theintrigues of his enemies to secure his inventions make a subject ofbreathless interest. 

BOY SCOUTS' MOUNTAIN CAMP

Just so often as the reader draws a relieved breath at the escape of theScouts from imminent danger, he loses it again in the instinctiveimpression, which he shares with the boys, of impending peril. 

BOY SCOUTS FOR UNCLE SAM

Patriotism is a vital principle in every Boy Scout organization, but fewthere are who have such an opportunity for its practical expression ascomes to the members of the Eagle Patrol. 

BOY SCOUTS AT THE PANAMA CANAL

Most timely is this authentic story of the "great ditch. " It isillustrated by photographs of the Canal in process of Building. 

BOY SCOUTS UNDER FIRE IN MEXICO

Another tale appropriate to the unsettled conditions of the present isthis account of recent conflict. 

BOY SCOUTS ON BELGIAN BATTLEFIELDS

Wonderfully interesting is the story of Belgium as it figures in thistale of the Great War. 

BOY SCOUTS WITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE

On the firing line--or very near--we find the Scouts in France. 

BOY SCOUTS at THE PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION

If you couldn't attend the Exposition yourself, you can go even now inimagination with the Boy Scouts. 

BOY SCOUTS UNDER SEALED ORDERS

Here the Boy Scouts have a secret mission to perform for the Government. What is the nature of it? Keen boys will find that out by reading thebook. It's a dandy story. 

BOY SCOUTS' CAMPAIGN FOR PREPAREDNESS

Just as the Scouts' motto is "Be Prepared, " just for these reasons thatthey prepare for the country's defense. What they do and how they do itmakes a volume well worth reading. 

You do not have to be a Boy Scout to enjoy these fascinating andwell-written stories. Any boy has the chance. Next to the Manual itself, the books give an accurate description of Boy Scout activities, for theyare educational and instructive. 

 * * * * *

MOTOR CYCLE SERIES

By LIEUT. HOWARD PAYSON

You do not need to own either a motor-cycle or a bicycle to enjoy thethrilling experiences through which the Motor Cycle Chums pass on theirway to seek adventure and excitement. Brimful of clever episodes. 

_The Motor Cycle Chums Around the World_

Could Jules Verne have dreamed of encircling the globe with a motorcycle for emergencies, he would have deemed it an achievement greaterthan any he describes in his account of the amusing travels of PhiliasFogg. This, however, is the purpose successfully carried out by theMotor Cycle Chums, and the tale of their mishaps, hindrances and delaysis one of intense interest, secret amusement, and incidental informationto the reader. 

_The Motor Cycle Chums of the Northwest Patrol_

The great Northwest is a section of vast possibilities and in it theMotor Cycle Chums meet adventures even more unusual and exciting thanmany of their experiences on their tour around the world. There is not adull page in this lively narrative of clever boys and their attendant, "Chinee. "

_The Motor Cycle Chums in the Gold Fields_

How the Motor Cycle Chums were caught by the lure of the gold and intowhat difficulties and novel experiences they were led, makes a tale ofthrilling interest. 

_The Motor Cycle Chums' Whirlwind Tour_

To right a wrong is the mission that leads the Riding Rovers over theborder into Mexico and gives the impulse to this story of amusingadventures and exciting episodes. 

_The Motor Cycle Chums South of the Equator_

New customs, strange peoples and unfamiliar surroundings add fresh zestto the interest of the Motor Cycle Chums in travel, and the tourdescribed in this volume is full of the tropical atmosphere. 

_The Motor Cycle Chums through Historic America_

The Motor Cycle Chums explore the paths where American history was made, where interest centers to-day as never before.