THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE PACIFIC

 or

 The Young Derelict Hunters

by CLARENCE YOUNG

 PREFACE

 DEAR BOYS:

I believe it is not necessary to introduce the Motor Boys to most ofmy readers, as they have made their acquaintance in the previous booksof this series. To those, however, who take up this volume withouthaving previously read the ones that go before, I take pleasure inpresenting my friends, Jerry, Ned and Bob. 

They are booked for quite a long trip, this time; across the continentto the Pacific coast, where they are destined to have some stirringadventures, searching for a mysterious derelict. 

Those of you who know the Motor Boys from their past performances knowthat they will meet emergencies in the right spirit, and that theywill do their level best to accomplish what they set out to do. Whether they did so in this case I leave it for you to determine byreading the book. 

Though their own motor boat, the Dartaway, was destroyed in a trainwreck, they managed to get the use of a powerful craft, in which theymade a cruise on the Pacific ocean. Their old friend, ProfessorSnodgrass was with them, and, if you care to learn of his search for ahorned toad, you will find the details set down here. 

 Yours very truly, CLARENCE YOUNG. _________________________________________________________________

 CHAPTER I

 SOME BAD NEWS

"WELL, she is smashed this time, sure!" exclaimed Jerry Hopkins, tohis chums, Ned Slade and Bob Baker. 

"What's smashed?" asked Ned. "Who's the letter from'?" for Jerry had aslip of paper in his hand. 

"It isn't a letter. It's a telegram. "

"A telegram!" exclaimed Bob. "What's up, Jerry?"

"She's smashed, I tell you. Busted, wrecked, demolished, destroyed, slivered to pieces, all gone!"

"Who?"

"Our motor boat, the Dartaway!"

"Not the Dartaway!" and Ned and Bob crowded closer to Jerry. 

"That's what she is. There's no mistake about it this time, I'mafraid. You know we thought once before she had gone to flinders, butit wasn't so. This time it is. "

"How did it happen?" asked Ned. 

"Yes, tell us, can't you?" cried Bob. "What are you so slow about?"

"Say, Chunky, " remarked Jerry, looking at his fat chum, "if you'llgive me a chance I'll tell you all I know. I just got this telegramfrom the Florida Coast Railway Company. It says:

 "'Jerry Hopkins. Motor boat Dartaway, shipped by you from. St. Augustine in freight wreck just outside Jacksonville. Boat total loss, buried under several freight cars. Will write further particulars. J. H. Maxon, General Freight Agent. "

"That's all there is to it, " added Jerry, folding up the telegram. 

"All there is to it! I guess not much!" exclaimed Bob. "Aren't yougoing to sue 'em for damages, Jerry?"

"Well, there's no use being in such a rush, " observed Jerry. "Maybethey'll pay the claim without a suit. I'll have to make someinquiries. "

"Let's go down to the freight once here and see Mr. Hitter, " suggestedNed. "He can tell us what to do. The poor Dartaway! Smashed!"

"And in a land wreck, too!" put in Jerry. "It wouldn't be so bad ifshe had gone down on the Atlantic, chasing after a whale, or inpursuit of a shark--"

"Or with the flag flying, out in a storm, with Salt Water Sam, "interrupted Ned. "But to think of her being buried under a lot offreight cars! It's tough, that's what it is!"

"That's right, " agreed Bob. "Just think of it! No more rides in her!Say, we ought to get heavy damages! She was a fine boat!"

"Come on then, " cried Ned. "Don't let's stand here chinning all day. Let's go see Mr. Hitter. He has charge of all the freight that comesto Cresville, and he can tell us how to proceed to collect damages. "

"Yes, I guess that's all that's left for us to do, " decided Jerry, andthe three lads started for the railroad depot. 

They lived in the town of Cresville, Mass. , a thriving community, andhad been chums and inseparable companions ever since they couldremember. Bob Baker was the son of a wealthy banker, while JerryHopkins's mother was a widow, who had been left considerable property, and Ned Slade's father owned a large department store. 

You boys who have read the previous volumes of this "Motor BoysSeries" do not need to be reminded of the adventures the three chumshad together. To those of you who read this book first, I will saythat, in the first volume, called "The Motor Boys, " there was relateda series of happenings that followed the winning of a certain bicyclerace in Cresville. After their victory in this contest the boys gotmotorcycles, and, by winning a race on them, won a touring car. 

In this automobile they had many adventures, and several narrowescapes. They incurred the enmity of Noddy Nixon, a town bully, andhis crony, Bill Berry. The three chums then took a long trip overlandin their automobile, as related in the second book of this series and, incidentally, managed to locate a rich mine belonging to a prospector, who, to reward them, gave them a number of shares. While out west theboys met a very learned gentleman, Professor Uriah Snodgrass, who wastraveling in the interests of science. He persuaded the boys to gowith him in their automobile to search for a certain ancient, buriedcity, and this they found in Mexico, where they had a number ofsurprising adventures. 

Returning from that journey, they made a trip across the plains, onwhich they discovered the hermit of Lost Lake. Arriving home theydecided, some time later, to get a motor boat, and, in the fifthvolume of the series, entitled, "The Motor Boys Afloat, " there was setdown what happened to them on their first cruise on the river, duringwhich they solved a robbery mystery. Finding they were well able tomanage the boat they took a trip on the Atlantic ocean, and, afterweathering some heavy storms they reached home, only to start outagain on a longer voyage, this time to strange waters amid theeverglades of Florida. 

They had recently returned from that queer region, and, as they haddone on their journey to that locality, they shipped their boat byrail from St. Augustine to Cresville. Or, rather, they saw it safelyboxed at the freight station in St. Augustine, and came on up north, trusting that the Dartaway would arrive in due season, and in goodcondition. 

They had been home a week now, and as there was no news of their boat, Jerry had become rather anxious and had written to the railroadofficials in St. Augustine. In response he got the telegram whichbrought consternation to the hearts of the motor boys. 

"It doesn't seem possible, " remarked Bob, as the three lads hurried ontoward the freight office. 

"I guess it's good-bye to the Dartaway this trip, " said Jerry. "Toobad! she was a fine boat. "

"Well, we'll make the railroad pay for it, and we'll get a betterboat, " spoke up Bob. 

"We couldn't get any better boat than the Dartaway, Chunky, " said Ned. "We might get a larger one, and a more powerful one, but never abetter one, She served us well. To think of her being crushed under alot of freight cars! It makes me mad!"

"No use feeling that way, " suggested Jerry. "Just think of the goodtimes we had in her, not only on this last trip, but on the previouscruises. "

"This last was the best, " remarked Bob, with something like a sigh. "It was lovely down there in Florida. "

"I guess he's thinking of the Seabury girls, " put in Ned, with a winkat Jerry. 

"No more than you are!" exclaimed Bob. "I guess you were rather sweeton Olivia, yourself. "

"Or was it Rose or Nellie?" asked Jerry with a laugh. "They were allthree nice-- very nice. "

"That's right, " said Ned, fervently. 

The three young ladies the boys referred to were daughters of a Mr. Nathan Seabury, whom the boys met while cruising about the evergladesand adjacent rivers and lakes. He was in his houseboat Wanderer, traveling for his health. Mr. Seabury owned a large hotel in Floridaand his meeting with the boys, especially with Jerry, was a source ofprofit to Mrs. Hopkins. 

She owned some land in Florida; but did not consider it of any value. It developed that it adjoined Mr. Seabury's hotel property and, as hewished it to enlarge his building, he purchased the lot for a goodlysum. 

The three boys, after the return of the Dartaway and Wanderer from thestrange waters, had stopped for a week at Mr. Seabury's hotel, beforejourneying north. 

"I'd like to see them again, " said Bob, after a pause, during whichthe boys turned into the street leading to the depot. 

"Who?" asked Ned. 

"The Seabury family. "

"Mr. Seabury-- or-- er-- the girls?" asked Jerry. 

"All of 'em, " replied Bob quickly. 

"I had a letter the other day, " remarked Jerry quietly. 

"You did!" exclaimed Ned. 

"From them?" asked Bob eagerly. 

"Well, it wasn't exactly a family letter, " answered Jerry, with justthe suspicion of a blush. "It was from Nellie, and she said she, hersisters and father were going to lower California. "

"To California?" exclaimed Bob and Ned. 

"Yes; for Mr. Seabury's health. You know they said they expected towhen we parted from them. The climate of Florida did not do him anygood, and they are going to try what California will do. She asked usto call and see them, if we were ever in that neighborhood. "

"I guess our chances of going to California are pretty slim, " remarkedBob. "Our motor boat's gone now, and we can't make any more cruises. "

"I don't see what that's got to do with it, " declared Ned. "Wecouldn't very well cross the continent in her, even if we had theDartaway, and she was rather too small to make the trip by water, evenif the Panama Canal was finished. "

"Oh, well, you know what I mean, " retorted Bob, who did not exactlyknow himself. "We can't go anywhere right away. School opens soon, andit's buckle down and study all winter I suppose. But--"

Bob's remarks were interrupted by the arrival of the Boston Express, which rumbled into the Cresville station, where the boys now were and, after a momentary stop, steamed on again. A man leaped from the stepsof a parlor car and ran into the freight office, first, however, looking up and down the length of the train to see if any otherpassengers got off. 

"He seems in a hurry, " observed Ned. 

"Yes, and he must have some pull with the railroad, for the BostonExpress never stops here, " said Jerry. "Maybe he's the president ofthe road. "

The boys kept on to the freight office. When they reached it theyfound the stranger in conversation with Mr. Hitter, the agent. Thechums could not help overhearing the talk. 

"Have you several packages here, addressed to X. Y. Z. , to he helduntil called for?" the stranger asked. 

"There they be, " replied the agent, pointing to several small boxes, piled near the door. 

"That's good, " and the man seemed much relieved. "Now I want themshipped by fast freight to San Francisco, and I want to prepay them sothere will be no delay. How much is it?" and he pulled out apocketbook, disclosing a roll of bills. As he did so he hurried to thedoor and looked up and down the depot platform, as if afraid of beingobserved. He saw the three boys, and, for a moment, seemed as if hewas about to hurry away. Then, with an obvious effort, he remained, but turned into the freight office and shut the door. 

"He acts as if he was afraid we would steal something from him, " saidBob. 

"Or as if he didn't want us to hear any more about those boxes, "supplemented Jerry. "He's a queer customer, he is. "

"Well, it's none of our affair, " remarked Ned, but neither he nor hischums realized how, a little later, they were to take part in anadventure in which the mysterious man and the queer boxes were tofigure importantly. 

In a short time the man came out of the freight office. He did notlook at the boys, but hurried off down the street, putting some papersinto his pocket book, which, the boys could not help noticing as hepassed them, was not so full of money as it had been. 

"Let's go in and ask Mr. Hitter what to do about our boat, " suggestedNed. 

They found the agent counting over a roll of bills. 

"Been robbing a bank?" asked Bob cheerfully. "Guess I'd better telldad to look out for his money. "

"That was paid by the man who was just in in here, " replied the agent. "Queer chap. Seemed as if he didn't want to be found out. First he wasgoing to ship his stuff by fast freight, and then he concluded itwould be better by express, though it cost a lot more. But he hadplenty of money. "

"Who was he?" asked Jerry. 

"That's another funny part of it. He didn't tell me his name, though Ihinted I'd have to have it to give him a receipt. He said to make itout X. Y. Z. , and I done it. That's the way them boxes come, severaldays ago, from Boston. They arrived by express, consigned to X. Y. Z. , and was to be called for. I thought of everybody in town, but thereain't nobody with them initials. I was just wondering what to do with'em when in be comes an' claims 'em. "

"What's in em?" asked Jerry. 

"Blessed if I know, " responded Mr. Hitter. "I couldn't git that out ofhim, either, though I hinted that I ought to know if it was dynamite, or anything dangerous. "

"What did he say?" inquired Ned. 

"He said it wasn't dynamite, but that's all he would say, an' I didn'thave no right to open 'em. He paid me the expressage, and seemed quiteanxious to know just when I could ship the boxes, and when they'darrive in San Francisco. I could tell him the first, but not the last, for there's no tellin' what delays there'll be on the road. 

"He was a queer man-- a very queer man. I couldn't make him out. An'he went off in a hurry, as if he was afraid some one would see him. An' he shut the door, jest as if you boys would bother him, -- Well, ittakes all sorts of people to make a world. I don't s'pose you or Iwill ever meet him again. "

Mr. Hitter was not destined to, but the boys had not seen the last ofthe strangely acting man, who soon afterward played a strange part intheir lives. 

"What you chaps after, anyhow?" went on the freight agent, when he hadput the money in the safe. 

"Our motor boat's smashed!" exclaimed Bob. "We want damages for her!How are we going to get 'em?"

"Not guilty, boys!" exclaimed the agent holding up his hands, as if hethought wild-west robbers were confronting him. "You can search me. Nary a boat have I got, an' you can turn my pockets inside out!" andhe turned slowly around, like an exhibition figure in a store showwindow. 

 CHAPTER II

 A DESPERATE RACE

"WELL, " remarked Mr. Hitter, after a pause, during which the boys, rather surprised at his conduct, stood staring at him, "well, whydon't you look in my hip pocket. Maybe I've got a boat concealedthere. "

"I didn't mean to go at you with such a rush, " apologized Jerry. "Butyou see--"

"That's all right, " interrupted the freight agent. "Can I put my handsdown now? The blood's all runnin' out of 'em, an' they feel as if theywas goin' to sleep. That'll never do, as I've got a lot of way-billsto make out, " and he lowered his arms. 

"Do you know anything about this?" asked Jerry, handing Mr. Hitter thetelegram. 

"What's that? The Dartaway smashed!" the agent exclaimed, reading themessage. "Come now, that's too bad! How did it happen?"

The boys explained how they had shipped the craft north. 

"Of course the accident didn't happen on the line of railroad I amagent for, " said Mr. Hitter, after reading the telegram again. "If ithad, we'd be responsible. "

"What can we do?" asked Bob. "We want to get damages. "

"An' I guess you're entitled to 'em, " replied the agent. "Come oninside, and I'll tell you what to do. You'll have to make a claim, submit affidavits, go before a notary public and a whole lot ofrig-ma-role, but I guess, in the end you'll get damages. They can'tblame you because the boat was smashed. It's too bad! I feel like I'dlost an old friend. "

Mr. Hitter had had several rides in the Dartaway for he had done theboys many favors and they wished to return them, so he was given achance to get intimately acquainted with the speedy craft. 

Taking the boys into his office, Mr. Hitter instructed them how towrite a letter to the claim department of the Florida Coast Railway, demanding damages for the smashing of the boat. 

"Be respectful, but put it good and strong, " he said. "I'll write onmy own account to the general freight agent. He's a friend of mine, and we have business dealings together-- that is his road and myroad, " and Mr. Hitter spoke as though he owned the line of which hewas the Cresville agent. 

"That'll be good, " said Bob. "Maybe it will hurry matters up. We'remuch obliged to you, Mr. Hitter. "

"That's what we are, " chimed in Jerry and Ned. 

The boys lost no time in sending in their claim. Then there wasnothing to do but to wait. They knew it would take some days, and theydid not expect an answer in less than a week, while Mr. Hitter toldthem that if they got money in payment for the destroyed boat withinthree months they would be lucky. 

"Well, since the Dartaway's gone, I guess we'll have to go back to theautomobile for a change, " suggested Jerry one afternoon, early inSeptember, about a week before school was to open. "Let's take alittle jaunt out in the country, stay a couple of days, and come back, all ready to pitch in and study. "

"Fine!" cried Bob. "We'll stay at a hotel where they have gooddinners--"

"Of course!" retorted Ned. "That's Chunky's first idea-- something toeat. I've been waiting for him to say something like that. "

The boys were at Jerry's house, talking over various matters. The autowas kept in an unused barn back of his home, but, since the advent ofthe motor boat, had not seen much service, though occasionally theboys went out in it. Now, it was likely to come into active use again. 

"Let's look the machine over, " proposed Jerry. "It may need somerepairs. It got pretty hard usage, especially in our trips to Mexicoand across the plains. "

The boys soon found that, beyond two tires which needed repairs, andsome minor adjustments to the engine, the car was in good shape. Itwas in running order and, at Bob's suggestion, they got in it and madea trip to the town garage, where they intended to leave it to beoverhauled. 

As they were turning a corner, near the automobile shop, they heard asudden "Honk-honk!" that startled them. Jerry, who was at the steeringwheel, shut off the power and applied the emergency brake. 

And it was only just in time for, a moment later, from a cross street, there shot out a big green touring car, very powerful, as they couldtell by the throbbing of the engine. It almost grazed the mudguards ofthe machine in which the three boys were, and, skidded dangerously. Then, with what seemed an impudent, warning toot of the horn, it swungaround and sped off down the road. 

"That was a close shave!" remarked Jerry, as he released the brake. 

"I should say yes, " agreed Bob. "That was a six-cylinder car. Bur-r-r-r! If she'd hit us--" He did not finish, but the boys knewwhat he meant. 

They proceeded to the garage, leaving their machine to be repaired. Itwould be ready for them the next day, the man said, and they arrangedto call for it, and go for a trip in the country. 

"Let's go to Riverton, " suggested Bob, naming a summer resort about ahundred miles away. "The season is just about to close there, and, asit isn't crowded, we can get better attention and--"

"Better meals, he means, " finished Ned. "All right, Chunky, we'll go. "

"It wouldn't be a bad idea, " agreed Jerry. "We could make it in oneday easily, and wouldn't have to hurry. We could stay there a coupleof days, making little side strips, and come back Saturday. That wouldput us in good shape for Monday, when school opens. "

There was no dissension from this plan, and, having secured theconsent of their parents, the boys, early the next day, started off ontheir journey. It was a short one, compared to those they had been inthe habit of taking, but they did not have time for a longer jaunt. 

They arrived at Riverton in the afternoon, having stopped on the roadfor dinner. They found the place rather livelier than they expected, for there had been an automobile meet the day previous, including abig race, and several lovers of the sport still remained, for theweather was very pleasant. The sheds about the hotel were filled withall sorts of cars, so that the boys had hardly room to store theirmachine. 

"This is a little more exciting than we counted on, " remarked Jerry, as he and his chums entered the hotel to register. "I'm afraid we'llnot get such good attention as Bob thought. "

"Oh, it's all the better, " was the answer of the stout youth. "They'llhave all the more to eat, with this crowd here. "

"Chunky can argue it any way he likes, " declared Ned. "No use tryingto corner him, Jerry. "

"No, I guess not. But I'm hungry enough to eat almost anything. "

As they were turning away from the clerk's desk, having been assignedto rooms, the boys saw a youth, about their own age, standing near abulletin board fastened on the side wall. The youth was tacking up anotice and, as he turned, having finished, Jerry exclaimed in awhisper:

"Noddy Nixon! What's he doing here?"

At the same moment, Noddy, the long-time enemy of the motor boys, sawthem. His face got red, and he swung quickly aside to avoid speakingto the three chums. 

The last they had seen of the bully was when he started to accompanythem back to Cresville, after his disastrous attempt to make moneyfrom a Florida cocoanut grove. Noddy was wanted as a witness by thegovernment authorities, in connection with the attempted wreck of avessel, in which Bill Berry was concerned; but, after the motor boyshad rescued Noddy from an unpleasant position in Florida, and he hadagreed to return to Cresville, he suddenly disappeared in the night. This was the first they had seen of him since. They had learned thatthe government no longer desired his testimony. 

"Let's see what notice he put up, " suggested Ned. "Maybe he has lostsomething. "

They walked over to the bulletin board. There, in Noddy's rather poorhandwriting, was a challenge. It was to the effect that he would race, on the track near the hotel, any automobilist who would choose tocompete with him, for money, up to five hundred dollars, or merely forfun. 

"Noddy must have a new car, " remarked Ned. "His old one couldn't gofor a cent. We beat it several times. "

"What's the matter with trying again?" asked Jerry, a light ofexcitement coming into his eyes. "I'd like to have a race. Maybeseveral cars will enter, and we can have some fun out of it. Ourmachine has a lot of 'go' left in it yet. "

"That's the stuff!" exclaimed Bob. "I'm with you. But let's get supperfirst, maybe--"

"I guess he's afraid there won't be any left, " remarked Jerry. "Butcome on, I can eat a bit myself. "

As the boys left the office of the hotel, they saw several men readingthe notice Noddy had tacked up. 

"A race on this circular track here!" exclaimed one man to a friend asthe boys passed him. "It's very risky! The turns are not bankedenough. I wouldn't do it, but I suppose some will take the chance. "

"Yes, it will be a dangerous race, " responded the other. "Who is thisNoddy Nixon?"

"A son of that rich Nixon over in Cresville, I believe. His fathermade a lot of money in stocks lately, and, I guess the son is helpingspend it. He has a powerful car. "

The motor boys did not stay to hear more, but went to their rooms tochange their clothes, and were soon eating supper. There was talk ofnothing but automobile topics in the hotel corridors and office thatevening. Many motorists were planning to leave the next day, but somesaid they would stay and see if the Nixon race would amount toanything. 

"Let's accept the challenge, " suggested Jerry. 

"I don't want to have anything to do with Noddy, " objected Ned. 

"We don't have to, " replied Bob, "I was talking to the clerk about it. All we have to do is register our names, and the name of the car. It'san informal affair, only for fun. They won't race for money. Come on, let's go in it. "

Hearing this, Ned agreed, and the boys put their names down. As Noddyhad stipulated there must be four passengers in each car it wouldnecessitate the motor boys getting some one else to ride with them. This the clerk agreed to arrange. 

There were six entries in the race, which was to take place the nextday. Early in the morning, before breakfast, Ned, Jerry and Bob wentout in their car to try the course. When they were half way around itthey heard a car coming behind them. In a moment it had passed them, and they recognized it as the same machine that had nearly collidedwith them in Cresville. 

"Look who's in it!" cried Bob. 

"Who?" asked Ned. 

"Noddy Nixon. If that's his car, we haven't any show. "

"Humph! I'm afraid not, " answered Jerry rather ruefully. "Still, I'mnot going to give up now. He's got a new car, but maybe we can beathim. He's a poor driver. "

Several other autos soon appeared on the track to have a "tryout, "and, though none of them seemed as speedy as Noddy's new machine, there was no talk of dropping out on the part of those who hadentered. That gave the boys more courage, and they decided to stick, even though their chances were not good. 

Noddy did not speak to them, though he passed them several times. Nordid he appear very popular with the other autoists. He had severalyoung men with him, and they made things rather lively about thehotel, occasionally giving what seemed to be college yells. 

"They're regular 'rah-rah' boys, " said Bob, in contempt. 

Early that afternoon just before the race Bob, Jerry and Ned spent anhour in going over their car, making some adjustments, and seeing thatthe tires were in good shape. Almost at the last minute Jerry decidedto put the non-skidding chains on the rear wheels. 

"Those turns, which are not banked much, are dangerous, " he said, "I'mnot going to take any chances. We don't want to turn turtle. "

There was much activity about the hotel as the hour for the contestarrived. Noddy's car seemed the finest of the six that lined up at thestarting tape. The motor boys had drawn a position next to the bullyand his cronies. 

Noddy glanced contemptuously at them. 

"You must think it's winter, putting chains on, " he remarked to Jerry, who had been chosen to steer. 

"It may be a cold day for somebody before we get through, " was allJerry replied. 

"You haven't the ghost of a show, " called one of Noddy's companions. "You'll think you're standing still when we start. "

The others laughed at this joke, and Noddy seemed pleased. There was ashort consultation among the judges and other officials, and, a momentlater, a white puff of smoke was seen hovering above the upliftedrevolver of the starter. Then came a sharp crack, and the pantingmachines, the engines of which had been put in motion some timeprevious, started off together, as the drivers threw in the high speedgears. 

The race, which was truly a dangerous contest, was on, and, with eagereyes the motor boys looked ahead on the course. 

 CHAPTER III

 NEWS FROM THE WEST

THE track was a half-mile one, and, as the length of the race was fivemiles it would be necessary to make ten laps or circuits. The coursewas in the shape of an ellipse, with rather sharp turns at either end, where the contestants, if they did not want a spill, or a bad skid, must slacken their pace. It was on the two straight stretches thatspeed could be made. 

At the report of the pistol Noddy's car shot off as an arrow from abow, the explosions of the cylinders sounding like a small battery ofquick-firing guns in action. But the others were after him, the fivecars bunched together, that of the motor boys a little behind theother four. 

"We've got to catch him, Jerry, " whispered Bob. 

"Easier said than done, " replied Jerry, as he shoved the gasolenelever over a trifle, and advanced the spark, thereby increasing thespeed of the car. "Noddy's got a powerful machine. "

"They should have had a handicap on this race, " said Tom Jennings, theyoung man whom the hotel clerk had asked to be a fourth passenger inthe motor boys' car, so that the conditions of the contest would bemet. "It's not fair to have a high power auto race one of twocylinders. "

"Ours has four, " spoke Ned. "Of course its not as up-to-date asNoddy's is, but--"

"We'll beat him!" exclaimed Bob. "We've done it before and we can doit again. "

"I'm afraid not, " went on Tom. "That big green car of his will goahead of anything on this track. "

And so it seemed, for Noddy was spinning around the course at fearfulspeed, his car looking like a green streak. 

"Let's see how he takes the turn, " suggested Bob. "He'll have to slowup if he doesn't want a spill. "

Noddy was wise enough to do this, though even at the reduced speed atwhich he went around the bank, his rear wheels skidded ratheralarmingly. 

But Jerry was not idle during this time. As he found his carresponding to the increase of gasolene and the advanced spark, heshoved the levers still further over. The auto shot forward, distancing the yellow car immediately in front of it, passing one withan aluminum body and closely approaching a purple auto which wasbehind Noddy. 

Suddenly a loud explosion sounded back of the motor boys. 

"There goes a tire!" exclaimed Bob. 

"Hope it isn't one of yours, " said Tom. 

"If it was you'd be sliding along the track on your face instead ofsitting here, " responded Bob. "No, it's one on the aluminum car. She'sout of the race, " he added as he gave a quick glance back. A fewminutes later there was another noise-- a crashing sound-- and themotor boys, by a quick glance, saw that the rearmost car in the racehad, by injudicious steering, been sent through a frail fence whichsurrounded the track. The radiator was broken and, though no one washurt the car was put out of business. That left but four cars--Noddy's green one, the yellow, the red one of the motor boys', and apurple affair. They were speeding along in that order, and, a fewseconds later something went wrong with one of the cylinders of thepurple machine, leaving but three contestants. Then the yellow carshot ahead of the red one containing the motor boys. 

By this time one circuit of the track had been completed, and a startmade on the second lap. 

"Think we're catching up?" asked Bob, as Jerry cautiously fed theengine a little more gasolene. 

"Well, we're holding our own, " was the answer of the steersman, "and Ithink we're catching up to the yellow car again. If we pass that I'mnot so sure but what we can come in a close second to Noddy. "

"I don't want to come in second, " spoke up Ned. "I want to beat him. "

"So do I, " replied Jerry, "but it's not going to be so easy. Our car'sdoing well, but we can't expect wonders of it. "

"The race isn't over until you're at the finish tape, " said TomJennings. "Keep on, boys, I'd like to see that Nixon chap beaten. Hethinks he owns the earth. "

For two miles there was no change in the position of the cars. Thenslowly, very slowly, Jerry saw that his red machine was overtaking theyellow car. Inch by inch it crept up, the steersman of the rival cardoing his best but failing to get more speed out of the engine. 

"Too bad we have to pass you!" cried Jerry, as he careened past theyellow machine. 

"That's all right, " sung out the steersman good-naturedly. "Beat thatother one, if you can. "

"We're going to try!" yelled Ned, above the noise of the explodingcylinders. 

They were on a straight stretch then and, as Noddy looked back and sawthe red car closer to him than it had been before, he put on morespeed. His green auto shot forward but Jerry still had something inreserve, and he let his machine out another notch. 

"He's got to slow up for the turn!" cried Ned. "Maybe we can passhim!"

"Yes, but we've got to slacken up too, if we don't want a spill, "replied Bob. 

"That's so, " admitted Ned. 

Noddy did slow up, but not much, and his car skidded worse than at anytime yet. It looked as if it was going over, and a cry from thespectators showed that they, too, anticipated this disaster. But, witha sharp wrench of the steering wheel, Noddy brought the car backtoward the center of the track. 

Jerry swung around the turn at reduced speed, and, because of thechains, his machine did not skid more than a few inches. 

"Good thing you have those chains on, " commented Tom. "They may comein handy at the finish. "

"That's what I put them there for, " answered Jerry. 

For another mile there was little change in the relative position ofthe cars of Noddy and the motor boys. Jerry thought he had cut thebully's lead somewhat, but he still felt that he was far from having agood chance to win the race. Still, he was not going to give up. 

"Two laps more and it's all over, " said Bob, as they began on thefinal mile. "Can't you hit it up a bit more, Jerry?"

"I'll try. "

Just a degree faster came the explosions of the cylinders of the redcar. But also, still faster, came the reports from Noddy's auto. Hewas not going to be beaten if he could help it. 

Around the two machines swung, the yellow car having given up anddropped out. There was a confused shouting from the spectators, andBob could distinguish cheers for the red auto. 

"We've just got to win!" he cried. "Win, Jerry! Win!"

Try as he did, by "nursing" the engine, Jerry could not gain an inchon Noddy's car. The red machine was fifty feet behind the green one, both going at top speed. Only an accident, it seemed, could make themotor boys win. 

As they swung into the last lap Ned cried:

"Noddy isn't going to slow down for the turn!"

"Neither are we!" cried Jerry fiercely. "Quick boys! All of you getout on the inside step! Crouch down! That will help hold us as we goaround the bank, or, otherwise, we'll go over. "

They all knew what he meant. By hanging out on the runboard or step, nearest the inside of the track, more weight would be added to thatside of the car. It was what automobilists call "shifting the centerof gravity, " and aids in preventing spills. 

Giving one glance to see that the boys were in their places, Jerrygrasped the steering wheel firmly, and sent the car at the dangerousturn at full speed. Noddy was doing the same, but he had not thoughtof having any of his passengers hang out on the step. 

"Look out now, boys!" called Jerry, as they took the turn. 

"Swing out as far as you can, boys, but hang down low!" called TomJennings, who had been in races before. 

Even with this precaution, and aided as they were by the chains on therear wheels, the red car skidded or slewed so that Jerry thought itwas going over. But it did not. By the narrowest margin it kept on thebank. 

Not so, however, with Noddy's green dragon. As soon as his car struckthe turn it began to skid. He would not shut off his power, but kepton the high gear, and with the engine going at top speed. 

There was a cry of alarm, and then the green car left the track, mounted the bank, slid over the top, and came to a halt in a pool ofmud and water on the other side of the field. It went fifty yardsbefore Noddy could stop it. 

"Go on! Go on!" yelled Ned. "We win! We win!"

Jerry had all he could do to hold the steering wheel of his slewingcar, but, by gripping it desperately, he swung it into place, and thered machine started up the home stretch, crossing the tape a winner, for it was the only car left on the track. 

A burst of cheers greeted it, and men crowded up to shake hands withthe plucky boys. 

"Glad you beat the 'mud lark, '" said the owner of the yellow machine, thus giving Noddy's car a name that stuck to it for some time. "ThatNixon chap thought he was going to walk over every one. You taught hima much-needed lesson. "

Nothing was talked of in the hotel that night but the race, and themotor boys were the heroes of the occasion. Noddy did not appear, andit was learned that he had to hire men and teams to get his car out ofthe mud. 

The motor boys started for home the next day, and thought they weregoing to make it in good time, but they had a tire accident on theroad, when about twenty-five miles away, and decided to stay in thenearest village over night, as they had no spare shoe for the wheel. 

As they left their car by the roadside, and tramped into the town, tosend word to the nearest garage, they saw a cloud of dust approaching. 

"Here comes a car, " said Bob. "Maybe we can get help. "

As the machine drew nearer they saw that it was painted green, and, amoment later, Noddy Nixon had brought his auto to a stop, and wasgrinning at them. 

"Had a break-down, eh?" he asked. "That's a fine car you have, ain'tit?"

"We can beat you!" exclaimed Ned. 

"Yes you can! Not in a thousand years if I hadn't gone off the track!Want any help? Well, you'll not get it, see? Bye-bye! I'll tell 'emyou're coming, " and, with an ugly leer, the bully started off. 

"I wouldn't take help from him if I had to walk ten miles without mysupper, " said Bob firmly, and that was a strong saying for the stoutyouth. 

The motor boys found a good hotel in the village, and the next day, when their car had been repaired, they resumed their journey, arrivingat home about noon. 

"There's some mail for you, Jerry, " said Mrs. Hopkins, as her son camein, after putting the auto in the barn. "It's from California. Ididn't know you knew any one out there. "

"Neither did I, mother. We'll see who it's from. "

He tore open the letter, read it hurriedly, and gave a cry of mingleddelight and surprise. 

"It's from Nellie Seabury!" he said. "She says they are in lowerCalifornia, traveling about, looking for a good place to stay at for afew months for their father's health. When they locate she wants--that is Mr. Seabury-- wants us to come out and see them. Oh, I wish Icould go-- I wish we could all go!"

"Perhaps you can, " suggested his mother with a smile. "California isnot so far away. But I suppose you'll have to wait until nextvacation. "

"Yes, I suppose so, " admitted Jerry. "And that's a long ways off-- along ways. "

"The time will soon pass, " said his mother. "But tell me about yourauto trip. Did you have a good time?"

"Fine, and we beat Noddy Nixon in a great race. "

"I wish you wouldn't have anything to do with that young man, " saidMrs. Hopkins. "You have nothing but trouble when you do. "

"I guess he'll not want much more to do with us, " returned Jerry. "Wemanage to beat him every time. But I must go find the boys. This willbe great news for them-- this letter from the Seabury family. "

"I thought it was from-- Nelly. "

"So it is-- but it's all the same, " answered Jerry with a blush. 

 CHAPTER IV

 MORE LETTERS

JERRY found Ned, his nearest chum, at home, and told him of the newsfrom the west. 

"That's fine!" cried Ned. "Come on and tell Bob. "

"Don't have to, " said Jerry. "Here he comes now. "

The stout youth was, at that moment, walking along the street towardNed's house. 

"Come on in!" cried Ned, as he opened the door while his chum wasstill on the steps. 

"That's what I was going to do, " responded Chunky. "Did you think Iwas going to sit out here? Of course I'm coming in. What's thematter?" for he saw by Ned's face that something unusual had occurred. 

"Jerry's got a letter from Nellie Seabury-- they're in lowerCalifornia-- we're going-- I mean they want us to come and pay them avisit-- I mean--"

"Say, for mercy sakes stop!" cried Bob, holding both hands over hisears. 

"I guess Ned's a little excited, " suggested Jerry. 

"You guess so-- well, I know so, " responded Bob. "Are you all done?"and he cautiously removed his hands from his ears. 

"Tell him about it, Jerry, " said Ned, and Jerry told the news. 

"It would be fine to go out there, " said Bob, reflectively. "Butthere's school. We can't get out of that. "

They all agreed they could not, and decided the only thing to do wasto wait until the following summer. 

"Too bad, " remarked Bob with a sigh. "Winter is the best time of theyear out there, too. "

In spite of the fact that they knew, under the present circumstances, they could not go for several months, the boys spent an hour or morediscussing what they would do if they could go to California. 

"Oh, what's the use!" exclaimed Ned, when Jerry had spoken of how fineit would be to hire a motor boat and cruise along the Pacific coast. "Don't get us all worked up that way, Jerry. Have some regard for ourfeelings!"

"Well, let's talk about school. It opens Monday. "

"Don't mention it!" cried Ned. "I say-- hello, there's the postman'swhistle. He's coming here. "

He went to the door, and returned carrying a letter, the envelope ofwhich he was closely examining. 

"You can find out from who it is by opening it, " suggested Jerry. 

"Here's a funny thing, " spoke Ned. "This letter is addressed to myfather, but, down in one corner it says, 'May be opened by Ned, incase of necessity. '"

"Well, then, open it, " suggested Bob. "This is a case of necessity. Where's it from?"

"Boston, but I don't recognize the writing. "

"Open it, " called Jerry. 

Ned did so, and, as he read, he uttered a cry of astonishment. 

"Well if this isn't a queer thing, " he said. "Did you ever see such acoincidence? This letter is from Professor Uriah Snodgrass, and listento what he says: 'Dear Mr. Slade, or Ned. I write thus as I want oneof you to read it in a hurry, and one of you may be away from home. You remember the last I saw of you and your chums (this part is forNed) was in Florida. There I secured the rare butterfly I was lookingfor, and, through that success I was able to obtain a position with aBoston museum, to travel all over the world for them, collectingvaluable specimens. I have been here for only a few weeks, but Ialready have a commission. I am soon to start for California, insearch of a Cornu batrachian. '"

"A 'Cornu batrachian'!" exclaimed Bob. "For the love of tripe, what'sthat?"

"California!" murmured Jerry. "I guess the fates want to pile it up onus. "

"Say, is that 'Cornu batrachian' anything like a mountain lion?" askedBob. 

"Wait, " counseled Ned. "He explains. 'The Cornu batrachian, ' he says, 'is what is commonly called a horned toad. I must get several finespecimens, and I thought you boys might be making another trip, andcould go with me. I would be very glad of your company. Please let mehear from you. My regards to Mrs. Slade. '"

"Well, wouldn't that tickle your teeth!" exclaimed Bob, more forciblythan elegantly. "And we can't go!" he added with a groan. 

"Think of the fun we'll miss by not being with Professor Snodgrass, "went on Ned. 

"And with the Seabury family, " chimed in Jerry. 

"It's tough!" exclaimed Ned. "And school opens Monday!"

At that moment there was a whistle out in the street and a ring at thedoor bell. 

"The postman again, " said Ned. "I wonder what he wants?"

He went to the door. 

"Here's a letter I forgot to give you, " said the mailcarrier. "It gotout of place in my bundle, and I didn't discover it until I was quitea way up the street. "

"That's all right, " answered Ned good-naturedly. "From the Board ofEducation, " he murmured, as he looked at the printing in the upperleft hand corner. "I wonder what they are writing to me about?"

He opened it and drew out a printed circular. As he re-entered theroom where his chums were he gave a cry of delight. 

"Listen to this!" he called, and he read:

 "'To the pupils of the Cresville Academy. It has been discovered, at the last moment, that a new heating boiler will be needed in the school. The tubes of the old one are broken. It has been decided to replace it at once, and, as it will be necessary to do considerable work about the building, thereby interfering with the proper conducting of studies, the school will not open for another month, or six weeks, depending on the length of time required to install a new boiler. 

 "'Therefore pupils will kindly not report on Monday morning, as originally intended, but will hold themselves in readiness to begin their school work shortly after the receipt of another circular, which will be sent out as soon as the building is in proper shape. The faculty earnestly recommends that all pupils apply themselves diligently to their studies during this unlooked-for, unfortunate, but wholly necessary lengthening of the vacation season. By applying to their respective teachers pupils will learn what studies to continue. '"

"Whoop!" yelled Bob. 

"O-la-la!" cried Ned after the fashion of some Eastern dervish. 

"Say! That's great!" exclaimed Jerry. "A month more of vacation!"

"Now we can go to California with Professor Snodgrass, and help himcatch horned toads!" added Ned. 

"And visit the Seabury family, " supplemented Jerry. "Oh, boys, this issimply immense! Things are coming our way after all!"

 CHAPTER V

 PROFESSOR URIAH SNODGRASS

THE sudden and unexpected news that they need not begin their schoolstudies on Monday morning fairly startled the boys, at first. Theyread the circular over again, to make sure they were not mistaken. 

"Why didn't I get one?" asked Bob, rather suspiciously. 

"Probably it's at your home now, " suggested Ned. 

"And I ought to have one, too, " said Jerry. 

"You came away before the letter carrier arrived, " went on Ned. "Maybeyou'd better go see. It might-- it might be a mistake-- or a joke. "

"Don't say that!" exclaimed Bob. "I'm going to see if I have a letterlike yours. "

"So am I, " decided Jerry. "It might, as you say, Ned, be a joke, though it looks genuine. "

To make sure, Jerry and Bob hurried to their homes. There they foundawaiting them circulars, similar to the one Ned had. To furtherconvince them, as Jerry and Bob were returning to Ned's house, theymet Andy Rush, a small chap, but as full of life as an electricbattery. 

"Hello!" he exclaimed-- "Great news-- no school-- boiler busted--thousands of teachers killed-- great calamity-- fine-- horrible--terrible-- don't have to study-- longer vacation-- steam pipes blownout-- clouds of steam-- no heat-- freeze up-- burn to death-- great--Whoope-e-e!"

"Did you ever take anything for that?" asked Jerry calmly, when Andyhad finished. 

"Dasn't! if I did I'd blow up! But say-- it's great, isn't it? Did youget a circular too?" and Andy showed one. "It's fearful-- terrible--no school--"

"Come on, " urged Jerry to Bob. "He'll give us nervous prostration ifwe listen to him any longer, " but they need not have hurried, forAndy, so full of news that he could not keep still, had rushed offdown the street, hopping, skipping and jumping, to spread the tidings, which nearly every Academy pupil in Cresville knew by that time. 

Now the motor boys could discuss a Californian trip in earnest, forthey knew their parents would let them go, especially after Mr. Seabury's invitation, and the letter from Professor Snodgrass. In thecourse of a few days Jerry received another missive from NellieSeabury. 

This letter informed Jerry, and, incidentally, his two chums, thatshe, with her sisters and father, had settled in a small town near thecoast, not far from Santa Barbara, and on a little ocean bay, which, Nellie said, was a much nicer place than any they had visited inFlorida. 

"Father likes it very much here, " she wrote, "and he declares he feelsbetter already, though we have been here only a week. He says he knowsit would do him good to see you boys, and he wishes-- in fact we allwish-- you three chums could come out here for a long visit, though Isuppose you cannot on account of school opening. But, perhaps, weshall see you during the next vacation. "

"She's going to see us sooner than that, " announced Bob, when Jerryhad read the letter to him and Ned. 

"Did you write and tell her we were coming?" asked Ned, his twofriends having called at his house to talk over their prospectivetrip. 

"No, I thought we'd wait and see what Professor Snodgrass had planned. Perhaps he isn't going to that part of California. "

"That's so, " admitted Bob. "Guess we'll have to wait and find out. Iwish he'd call or write. Have you heard anything more about damagesfor our smashed boat, Jerry?"

"No, I saw Mr. Hitter the other day, and he advised me to wait a whilebefore writing again. Something queer happened while I was in hisoffice, too. "

"What was it'?"

"Well, you remember the man who got off the Boston express that day, and acted so strange about his boxes of stuff he wanted shipped to thePacific coast?"

"Sure, " replied Ned and Bob at once. 

"Well, through some mistake one of the boxes was left behind. Mr. Hitter, had it in his office, intending to ship it back to the man, for it wasn't worth while to send one box away out west, but it felland burst partly open. The box was in one corner of the room, and, while I was there Mr. Hitter's dog went up to it and began sniffing atit. All at once the dog fell over, just as if he'd been shot. Hestiffened out, and we thought he was dead, from having eaten somethingpoisoned he found on the floor. "

"Was he?"

"No, after a while he seemed to come to, and was all right, but helooked sick. Mr. Hitter said there must be something queer in thatbox, to make the dog act that way, and he and I smelled of it, takingcare not to get too close. "

"What was in it?" asked Ned. 

"I don't know. It was something that smelled rather sweet, andsomewhat sickish. Mr. Hitter said it might be some queer kind ofpoison that acted on animals, but not on human beings, and he put thebox up on a high shelf where his dog couldn't get at it. But I thoughtit was rather queer stuff for a man to be sending away out to thecoast. "

"It certainly was, " agreed Bob. "That man acted in a strange manner, too, as if he was afraid some one would see him. I wonder if there isany mystery connected with him?"

There came a time when the boys had good reason to remember thisincident of the box filled with a strange substance, for they were ingreat danger from it. 

"Well, I don't know that it concerns us, " mused Ned. "I guess we'llnot get any damages from the railroad company in time to use the moneyon our California trip, so we might as well take some cash out of oursaving fund. I do wish we'd hear from the professor. It's several dayssince I wrote to him, saying we would go with him. "

"I suppose he is so busy catching a new kind of flea, or a rarespecimen of mud turtle, that he has forgotten all about writing, "suggested Bob. "If he doesn't--"

What Bob intended saying was interrupted by a commotion at the frontdoor. The bell had rung a few seconds before, and the servant maid hadanswered it. Now the boys heard her voice raised in protest:

"Stop! Stop!" she cried. "Don't do that! You are a crazy man! I'llcall the police!"

And, in reply came these words:

"Calm yourself, calm yourself, my dear young lady. All I desire is tocapture that spider crawling on your left arm. It is a very valuablevariety of the red spotted species, and I must have it for mycollection. Now just stand still a moment--"

"Professor Snodgrass has arrived!" cried Ned, as he made a rush forthe door. 

 CHAPTER VI

 A STRANGE CONVERSATION

WHAT the boys saw made them stop short in amazement, and they had hardwork not to burst into laughter at the sight of the professor, butthey knew he would be offended if they made fun of him. 

Professor Uriah Snodgrass had dropped his valise on the doorstep, andthe impact had caused it to open, thereby liberating a number of toadsand lizards which were crawling about the steps. In his hand thescientist held a large magnifying glass, through which he was staringat something on the arm of the servant. She had her sleeves rolled upto her elbows, for she had been busy sweeping when she answered thedoor bell. 

"Let me go!" cried the young woman. "You are crazy! I'll call thepolice!"

"One moment! One moment!" pleaded the professor eagerly. "I must havethat spider. There!" and with a sudden motion he captured the smallinsect and transferred it to a tiny glass box. "I have it! Oh, this isa most fortunate day for me. The museum will be very glad to get this. It is a perfect specimen, " and he peered at it through his magnifyingglass, as it crawled around, a captive in the box. 

"Hello, Professor!" greeted Ned. "Glad to see you. "

"Oh, Ned, how are you?" asked the scientist, without glancing up fromhis inspection of the spider. "Luck seems to be with me as soon as Iarrive at your house. I have a spider--"

"Yes, but you'll not have any of those other specimens long, if youdon't get busy, " put in Bob. "They're all hopping or crawling away!"

"Oh, my goodness!" cried Professor Snodgrass, as he glanced down atthe liberated toads and lizards. "Oh, my goodness! That is too bad. Ibrought them with me to compare with the horned toads and web-footedlizards I hope to secure. Now they are getting away. Please, my dearyoung lady, help me to save them!"

But the servant maid had fled into the house as soon as the scientistreleased her arm. She was convinced that she had just escaped theclutches of a madman. 

"Come on, boys!" called Ned. "Help the professor!"

"Here are some small butterfly nets, " the scientist said, producingthem from his pocket. "Don't injure the toads or lizards. "

The boys were glad enough of these aids in catching the professor'sspecimens, that were rapidly seeking hiding places about the stoop andsidewalk. Though they had acquired a certain familiarity with strangeinsects and reptiles, from seeing the museum collector handle them, they did not fancy picking up a toad or lizard bare-handed. With thenets, however, they managed, with the assistance of the scientist, tocapture most of the specimens, returning them to their cases in thevalise. 

"There!" exclaimed Mr. Snodgrass, when, after a close scrutiny of theporch he could see no more of the creatures, "I think we have themall. Now boys, permit me to ask how you are. I am sorry my visit wasattended with such excitement, but I could not miss the chance ofgetting that spider. That young woman may consider herself in thelight of having advanced science several degrees. There are very fewpersons a red spider of that variety will get on. "

"For which we ought all to be very thankful, " announced Jerry. "I begto be excused from helping the cause of science in that way. But, Professor, we're glad to see you. Are you all ready for your trip toCalifornia?"

"I could start to-night, " was the answer. "I suppose you have mattersall arranged?"

"Nearly so, " returned Ned. "We thought of starting at the end of thisweek, " and he explained how they hoped the destination of thescientist would be such that they might visit the Seaburys. 

"That locality suits me all right, " declared Mr. Snodgrass. "I am notparticular where I go, as long as I can get a specimen of a hornedtoad, and some web-footed lizards. I understand there are some to behad in the southern part of California, and so I will go there. I seeno reason why you boys can not go with me, and also visit yourfriends. Only I should like to start as soon as possible. The toadsmay disappear. "

"Hope not, " said Bob, "for your sake. I haven't any use for them, myself. "

"Oh, my dear young friend!" exclaimed the professor. "Some day youwill see the real beauty of a horned toad. It is a most wonderfulcreature!"

"I'll take your word for it, " murmured Bob. "But now come in and let'ssee about our arrangements. "

The professor, who had been invited to be a guest at Ned's house, pending the start for the west, entered, placing his valise ofspecimens in a safe place in the hall. Then he and the boys discussedmatters. Mr. Slade came in, soon after the arrival of the scientist, and announced that he had, in accordance with a previous arrangement, purchased the boys' tickets. 

"All you've got to do is to pack up and start, " said Mr. Slade. "I'mnot going to give you any advice, for you ought to be able to takecare of yourselves by this time. I know you will be safe as long asyou are with the professor. "

"Thank you, " said the scientist with a bow. 

The professor's arrangements for the western trip were complete and itdid not take the boys long to get ready. By the end of the week thelast valise had been packed, trunks were checked on ahead and, onemorning, the boys started. 

They were to proceed to Los Angeles, and from there were to go downthe coast by land to the small town of San Felicity, where Mr. Seaburyand his daughters had rented a bungalow. 

"Now for a good time!" exclaimed Ned, as the train pulled out of theCresville depot. "I've always wanted to visit California, and now I'mgoing to. "

"We certainly ought to enjoy ourselves, " agreed Jerry. 

The travelers made good time to Chicago, little of incident occurringon the trip. When they got to the Windy City, they found they wouldhave to wait several hours for a connecting train, and they put in thetime seeing the sights. 

When they returned to the depot they found the professor busy oversome scientific book, sitting as undisturbed in the station, filled asit was with shifting crowds, as if he was in his quiet study at themuseum. 

"The train will be here in about fifteen minutes, " he informed theboys. "Better sit down and wait. "

The three chums were rather tired, and were glad enough to take theirplaces on the comfortable benches. 

"Chicago is a great place, " announced Bob. "That restaurant, where wehad dinner--"

"Can't you say something that hasn't got any eating in it?" asked Ned. "You're the limit, you are. "

"Well, " said Bob, "they certainly had fine pie in that place. Iwish--"

He stopped suddenly, as Jerry help up his hand to indicate silence. 

"What's the matter?" asked Ned in a whisper, as he leaned forward. "See some new kind of a bug for the professor?"

"I overheard that man back of us speaking, " replied Jerry in a lowtone, nodding his head to indicate where he meant. The benches werearranged so that travelers occupying them sat back to back. "His voicesounded like one I've heard before, but I can't place it. I thoughtmaybe you'd remember. We may have met him on our travels. I can't seehis face until he turns around. "

As he finished speaking, the man to whom he referred said something tohis companion beside him. There came a momentary lull in the noises ofthe depot, and the boys heard him remark in low, but clear tones:

"We can make everything look regular. Derelicts are not uncommon, andI think we'll be able to fool him so that the cargo--"

"Hush!" cautioned the other man. "Not so loud!"

The noise in the station again drowned what the two men were saying, but the boys had heard enough. All three of them knew at once that theman who had spoken was the stranger who had acted so queerly in theCresville freight office. If they had any doubts of it they weredispelled a moment later when the doorman called out:

"All aboard for the western express!"

As the man and his companion arose, the boys saw he was the sameindividual who had been so particular about the boxes of stuff heshipped to San Francisco. 

Before the three chums could make any comment the man and hiscompanion were lost in the crowd that thronged to the door. 

"Come, boys, " said the professor, closing his book. "That's ourtrain. "

 CHAPTER VII

 A BAD BREAK

"THAT was queer, wasn't it?" said Jerry to his chums when they wereseated in the train, moving swiftly toward the great west. "I wonderwhat he meant, and what he was doing out here?"

"And I guess you can keep on wondering, for all the good it will do, "commented Bob. "I couldn't make anything out of what they said, exceptthat some ship might be lost. That's common enough. "

"I wonder what that stuff was that he shipped from the freightoffice?" mused Jerry. 

"Rat poison, maybe, " replied Ned with a laugh. "I've heard there arelots of rats on ships, and maybe he has a patent stuff for getting ridof 'em. "

"It might be, " agreed Jerry. "Well, as Bob says, there's no usewondering. Say, but this is pretty nice scenery, " and he pointed tothe view from the window, as they were passing along the shores of alake. 

"Fine!" exclaimed Ned. "It ought to have some mountains around it, andit would look just like Lost Lake, where we found the hermit, thattime. "

"Seems as if that was a good while ago, " commented Bob, "but it wasn'tso very. "

For several hours the boys discussed their past adventures, some ofwhich were brought to their minds by views of the western countrythrough which they were passing. Professor Snodgrass took no interestin anything except a big book which he was studying carefully, attimes making notes on slips of paper, which had a tendency to dropinto the aisle, or under the seat when he was not looking. Inconsequence the car, in the vicinity of where the professor sat, looked as though a theatrical snow-storm had taken place. 

One morning the boys awakened to find the train making fast time overa level stretch of country, with rolling hills here and there, coveredwith tall grass. Occasionally glimpses could be had of herds ofcattle. 

"We're on the prairies!" exclaimed Bob, as he went to the lavatory toget ready for breakfast. "Say, now we're in the wild and woolly west, all right. "

"Well, it's not the first time, " replied Jerry. "Still it does lookgood to see it again. It's a little different, traveling this way, than it was scooting along in our auto. "

"Yes, and I think I prefer the auto to this, " spoke up Ned, yawningand stretching. "This is too lazy a way of journeying. I'd like torough it a bit. "

"Rough it!" exclaimed Bob. "Wait until we get out in California, andwe can sleep out doors, while the folks back home are tending thefurnace fire. "

The three boys were just about to enter the lavatory when the traingave a sudden lurch, and then it began bumping along over the ties, swaying from side to side. Every window in the car rattled as if itwould break, and the boys were so shaken up, that, to steadythemselves, they had to grasp whatever was nearest. 

"We're off the track!" cried Ned. 

"This-- is-- roughing-- it-- all right!" said Jerry, the words comingout in jerks. "There's-- been-- an-- accident!"

"A-- whole-- lot-- of-- 'em-- by-- the-- way-- it-- feels to-- me, "declared Jerry. "I-- wonder--"

Just then the train came to a stop, the car the boys were in beingtilted at quite an angle. 

"Let's see what happened, " suggested Bob, going to the door. Hiscompanions followed him, and, from various berths the passengers beganemerging, in different stages of undress. They looked frightened. 

"Well, at any rate, none of us are killed, " said Professor Snodgrass, as he came down the aisle, fully dressed, for he had arisen early tocontinue his reading about horned toads. "What is the matter, boys?"

"We're just going to find out, " said Jerry, as he went down the stepsand walked along the track toward the engine, about which a crowd ofpassengers and train men were gathered. 

"What's the trouble?" asked Bob of a brakeman who was running towardthe rear end of the train with a red flag. 

"I don't know exactly. Something wrong with the engine; I guess. Iheard the conductor say it was a bad break. "

"Come on, " said Jerry to his chums. "There doesn't seem to be anybodyhurt, but it looks as if we were in for a long wait, " and he pointedto several cars that were off the track, the wheels resting on thewooden ties. 

 CHAPTER VIII

 HEMMED IN

THE boys found a group of worried trainmen gathered about the engine, and it needed but a glance to show what the trouble was. The pistonrod had broken while the ponderous engine was going at full speed, andthe driving rods, which had broken off from where they were fastenedto the wheels, had been driven deep into the ground. This had servedto fairly lift the engine from the rails, and, in its mad journey ithad pulled several cars with it. 

The piston rod, threshing about with nothing to hold it, had brokenseveral parts of the engine, and some pieces of the driving rods hadbeen hurled up into the cab, narrowly missing the engineer. 

"It sure is a bad break, " said the fireman as he got down from thecab, after opening the door of the fire box, so that the engine wouldcool down. "Never saw a worse. "

"Me either, " fairly growled the conductor. 

"Why couldn't it have held off a couple of hours more and we'd beennear some place where we could telegraph for help. "

"You don't mean to say we are away out on the prairies not near atelegraph station, do you?" asked an excited man. 

"That's just what I do mean to say, " replied the conductor. "I've gotto send a brakeman on foot eight miles to wire the news of thisaccident. "

"You ought to have a telegraph instrument on the train, " said theexcited man. "This delay is a bad thing for me. If I don't arrive ontime I'll sue the road. Why don't you have a telegraph instrument onthe train?"

"I don't know, " replied the conductor wearily, for he realized he wasnow in for a cross-fire of all sorts of questions. 

"How long will we have to wait here?" asked another man. 

"It's hard to say. The brakeman will go as fast as he can, but it willtake some time to get the wrecking crew here with a new engine, andthen it will take some time to get all the cars back on the track. "

"Railroads oughtn't to have such accidents!" declared the excitableman. "I'll sue 'em, that's what I'll do. What made the piston rodbreak, conductor?"

"Oh-- I guess it got tired of going in and out of the cylinder, "retorted the conductor, starting towards the baggage car. 

"Humph! I'll report you for impertinence!" declared the now angrypassenger, taking out his notebook and making a memorandum lest heforget the conductor's retort. "It's a disgrace the way this road ismanaged, " he went on to the crowd of passengers that had gathered. "I'm going to write to the newspapers about it. They're always havingaccidents. Why, only last week, they run over a steer, somewhere inthis locality, the engine was derailed, two cars smashed, the road bedtorn up, baggage and express stuff scattered all over, everythingupside down, topsy-turvy and--"

"Was the steer killed?" asked a little boy, who was listening withopened mouth and eyes to the story the excited passenger was telling. 

"What!" fairly roared the man, and then, as he saw who had asked thequestion, he turned away, and there was a general laugh. 

"Do you think we'll be here long?" asked Bob of the colored porter ofthe sleeping car they had occupied. 

"Oh, yes, indeedy!" exclaimed the attendant, "If we gits on de movebefo' night we'll be mighty lucky. "

"Then we've got to stay out here on the prairie all day, " exclaimedJerry. 

"Dat's what, " spoke the negro as cheerfully as though that was theregular program. 

The other passengers were returning to their berths to finishdressing, and soon the excitement that followed the accident hadalmost disappeared. Breakfast was served, and there was nothing to dobut to wait for the arrival of the wrecking crew. 

"What's the matter with taking a stroll across the prairie?" suggestedJerry, when the boys and the professor had finished their morningmeal. "There's no fun sitting here in the car all day. "

"Good idea!" exclaimed Ned. "I'm with you. Maybe Chunky will be afraidto come, for fear train robbers will carry off the dining car whilehe's gone. "

"Oh, you let up!" retorted Bob. "You like to eat as much as I do. "

"Not quite as much, Chunky, but I admit I like my three square meals aday. "

"Where are you going, boys?" asked the professor, looking up from hisbook, as he saw the three chums leaving the car. 

"Out for a walk across the prairie, " replied Ned. 

"Wait, and I'll go with you. I might get some new specimens. I mustnever waste an opportunity, " and, placing in his pockets several smallboxes to hold any possible captives he might get in his butterfly net, the scientist was ready. 

It was pleasant on the vast plain that stretched away in everydirection from the derailed train. The sun was shining brightly, butnot too warm, and there was a gentle breeze. 

"This is fine!" exclaimed Jerry. 

The boys and the professor strolled on for several miles, the threechums enjoying the walk very much, while Mr. Snodgrass was continuallyfinding some new insect, or a flower, until his specimen boxes werefull. 

"Well, we've come quite a distance, " said Ned, as they got on top of asmall hill and looked about. "We can't see the train anywhere. I guesswe'd better be thinking of starting back. "

"Maybe we had, " agreed Jerry. "But what's that dark line out there?"and he pointed to the horizon. 

"A cloud isn't it?" asked Bob. 

"It's too low, and it doesn't move like a cloud, " objected Jerry. 

They watched it for some time, as it got larger and larger. 

"Why it's all around us!" suddenly exclaimed Bob. 

And so it was. The travelers were hemmed in by a peculiar, movingring, that seemed to get smaller and smaller. 

"What do you think it is, Professor?" asked Ned. 

"That? Why-- er that is-- um-- curious, I can't just say what it is, "replied Mr. Snodgrass. 

"I have a small telescope, " said Ned, producing it from his pocket, "We'll take a look through it, " and he adjusted it, focusing it on thedark ring, that was, every moment, growing closer and closer to thelittle group on the hill. 

 CHAPTER IX

 A LUCKY ESCAPE

"WHAT do you make it to be?" asked Jerry, as Ned was staring throughthe glass. 

"Cattle!"

"Cattle?"

"Yes, steers. Thousands of 'em. And they seem to be headed this way. "

"Let me take a look, " said Jerry. "You're right, " he added, after aninspection. "They seem to be coming on rather fast, too. I guess we'dbetter get out of here. Cattle on the prairies don't like to seepersons who are not on horseback. They are not used to a man unlesshe's mounted, and I've read that a man on foot may cause a stampede. "

"I hope they don't run in this direction, " remarked Bob. "It's goingto be unpleasant for us if they do. "

"We'd better get out of here, " advised Ned. "Come on, fellows. "

"That's easier said than done, " retorted Jerry. 

"The cattle are all around us. I don't see how we're going to getthrough them. If we go too close we may stampede 'em at once, whereas, if we stay here, they may pass by us, or change their direction. "

"What's the matter with the cowboys?" asked Rob. "Why don't they headthe animals the other way when they see we're right in the path?"

"Probably the cattlemen are on the outer edges of the herd, " saidJerry. "The cowboys can't see us, and they're simply driving thesteers on. "

"But what makes them go in a circle?" asked Bob. 

"Probably the men are driving them all in to a central point to takeaccount of stock, or something like that, " was Jerry's answer. "But, instead of standing here talking of it we'd better be doing something. What do you advise, Professor?"

Uriah Snodgrass, who had discovered some queer kind of a jumping bugin the grass, had lost all interest in the approaching steers, but, atthis question, he looked up. 

"What did you ask?" he said, making a grab for the bug, and catchingit. 

"What do you think we'd better do?" asked Ned. "This is gettingserious. "

"What is? Oh, the steers. Why, they are getting a little too close, aren't they?"

They were, for a fact, and the animals in the foremost ranks, catchingsight of the little party on the hill, broke into awkward gallop. Asfar as the boys could see, they beheld nothing but waving tails, heaving heads, armed with long sharp horns, and the movement of brownbodies, as the thousands of steers came on with a rush. 

"We'd better--" began the professor, who was walking slowly along, hiseyes fixed on the ground, in search for another of the queer bugs. "Look out!" he suddenly cried. "Stand back boys!"

Hardly had he spoken than there sounded, high and shrill above thedull rumble of the oncoming cattle, a queer, buzzing noise. 

"Rattlesna " exclaimed Ned. 

"Yes, a whole nest of them, in a prairie dog's hole, " added theprofessor. "I nearly stepped into them. There must be thirty orforty. "

The boys looked to where he pointed. There, in a sort of depression, near a little hollow, on the edge of what is called a prairie dogvillage, they saw an ugly wiggling mass, which, as their eyes becamemore used to the colorings, was seen to be a number of the deadlyrattlesnakes. 

Several were coiled to strike, and had, in accordance with theirhabit, sounded their rattles. This had aroused the whole den, manysnakes appearing from under ground, or crawling from beneath stones. 

"Come on! They'll chase us!" cried Bob. 

"Nonsense, " replied the professor. "Rattlesnakes never attack manunless they are first disturbed. It wouldn't be advisable to go tooclose, but, as long as we don't molest them, we have nothing to fearfrom the snakes. I'd like to get a few specimens if I had the properappliances for extracting their fangs. But I never saw so many in oneplace, before. It is quite interesting to watch--"

The professor broke off suddenly, for the thunderous noise of theapproaching steers was now louder. 

"They're coming right at us!" exclaimed Jerry. 

"Yes, and they've stampeded!" cried Ned. "We're in for it now!"

The situation of the boys and the professor was extremely perilous. They were right in the path of the now frightened steers. The circlehad been broken, by many animals, which had been approaching from therear of the travelers, joining the beasts on either side, so that nowa compact, dark mass of cattle, nearly a quarter of a mile wide, wassurging ahead with great speed. 

"Run!" called Ned. "There's an opening at our backs now!"

"You couldn't go a hundred feet before they'd overtake you!" shoutedJerry. "Let's see if we can't frighten 'em. Take off your hats, jumpup and down, and yell like mad. If we can force 'em to separate and goon either side of us, we'll be all right!"

He started to swing his hat in the air, and prepared to let out aseries of yells in imitation of an Indian war-whoop. 

"Don't!" cried the professor quickly. 

"Why not?" asked Jerry. "It's the only way to stop 'em. "

"I know a better, and a surer way, " replied the scientist. "Get therattlesnakes between ourselves and the cattle! Those steers will nevergo near a rattlesnake den, no matter how frightened they are, nor howbadly stampeded! Quick! Here they come!"

The cattle were scarcely two hundred feet away, and were maddened bythe sight of unmounted persons, something to which they wereunaccustomed, and which thoroughly frightened them. The ground wastrembling with their hoof-beats, and the rattle of the horns, as theyclashed together, was like the murmur of cannibal tom-toms. 

The professor grabbed Bob, who was nearest him, and swung the boyaround, so as to get the nest of rattlesnakes between them and thesteers. Ned and Jerry followed. The snakes, now all aroused, wererattling away like half a hundred electric batteries working at once. 

Would the professor's ruse succeed? Would the steers be afraid to comeover the deadly reptiles, to trample down the little group, which theanimals probably took for some new species of enemy? These werequestions which the boys waited anxiously to have answered. Nor didthey have to wait long. 

The foremost of the steers came within a few feet of the rattlers. Then something seemed to stiffen the cattle. They tried to stop short, but the press of the beasts behind them would not permit of this. Fora few seconds it looked as if the impetus of the cattle in the rearwould shove the others on, in spite of their desire to stop. 

But now more of the foremost steers became aware of the den of snakes. Their instinct, their sense of smell, and, above all, hearing therattling, told them the terrible danger that was in their path. Moreof the animals braced their forelegs to bring themselves to a stop, and all bellowed in terror. Then, almost as though an order had beengiven by some one in command, the ranks of steers parted, right at thepoint where the snakes were reared ready to strike. 

To right and left the cattle passed, increasing their speed as theybecame aware of the danger they were escaping. The boys and theprofessor stood on the little eminence of land, as if they were on anisland in a sea of cattle. The angry snakes hissed and rattled, butdid not glide away, or what had proved a source of safety for thetravelers, might have been instrumental in their death. 

Right past them rushed the cattle, raising a dust that was choking. The four were enveloped in a yellow haze, as they stood huddledtogether. Then, the last of the steers galloped past, with a band ofexcited cowboys in the rear, vainly endeavoring to understand thecause of the stampede, and halt it. As they rode on like the wind, they waved their hands to the boys and Mr. Snodgrass. 

"Well, I guess we can move on now, " said Jerry, as the last of thesteers and cowboys was lost in a cloud of dust that accompanied them. "I've seen all the beef I want to for a long time. "

"That's the first time I ever knew rattlesnakes were good foranything, " remarked Ned, as he backed away, with his eyes on the denof reptiles, as if afraid they would spring at him. 

"They are more feared by animals than any other snake in this country, I believe, " said the professor. "Luck was certainly with us to-day. "

The professor successfully resisted a desire to capture some of thesnakes for specimens, and soon, with the three boys, he was on his wayback to the stalled train, though he did not make very fast progressfor he was continually stopping to gather in some strange insect. 

It was long past dinner-time when the travelers got back, but theyfound they were not the only ones in this predicament, for a number ofthe passengers had beguiled the tediousness of the wait by going offacross the prairie. 

"Let's get the porter to get us some sandwiches, and then we'll watch'em get the train back on the track, " suggested Jerry. 

 CHAPTER X

 AT THE SEABURYS'

THE wrecking crew had arrived shortly before the boys and theprofessor got back, and there was a big crowd of passengers and trainmen around the laborers. 

"Never mind eating, " called Ned. "Come on, watch 'em. We can get abite afterward. "

"Not for mine, " sung out Bob, as he made a dive for the dining car. "I'll be with you pretty soon. "

"There he goes again, " remarked Ned with a sigh. "I couldn't eat whenthere's any excitement going on. I want to see how they get the carson the track. "

"So do I. " said Jerry. 

They pressed on to where, by means of powerful hydraulic jacks, menwere busy raising up the engine, which, because of its weight, hadsunk quite deeply into the ground. The jacks were small, but one manworked the handle, which pumped water from one part of it to another, and elevated a piston, that, in turn was forced up with terriblepressure, thus raising one end of the ponderous locomotive. 

When the wheels were clear of the earth other men slipped under themsome peculiar shaped pieces of iron, so arranged that when thelocomotive was pulled or pushed ahead by another engine, the wheelswould slip upon the rails. 

In turn each of the wheels of the engine and tender were so fixed. Then word was given the engineer of the relief train to back down andhaul the derailed locomotive back on to the track. 

"All ready?" called the foreman of the wrecking crew. 

"All ready, " replied the engineer. 

Jerry and Ned, in common with scores of others, were straining forwardto watch every detail of the task. They wanted to see whether thelocomotive would take to the rails, or slip off the inclined irons, and again settle down upon the ground. 

"Let her go, Bill, " called the foreman to the engineer of the wreckingcrew. 

There was a warning whistle, a straining of heavy chains, creakingsand groanings from the derailed engine as if it objected to beingpulled and hauled about, then the ponderous driving wheels began toturn slowly. 

"Stand clear, everybody!" cried the foreman. 

At that moment Bob came running up, using the back of his hand as anapkin for his lips. 

"There she goes!" was the loud cry. 

As the crowd looked, they saw the derailed and helpless engine give asort of shudder and shake, mount the inclined pieces of iron, and thenslide upon the rails, settling down where it belonged. 

"Hurrah!" cried the passengers, in recognition of a hard task wellaccomplished. 

"Well, I'm glad that's over, " announced the foreman. "Now boys, hustle, and we'll get the cars on, and the line will be clear. "

It did not take long to get the cars on the rails, as they werelighter. The damaged engine was switched off to one side, some rails, which had been displaced when the train bumped off, were spiked down, and the wreck was a thing of the past. 

"All aboard!" called the conductor. "All aboard! Step lively now!"

The relief engine was not a fast one, being built more for power thanspeed, and the train had to proceed along rather slowly. But the boysdid not mind this, as they had plenty to talk about, and they wereinterested in the country through which they were traveling. 

They arrived at Los Angeles somewhat behind their schedule, and didnot leave there as soon as they expected to, as Professor Snodgrasswanted to call on a scientific friend, to learn something about thebest place to hunt for horned toads. 

"It's all right, boys, " he announced, when he returned to the LosAngeles hotel, where the three chums had put up. "My friend says thevicinity of San Felicity, where you are going to call on the Seaburys, is a grand place for horned toads. Come, we will start at once. "

They found, however, that they would have to wait until the next dayfor a train. They started early the following morning, travelingthrough a stretch of country where it seemed as if it was alwayssummer. Back home there had already been evidences of fall, beforethey left, but here there seemed to be no hint of approaching winter. 

"Oh, isn't this fine!" exclaimed Ned, breathing in the sweetly-scentedair, as he stuck his head from the car window. "It's like readingabout some fairy story!"

"It's better than reading it, " said Jerry. "It's the real thing. "

They arrived at San Felicity, shortly before noon. It was a very hotday, though the morning had been cool, and the boys began toappreciate the fact that they had come to a southern climate. Thereseemed to be no one at the little railroad station, at which they werethe only passengers to leave the train. The train baggage man piledtheir trunks and valises in a heap on the platform, the engine gave afarewell toot, and the travelers were thus left alone, in whatappeared a deserted locality. 

"There doesn't seem to be much doing, " observed Jerry. "Let's see now, Nellie wrote that we were to take a stage to get to their house, but Idon't see any stage. Wonder where the station agent is?"

"Hark!" said the professor, raising his hand for silence. "What noiseis that? It sounds as if it might be a horned toad grunting. They makea noise just like that. "

"I would say it sounded more like some one snoring, " ventured Ned. 

"It is!" exclaimed Bob. "Here's the station agent asleep in the ticketoffice, " and he looked in an open window, on the shady side of theplatform. From the interior came the sounds which indicated a personin deep slumber. 

"Bless my soul!" exclaimed the professor. "I took him for a hornedtoad! I hope he didn't hear me. "

"No danger, " remarked Jerry. "He's sound asleep. Even the train didn'twake him up. "

The four gazed in on the slumbering agent. Perhaps there was somemysterious influence in the four pairs of eyes, for the man suddenlyawakened with a start, stared for a moment at the travelers gazing inon him, and then sat up. 

"Good day, señors!" he exclaimed, and they saw that he was a Mexican. "Do you wish tickets? If you do, I regret to inform you that the onlytrain for the day has gone. There will be none until to-morrow, " andhe prepared to go to sleep again. 

"Here!" cried Jerry. "We don't want any, tickets! We want to find theway to Mr. Nathan Seabury's house, and to learn if there's a stagewhich goes there. "

"There is, señor, " replied the agent, yawning, "but I doubt if thedriver is here. He seldom comes to meet the train, as there are veryfew travelers. Will it not do to go to Señor Seabury's to-morrow, ornext day, or the day after?"

"Hardly, " replied Jerry, who, as did the other boys, began toappreciate the Mexican habit of saying "mananna" which means"to-morrow, " for the Mexicans have a lazy habit of putting off untilto-morrow whatever they have to do to-day. "We want to go to-day, right away, at once, now!"

"Ah, the señors are Americanos-- always in a hurry, " answered theagent, but in no unfriendly manner. "Very well, I will see if Hop Singhas his stage here. "

"Hop Sing?" questioned Ned. 

"Yes, señor, he is a Chinaman. You will find him a very slow andcareful driver. "

"Slow? I guess everything's slow down here, " said Ned in a low voice. 

The agent came leisurely from his office, walked to the end of theplatform, and, pointing toward a low shed, remarked:

"That is where the stage is kept. I will call, and see if Hop Sing isthere. "

Then he called, but in such a low tone, as if he was afraid he mightstrain his voice, that it did not seem as if he could be heard tenfeet away. Jerry stood it as long as he could and then said:

"I guess Hop Sing must be taking his noon nap. I'll go over and wakehim up. "

"Ah, the señor is in a hurry, " and the Mexican agent smiled as thoughthat was a strange thing. "If he would wait an hour, or perhaps two, Hop Sing might awaken. Besides, to-morrow--"

"Not for ours, " said Ned. "We've got to go to-day. "

The agent shrugged his shoulders, and went back into his little officeto resume his nap. Jerry walked over to the shed. 

"Hey! Hop Sing!" he called, as he approached. "Where's the stage?"

"Want stage? Take lide? All lite! Me come! Chop-chop! Give number one, top-slide lide!" exclaimed a voice, and a small Chinaman jumped downfrom the stage seat, where, under the shade of the shed he had beensleeping, and began to untie the halters of the mules that wereattached to the ram-shackle old vehicle. 

"Be lite out!" Hop Sing went on. "Me glive you click lide. Me go fast!You see! Chop-chop!"

"All right, if the old shebang doesn't fall apart on the way, " saidJerry with a laugh, as he saw the stage which the Celestial backed outof the shed. Certainly it looked as if it could not go many miles. 

"Come on!" called Jerry to Ned, Bob and the professor, who hadremained on the platform. "I guess it's safe. The mules don't look asif they would run away. "

They piled into the aged vehicle, and Hop Sing, with a quickness thatwas in surprising contrast to the indolence of the Mexican agent, puttheir trunks and valises on top. 

"Now we glow click, you sabe?" he said, smiling from ear to ear. "Meknow Mlister Seablury. Him number one man, top-slide, " which was HopSing's way of saying that anything was the very best possible. 

The boys soon found that while Hop Sing might be a slow and carefuldriver, it was due more to the characters of the mules, than toanything else. The Chinese yelled at them in a queer mixture of hisown language, Mexican and American. He belabored them with a whip, andyanked on the reins, but the animals only ambled slowly along thesunny road, as if they had a certain time schedule, and weredetermined to stick to it. 

"Can't they go any faster?" asked Ned. 

"Flaster?" asked Hop, innocently. "They Mlexican mules. No go flast. Me go flast, mules not, " and he began jumping up and down in his seat, as if that would help matters any. He redoubled his yells and shouts, and made the whip crack like a pistol, but the mules only wagged theirears and crawled along. 

"I guess you'll have to let matters take their course while you'rehere, " suggested the professor. "You can't change the habits of thepeople, or the animals. "

They did manage, after strenuous efforts on Hop's part, to get to theSeabury bungalow. It was in the midst of a beautiful garden, and along walk led up to the house, around which was an adobe wall, with ared gate. Over the gate was a roof, making a pleasant shade, and therewere seats, where one might rest. 

In fact some one was resting there as the stage drove up. He was acolored man, stretched out on his back, sound asleep. 

"Well, I wonder if they do anything else in this country but sleep?"asked Jerry. 

"Why-- that's Ponto, Mr. Seabury's negro helper, " said Ned. "Hello, Ponto. All aboard the Wanderer!"

"What's dat? Who done call me?" and the colored man sat up suddenly, rubbing his eyes. "Who says Wanderer? Why dat boat--"

Then he caught sight of the travelers. 

"Why, I 'clar' t' gracious!" he exclaimed. "Ef it ain't dem motor boysan' Perfesser Snowgrass!"

"How are you, Ponto?" sang out Bob. 

"Fine, sah! Dat's what I is! Fine. I 'clar' t' gracious I'se glad t'see yo'! Git down offen dat stage! It'll fall apart in anoder minute!Go long outer heah, yo' yellow trash!" and Ponto shook his fist at HopSing. "Wha' fo' yo' stan' 'round heah, listen' t' what yo' betterssayin'. "

"I guess I'd better pay him, " said Jerry, and settled with theCelestial, who drove slowly off. 

"Now come right in!" exclaimed Ponto. "I were-- I were jest thinkin'out dar on dat bench-- yais, sah, I were thinkin', an' fust thing Iknowed I was 'sleep. It's a turrible sleepy country, dat's what 'tis, fer a fact. I'se gittin' in turrible lazy habits sence I come heah. But come on in. Massa Seabury, he'll be powerful glad t' see yo'. So'll th' young ladies. Dey was sayin' only las' night, dat it seemedlaik dem boys nevah goin' t' come. But heah yo' be! Yais, sah, I werejest thinkin' out on dat bench--"

But Panto's rambling talk was suddenly interrupted by a glad cry fromthe shrubbery. Then there came a rush of skirts, and the boys sawthree girls running toward them. 

"Here they are, dad!" called Nellie. "Here are the boys and ProfessorSnodgrass! Oh, we're so glad you came! Welcome to 'The Next Day'!That's what we've christened our bungalow, in honor of this lazycountry. Come on in, " and she ran up to Jerry, holding out her hands. 

 CHAPTER XI

 AFTER HORNED TOADS

OLIVIA and Rose, as had Nellie, warmly welcomed the boys and ProfessorSnodgrass, and, Mr. Seabury coming up a moment later, from his usualstroll about the garden, added his greetings. 

"We're very glad to see you, " said the gentleman. "Come right in andmake yourselves comfortable. We have more room than we had on thehouseboat Wanderer. I'll have your baggage-- where is that blackrascal, Ponto?-- Ponto!"

"Yais, sah, I'se coming, " called a voice, and Ponto who had gone backto the gate appeared, rubbing his eyes. 

"Ponto, take these-- why, you-- you've been asleep again, I dobelieve-- Ponto--"

"I-- I done gone an' jest dozed off fo' a minute, Massa Seabury, " saidPonto. "I 'clar' t' goodness, dis am de most sleepiest climate I ebersee. Peers laik I cain't do nuffin, but shet mah eyes an'--"

"Well if you don't do something mighty quick with this baggage I'llfind some way of keeping you awake, " spoke Mr. Seabury, but he waslaughing in spite of himself. 

"Yais, sah, I'se goin' t' take keer of it immejeet, sah, " and thecolored man went off in search of a wheelbarrow, on which to bring thetrunks and valises up to the house from where they had been put offthe stage. 

"I never saw such a chap, " said Mr. Seabury. "Before we came down herehe was as spry as I could wish, but now he does just as the Mexicansdo. He sleeps every chance he gets. But come on in. I know you must betired and hungry. "

"Bob is, " said Jerry. "I heard him say a while ago--"

"No, you didn't hear me say anything, " exclaimed Bob quickly, fearfullest he might be put to shame before the girls. "I'm not a bithungry. "

"Fibber!" whispered Ned, though not so low but what they all heard, and the girls burst into laughter. 

"Never mind, " spoke Olivia. "Come on, Bob. I'll take care of you. Thecook and I are great friends, " and the girl and Bob walked on ahead. 

"I suppose you came out here to study some new kind of plant orflowers, didn't you?" asked Mr. Seabury, of the professor. 

"Not exactly, " replied the scientist, "though I shall examine themwith much interest. What I came down for was to secure some specimensof horned toads for the museum. I--"

"Horned toads!" exclaimed Nellie, who was walking with Jerry, whileRose had volunteered to show Ned the beauties of the Mexican garden. "Horned toads! Ugh! The horrible things. I hope you don't bring themaround where I am, Professor. Horned toads! Why don't you search aftersomething beautiful, like the wonderful butterfly you found inFlorida?"

"A horned toad is just as beautiful as a butterfly, " said Mr. Snodgrass gravely. "The only difference is, people don't appreciatethe toad. I do, and, some day, I hope to write a history of thatcreature. I have my notes ready for the first volume, which will be asort of introduction. "

"How many volumes do you expect to write?" asked Mr. Seabury, curiously. 

"Twelve, " replied the scientist calmly. "Even then I will have to omitmuch that is of interest. But I hope, in twelve, large books, to beable to convey some idea of horned toads, as well as some informationabout the other species. "

"Twelve volumes! I should hope so!" murmured Mr. Seabury. 

By this time the travelers were at the bungalow. It was awell-arranged affair, quite large, and set in the midst of a beautifulgarden, with rambling paths, and shady bowers, while the whole placewas enclosed by a mud or adobe wall. All around the bungalow was awide veranda, and in the center courtyard was a small fountain, with ajet of water spurting up from the middle of a large shell. 

"Isn't this fine!" exclaimed Jerry, and the other boys agreed it was. 

"Yes, we like 'The Next Day' very much, " said Nellie. "It was my ideato call it that. From the very moment we arrived, and wanted somethingdone, about the only answer we could get was 'to-morrow, ' 'Mananna' or'the next day, ' so I decided that would be a good name for thebungalow. "

"Indeed it is, " declared the professor. "But you have a mostdelightful place, and I should like to spend many 'next days' here. Ihope your health is better, Mr. Seabury?"

"Considerably so, sir. I find the air here agrees with my nerves andrheumatism much better than in Florida. I have hopes of entirelyrecovering. But let us go inside, I think luncheon is ready. "

It was and, in the cool dining-room, within sound of the tinklingfountain, they ate a hearty meal, Bob demonstrating in his usualfashion that he was quite hungry. 

The girls took turns in explaining their experiences since coming toCalifornia. The bungalow, which they rented, was on the outskirts ofthe village of San Felicity, which was part of what had once been anold Mexican town. It was located on the shores of a secluded bay, andthe bungalow was about ten minutes' walk from the water. 

"Do you think there are any horned toads around here?" asked theprofessor, when the meal was finished, and they had gone out on theveranda. 

"I don't know, I'm sure, " replied Mr. Seabury. "I'll ask Ponto, heknows everything there is to be known about this place. Ponto! I say, Ponto!"

"Yais, sah, I'se comin' sah!" and from somewhere in the depths of thegarden the voice sounded. A moment later the colored man appeared, trying to hide a broad yawn. 

"Ponto, do you know-- well, I declare, if you haven't been asleepagain!"

"I-- I-- er-- I jest was weedin' de garden, Massa Seabury, an' I donefelt so warm dat I jest closed mah eyes, jest fo' a second, not aminute longer, no sah, not a minute. Guess I knows better dan t' go t'sleep when yo' got company sah!" and Ponto looked very much hurt atthe accusation. 

"Well, Ponto, I suppose you can't help it. Do you happen to know wherethere are any horned toads?"

"Horned toads! Good lan', Massa Seabury! No sah! I ain't got none!"

"I didn't suppose you had. Do you know whether there are any aroundhere?"

"Well, I doan know ef dey has horns or not, but de oder day, when Iwere comin' home from goin' t' ole Mexican Pete's shanty after somered peppers, I seen some horrible kind of thing hoppin' along ober desand. I-- I didn't stop t' look an' see ef he had horns, but I s'pectshe had, cause he were kind of diggin' in de sand. "

"That's the toad all right!" exclaimed the professor, joyfully. "Whereis the place? Take me out there right away, Ponto. "

"Take you out dere, Perfesser?"

"Yes, right away. "

"I-- I s'pects I'd better go back an' 'tend t' mah weedin'!" exclaimedPonto, looking as pale as a colored man can. Look. "Weeds growpowerful fast in dis climate. Dey'll choke de flowers in about anhour. I'se got t' 'tend t' 'em immejeet, sah. I ain't got no time t'go huntin' horned toads. I hopes you'll 'scuse me, sah, " and with thatPonto was gone, walking faster than he had at any time since thetravelers arrived. 

"He's afraid, " said Rose, with a laugh. "I'm not. Come on, Professor, I'll show you where Ponto means, and maybe we can find some hornedtoads. "

"Let's all go, " proposed Jerry. 

"I will, if you'll promise not to let the horrible things come nearme, " said Nellie, and Jerry promised. 

Mr. Seabury declared he would rather rest on the veranda than hunthorned toads, so the three boys and the trio of girls, with theprofessor, who armed himself with specimen boxes and a small net, setoff after the curious reptiles. 

A short distance from the bungalow there was a sort of sandy stretch, where little grew in the way of vegetation, and there, Rose explained, was probably where Ponto had seen the toads. They headed toward it, the scientist eagerly looking on the ground, for a first sight of thespecimens he had come so far to seek. 

 CHAPTER XII

 A STRANGE MEETING

"I GUESS Ponto must have been asleep when he was walking along here, and dreamed he saw those toads, " commented Ned, after the party hadcovered a considerable part of the sandy stretch without getting aglimpse of the ugly reptiles. 

"That's too bad!" exclaimed the professor. "I had hopes of finding onehere. "

"Oh!" suddenly screamed Rose. "There's one!"

"Where?" asked the scientist eagerly. 

"Right there, by that stone. I saw it jump. Oh, girls, I'm going torun!"

"And she said she wasn't afraid of them!" cried Nellie. 

The professor cautiously approached with his net outstretched. With along stick he turned the boulder over, and made a quick movement withhis net, imprisoning something beneath it. 

"I've got it!" he cried. "I have the horned toad!"

Holding his captive down beneath the net, he leaned forward on hisknees, to get a better view. Over his face came a look ofdisappointment. 

"It's only a harmless lizard, " he said, "and not one of the web-footedvariety, either. That's too bad. I thought I had my toad. "

"I'm glad, Professor, " said Rose. "Oh, no, " she added quickly, "I'msorry for you, but I'm glad it wasn't a horned toad so close to me. "

The professor raised the net and the lizard scurried away, probablyvery much frightened, and wondering what all the excitement was about. 

"Let's go over this way, " suggested Ned. 

"That looks as if it might be a good place for toads, " and he pointedto where there was a clump of trees. 

"Can you tell where horned toads like to stay?" asked Olivia. 

"No, " replied Ned, in a low voice, "but it's shady over there, andthis sun, beating down on the sand, is very hot. I wanted to get whereit's cool, and, anyhow, there's just as liable to be horned toadsthere as anywhere. If he doesn't find a toad he'll find something elsethat will make him nearly as happy, so it's all the same. "

"Isn't he a queer man, " said Olivia, as they followed along behind Mr. Snodgrass, who was walking ahead, closely scanning the ground. 

"He is, but he's a good friend of ours, " replied Ned. "He is very muchin earnest over his collection of insects and reptiles, and, though heacts queerly at times, he is one of the best men in the world. "

"I'm sure he must be, " agreed Olivia. "I like him very much. I hope hestays a long time, and I hope you boys do also. It's quite lonesomehere, with nothing but Mexicans and Chinese for the main part of thepopulation. "

"We'll stay as long as you let us, " said Ned. 

"We can have fine times, " went on the girl. "We can go boating on thelittle bay, and take trips off into the country. We, ourselves, haven't seen much of it yet, as papa was not feeling well when wefirst came, and we had to stay home and care for him. But he is betternow, and we can go on little excursions. 

Ned's harmless trick to get the party to a shady spot was successful. The professor headed for the little clump of trees looking, the while, for a horned toad, but he saw none of the queer creatures. 

"My, but it's hot!" exclaimed Bob, as he sat down on the ground. 

"Oh, it will be worse than this, some days, " said Rose. "We aregetting used to it. But suppose we go down to the seashore? It's notfar, and there is a very pretty view. "

"Perhaps I can get a horned toad there, " put in the professorhopefully. 

After a short rest in the shade the little party headed for the beach. As they came in sight of it from a small hill, the boys utteredexclamations of delight, for a beautiful expanse of water wasstretched out before them, -- the Pacific ocean sparkling blue in thesun. 

"Oh, for our motor boat!" exclaimed Jerry. "Oh, for the Dartaway!Couldn't we have fine sport in her, out on that bay!"

"Don't speak of it!" said Ned with a groan. 

"What, is the Dartaway lost?" asked Rose. 

"Gone! Busted! Smashed!" exclaimed Bob, and the boys all tried to talkat once, telling of the disaster that had befallen their craft. 

"It's too bad, " declared Olivia. "But never mind. We have a couple ofrowboats, and maybe you can hire a little sailing skiff. "

"It wouldn't be the Dartaway, " answered Bob, with a sigh. "That boathad the nicest little kitchen in it--"

"So, that's all you cared about her for-- the kitchen-- where youcould cook something to eat!" exclaimed Jerry. "Chunky, I'm ashamed ofyou; that's what I am!"

"Well, I-- er-- I--" began Bob. "Oh, come on, " he continued, and ledthe way down to the beach, where there were some bathing pavilions andseveral houses. The professor was walking along behind, in the vainhope of yet discovering a horned toad, perhaps on its way to get a dipin the surf or drink some salt water. 

"I think you'll like some chocolate, " said Nellie, as the boys were infront of a little refreshment booth. "It is made by a Mexican--"

She stopped, for she saw that the boys were not listening to her. Their attention was drawn to a man who was just coming from the placethey were going in. The boys could not help staring at him, for he wasthe man who had acted so strangely in the freight depot at Cresville. 

 CHAPTER XIII

 A QUEER STORY

FOR several seconds the boys and the man stared at one another. Thestranger did not seem to be the least bit embarrassed but, on thecontrary, was smiling in a genial manner. 

"Is he a friend of yours?" asked Nellie, of Jerry. 

"Well, not exactly what you could call a friend, " was the answer. "Wedon't even know his name, " and he spoke in a low voice. "We saw himback in Cresville, just before we started out west, and he was actingin a strange manner. We thought--"

"Excuse me, " suddenly interrupted the strange man, advancing towardthe group of boys and girls, "but haven't I seen you lads before? Yourfaces are very familiar. "

"We saw you in the Cresville freight office, " declared Ned boldly. 

"Exactly! I knew it was somewhere. I remember now. I was thereattending to some goods that had to be shipped in a hurry. I'm gladyou remembered me. To think that I should meet you away out here! It'sa small world, isn't it?" and he smiled, but there was something inhis smile, in his looks and in his manner that the boys did not like. Neither did the girls, for, as Nellie said afterward, he acted asthough he wanted to make friends so you would not be suspicious ofhim. 

"Shake hands, won't you?" asked the man, advancing closer to the boys. "My name is Carson Blowitz, and though it sounds foreign I was born inthis country. I travel around so much I can't give you any particularplace as my residence. "

There was no way without being rude of avoiding shaking hands with theman, and, though there was something in his manner that caused theboys to feel a distrust of him, they were not going to be impolite onmere suspicion. 

They shook hands with Mr. Blowitz, and Jerry introduced himself, hischums, the young ladies and Professor Snodgrass, and told, briefly, the object of their trip. 

"Well isn't that nice, now, " said Mr. Blowitz, when Jerry hadfinished. "The professor comes out here to hunt horned toads, and youlads come to hunt adventures, Mr. Seabury comes out here in search ofhealth and I-- well, I'm out here on a sort of hunt myself. "

"Are you interested in science?" asked Mr. Snodgrass eagerly. "Perhapsyou and I might go off together after horned toads and web-footedlizards. Or, if you care for snakes, or insects, I think I can showyou where there are plenty. "

"No, no, " said Mr. Blowitz, with a laugh, which he tried to make soundhearty by the mere noise of it. "No, I'm on a different sort of asearch. In fact it's quite a queer story-- perhaps you would like tohear it. In fact, I'm hunting for a lost ship. "

"A lost ship!" exclaimed Bob. 

"Well, one that was abandoned just before she sank, and that's aboutthe same thing. It was abandoned quite a way out, but off this part ofthe coast. There is a current setting in towards shore, at this point, I'm told, and I thought I might get some news of her, or find some ofthe wreckage floating in on the beach. That's why you find me here. "

"What ship is it?" asked Ned, interested in spite of the aversion heand the others felt toward Mr. Blowitz. 

"It is a brig, Rockhaven by name. But suppose we go inside'? It israther warm out here in the sun, and I'm not quite used to thisclimate yet. Won't you come in and have some chocolate with me? Theyhave a very nice drink in here, and I--"

"It's my treat, " interrupted Bob. 

"No; if I may be so bold as to insist, you must be my guests thistime, " went on Mr. Blowitz. "It is not often that I see lads away offeast and meet them a little later, in California, so I must have thepleasure of their company for a little while. The young ladies too--I'm very fond of young ladies, " and Mr. Blowitz smiled in a mannerthat Rose characterized later as "ugly, " though just why she thoughtso she couldn't explain. 

There was no way of getting gracefully out of the invitation, and sothe crowd of young people and the professor accompanied Mr. Blowitzinto the refreshment booth. 

They went out into the shaded courtyard, where a fountain of splashingwater at least gave the effect of coolness, if it did not really makeit so. They sat at small tables, and were served with cold chocolateand sweet cakes, by a pretty Mexican girl. Bob wanted to pay for thetreat but Mr. Blowitz would not hear of it. In fact he played the hostin such a genial way, and seemed so anxious to make every one have agood time, that the boys were rather ashamed of their first opinion ofhim. 

Even Rose whispered to Bob that "he was not so bad, when you gotacquainted with him. "

"Now I suppose you would like to hear the story of the abandoning ofthe brig Rockhaven, " said Mr. Blowitz, and the boys nodded. 

"I hope no one was drowned, " exclaimed Olivia. 

"Not as far as we know, " replied Mr. Blowitz. "The whole affair israther mysterious, and I am seeking information about the fate of theship as much as anything else. "

"I would like to ask you one question, " said Professor Snodgrass, whohad been more interested in the antics of a small bug, walking on thetable, than he was in his chocolate. 

"What is it?" inquired Mr. Blowitz. 

"Did you, or any of your men notice whether, just before the shipsank, that all the rats on board deserted it?" asked the scientist. "Ihave often heard that rats will desert a sinking ship, and I wouldlike to know whether it is true. If you made any observations to thateffect I wish you would tell me about them, and I can put them into abook I am writing about rats and mice. "

"I thought you were writing about horned toads, " said Bob. 

"So I am, but this is another book. This will be in seventeen volumes, with colored plates. I want to get all the information I can, aboutrats. "

"I'm sorry that I can't help you, " replied Mr. Blowitz. "In fact Iknow little about the abandoning of the brig, except what I heard. Iwas not aboard, and I don't know whether the rats left it or not. AllI know is that the vessel is lost, and with a fortune aboard. "

"A fortune aboard?" inquired Ned. 

"Yes, worth about a quarter of a million. "

"Is it gold or diamonds?" asked Rose, who was very fond of jewelry andprecious stones. 

"Neither one, my dear young lady, " said Mr. Blowitz, with as happy asmile as he could assume. "It is valuable merchandise. Of course therewas some money, and some valuable papers, but the main part of thecargo was costly merchandise. I'll tell you how it happened. Butfirst, let us have some more chocolate, " and he called to the Mexicangirl waiter. 

When the cups had been filled Mr. Blowitz resumed his story. 

"I am interested in many enterprises, " he said, "and I and some othermen went into a venture to ship some valuable goods to the SantaBarbara islands, which are not far off this coast. I was the principalowner, having bought out my partner, and it looked as if I would makea large sum. 

"The vessel sailed from San Francisco, and as the weather was fine, welooked for a quick trip. I was attending to some of my other businessaffairs, having just arrived on this coast from Boston, when Ireceived a telegram from the captain of the brig, telling me that shehad been abandoned with everything on board. Of course there must havebeen an accident. Probably there was a collision, or fire on board, sothat the brig was in a sinking condition. At any rate the captain, and, I suppose the crew, also, left her. That's why I can't tellwhether they were all saved, though I assume so, as nothing was saidabout any one being lost. 

"The captain, it appears, was picked up By another vessel, and landedat a small coast town. He sent me the telegram from there, and Iforwarded him money to come to San Francisco, to meet me. But, forsome reason, he did not arrive, and so I decided to come down here, and see if I could get any news of the ship and the valuable cargo. Ofcourse, if the ship sank at once that is the end of her, but, if shebroke up, there is a chance of some parts of her, and perhaps some ofthe cargo, being washed ashore. At any rate I would like to get somenews of her, that I might collect the insurance, if nothing else. 

"So that's why I'm here. I arrived yesterday, but, so far, I have beenunable to obtain any news of the brig. I left word for the captain tojoin me here, and he may arrive at any time. I am glad to have metyou, for it will not be so lonesome now. "

"I hope you have good luck, " said Nellie, as she arose to leave theplace. "I think we must be going now, " she added to her sisters. "Papamight worry about us. "

"Give Mr. Seabury my regards, " said Carson Blowitz, "and tell him Ishall do myself the honor of calling on him soon, to pay my respects. As for you young people, I shall see you again, I hope. I am going tohire a boat and cruise about in search of my brig-- if I don't getsome news soon-- and perhaps you might like to go along. "

"Perhaps, " replied Jerry, as he and his chums followed the girls outof the place. 

Mr. Blowitz remained in the courtyard, drinking chocolate, and, as thelittle party was leaving Ned looked back. He saw their recent hostpull a bundle of papers from his pocket, and, spreading them on thetable in front of him, closely scan them. 

"I don't like that man, " declared Nellie, when they were out ofhearing. She was very frank in her statements. 

"Neither do I, " said Jerry, "though he was nice enough to us. "

"He has a strange manner, " commented Olivia. 

"And that was a queer story he told of the abandoning of the brig, "went on Bob. "I wonder if he made it up, or if it's true? It seemsstrange that the captain would leave his ship, and not give a reasonfor it. "

"There's some mystery back of it, I think, " was the opinion of Rose. "The less we have to do with Mr. Carson Blowitz, the better it willbe, I think. "

"Well, we're not likely to see much of him. " said Jerry. But in thisopinion he was mistaken. They were to see and hear much of him, aslater events proved. 

 CHAPTER XIV

 IN A MOTOR BOAT

SEVERAL days after this, during which time the boys had, under theescort of the three girls, visited many places of interest, Rosesuggested they make a trip on the bay. 

"But what can we go in?" asked Bob. "We haven't any boat. "

"We have several rowing skiffs, " said Nellie. "I know they are not asfine as your Dartaway, but you can have a nice time. The fishing isgood, and it is very pleasant on the water. "

"It would be pleasant wherever you girls were, " said Ned, with anattempt at gallantry. 

"Thank you!" exclaimed Nellie, making a low, bow. 

"You're improving, Ned, " remarked Jeer, critically. "In time you'll beable to go out in polite society. "

"Oh, is that so'?" remarked Ned, sarcastically, "Thank you. "

"You're welcome, " retorted Jerry, bowing low. 

"Oh, stow that away for use at some future time, " advised Bob. "Comeon, if we're going out in a boat. "

There was a little wharf, at which the Seaburys kept a couple ofrowboats, and, as six were too many to go into one craft, Nellie andJerry occupied the smaller, while Bob and Ned, Olivia and Rose, gotinto the other. 

"Where shall we go?" asked Ned. 

"Oh, row around anywhere, " replied Jerry. "We'll have to get used tooars, we haven't handled 'em in quite a while. "

The boys soon found that the skill with which they had formerly usedthe ashen blades, before the era of their motor boat, was coming backto them, and they sent the skiffs around the bay at fairly good speed, the two crafts keeping close together. 

"This is something like work, " announced Jerry, as he rested on hisoars, and let the boat drift with the tide, which was running in. 

"That's what it is, " declared Ned. "I wish--"

"Thank you!" exclaimed Olivia. "I'm sure we're very sorry that we havegiven you so much work. We didn't know we were so heavy; did wegirls?"

"No, indeed!" chimed in Rose. "If you will kindly row us back toshore, we'll get out and you boys can go where you please. Work! Theidea!"

"Oh, I say now!" cried Ned, alarmed at the effect of his words. "Ididn't mean-- Jerry didn't mean-- we--"

"Of course not!" added Jerry. "I only said--"

"You said it was hard work to row us around, " declared Nellie inrather icy tones. 

"Well I meant-- you see since we had a motor boat-- that is I-- we--it's rather--"

"Now don't try to get out of it and make it worse, " advised Olivia. "We know what you said, and what you meant. "

"I didn't say anything, " put in Bob, with an air of virtue. 

"Good reason, " declared Jerry. "You're so busy eating that cocoanutcandy that you didn't have time to speak. Besides you're not rowing. "

"Oh, has he got cocoanut candy!" cried Nellie. "Give me some and we'llforgive you for the rude way you and Ned spoke, Jerry. Won't wegirls?"

"Of course, " chorused Olivia and Rose. 

"I-- I didn't know you cared for cocoanut candy, " declared Bob, ratherashamed that he had not, before this, offered the girls some. 

"Oh, don't we though!" exclaimed Nellie. "Just you pass some over andyou'll see, Bob, " for the two boats had drifted close together. 

Bob, who had purchased a big bag full of the confection, before theyhad started for the row, passed it over, and the girls helpedthemselves generously. 

"Take it all, " advised Ned, who, perhaps, felt a little vindictive atBob, because of that youth's lucky escape from displeasing the girlsby unfortunate remarks. 

"No, thank you, we don't want to rob him, " said Olivia. 

At that moment a shrill whistle sounded just behind the rowboats andthe girls turned around to see what it was. Ned and Jerry, from theposition in which they sat to handle the oars had seen a motor boatapproaching, and they had stopped using the blades to watch itsapproach. 

"Oh, that's the Ripper!" exclaimed Rose. "And Charlie Farson is allalone in her. Maybe he'll give us a ride. "

"Who is Charlie Farson?" asked Jerry of Nellie. 

"He's a friend of Rose. He lives in San Francisco, but he is stayingwith his uncle at a bungalow about two miles from where we are. Heowns that motor boat, and it's the biggest and fastest on this part ofthe coast. Sometimes he takes us out with him. I hope he does so now. He's headed right this way. "

"Um, " grunted Jerry, not altogether pleased that a young fellow with amotor boat should come along, and claim the girls who, of course, would naturally prefer a power craft to one propelled by oars. 

Rose waved her handkerchief and, in answer the captain of the Rippersent out three shrill blasts as a salute. 

"Oh, isn't that fine! He's coming over here!" exclaimed Rose. "I'llintroduce you boys to him. "

Neither Ned nor Bob looked very pleased at the prospect of meeting ayouth who might be a rival in entertaining the girls, but there was nohelp for it. 

On came the Ripper, and, as she approached, the motor boys could nothelp admiring her. The craft was powerful and swift, much more so thanthe Dartaway had been. It was considerably larger, too, and had anenclosed cabin. 

"That's a dandy!" exclaimed Jerry in spite of himself. 

"It's a peach!" was Ned's half-spoken comment. 

"All to the mustard!" came Bob's characteristic comment. 

"Want a ride, or a tow?" called Charlie Farson, when he got withinhailing distance, and he slowed down his craft. 

"I guess we'll ride, if you'll tow our boats, " replied Rose, for sheknew the young fellow fairly well. 

"All right, come aboard. "

By this time the Ripper was quite close, and, in another moment it hadcome alongside of the boat containing Rose, Olivia, Ned and Bob. 

"These are some friends of ours from the east, " said Rose, introducingNed and Bob, "There's another one, in that boat with Nellie, " she wenton, telling Jerry's name. 

"I'm sure I'm glad to meet you all, " said Charlie Farson, with suchgood nature, that the boys could feel no resentment toward him. "Comeaboard, and we'll go for a spin. I guess it will be best to anchoryour two boats here and you can pick them up when we come back. We canmake better time then. "

"Oh, your boat always makes good time, " complimented Nellie, as shemade her way to the cabin of the Ripper. "That's the only objection Ihave. You run her so fast that if you ever hit anything it would sinkyour boat before you had time to jump overboard. "

"But I'm not going to hit anything, " declared Charlie. 

He tied the two rowboats together, the other boys helping him, andthen anchored them with a small, spare kedge he carried on his craft. 

"All ready?" he asked, looking to see that his passengers werecomfortably seated. 

"Already, Captain Charlie, " answered Rose. 

"Here we go then, " and Charlie threw in the dutch of the engine, thathad not ceased working, The Ripper fairly flew away, so suddenly that Bob, who was near thestern, nearly toppled overboard. 

"Look out!" cried Charlie. 

"Oh, I'm looking out now, " said Bob. "Say, but she can go!"

"Yes, she has some speed, " modestly admitted Charlie. 

He turned on more gasolene and advanced the spark still further, sothat the boat increased her rate, piling up waves of white foam oneither side. 

They had a fine trip about the bay, the girls and boys thoroughlyenjoying themselves, the latter being particularly interested in theengine part of the craft. The motor boys told the other lad of theDartaway and how the craft had been destroyed. 

"My, but I certainly would like to run this boat, " announced Jerrywith a sigh. "She's a dandy!"

"Maybe you'll get the chance, " said Charlie. 

"The chance? How? What do you mean?" asked Jerry, while his two chumseagerly waited for Charlie's answer. 

 CHAPTER XV

 CAUGHT IN THE FOG

"WELL, " replied Charlie as he sent the Ripper around in a big circle, "you see it's this way. I came down here expecting to stay with myuncle until Spring. I was going to learn how to raise oranges. Ireceived word this morning that I would have to go back to my home inSan Francisco. My father needs me there, because of a change in hisbusiness, and I've got to go. "

"That's too bad!" exclaimed Rose. 

"I guess you are thinking more of his motor boat than you are ofCharlie, " said Nellie, with a laugh at her sister. 

"I was not!" declared Rose, indignantly. 

"Well, I've got to leave my boat here, " went on Charlie. 

"Leave it here!" repeated Olivia. 

"Yes, and I'm looking for some one to take charge of it while I'mgone. "

"Take charge of it!" exclaimed Ned and Bob at once, while a joyouslook came into Jerry's eyes. 

"What I mean, " said Charlie, "is that I would hire it out. I thinkthat would be a better plan than merely to loan it to some one, forthere is a chance that it might be damaged, and would have to berepaired, and, if I got a reasonable rent for it that would cover sucha mishap. "

"Would you hire it to us?" asked Jerry anxiously. 

"I was thinking of that, " answered the owner of the Ripper. "I heardfrom my friend, Rose, " and he looked at the girl, "that you boys hadhad some experience with motor boats. I had rather hire mine out tosome one who knew about machinery, than to persons who would have tolearn. So, if we can make some deal, you may have a chance to run thisboat. I've got to go to San Francisco in about a week. "

"We'll take the boat, " said Jerry quickly, "that is--"

"Oh, you needn't be afraid I'll ask too much money for her, "interposed Charlie. "All I want is enough to pay for any possibledamages, and for reasonable wear and tear. We'll talk it over later. "

"Say, isn't that glorious!" whispered Ned to Bob. "Think of having amotor boat, and cruising on the Pacific! We're getting to be likeSinbad the sailor, making voyages all over. "

"Yes, but maybe he'll want a small fortune for the hire of theRipper, " objected Bob. "We haven't any too much money, for this tripwas rather costly. "

"If we could get damages for the Dartaway, we--"

"Yes, but 'if' is a big word, even though it only has two letters, "replied Bob quickly. "However, we'll do our best to get the Ripperduring our stay here, and we'll take the girls out for some nicerides. "

"That's what we will. "

Charlie speeded his boat about the bay for some time longer, and then;as the girls said they thought they had better go home, he put back, picked up the anchored boats, and the motor boys and their hosts weresoon rowing to shore. 

"Come over any evening, Charlie, " called Rose. 

"Yes, come to-night, " urged Jerry. "We can talk over the boatproposition then. "

"I'll be there, " replied the Ripper's skipper, as he put about andwent whizzing over the blue waters of the bay. 

When the young people entered the gateway they saw Ponto stretched outon the bench in the shade, fast asleep. 

"Wait a minute, " said Rose. "I'll play a trick on him. "

She stole softly up, and, with a long piece of grass tickled the oldcolored servant on the ear. He put up his hand and sat up with astart. 

"I 'clar' t' goodness!" he said, "I were jest waitin' fo' yo', an' Iclose mah eyes, jest fo' one little second, but dis atmosphere am soslumberous dat, 'fore I knows it, I'm sort of noddin'. "

"I guess you were more than nodding, " said Olivia. "But why were youwaiting for us, Ponto?"

"'Deed an' I didn't no mo' dan nod, Miss Olivia, dat's what I didn't. But I'se been waitin' heah a pow'ful long time, an' I jest natcherlydone gone an' fell t' noddin'. "

"But what were you waiting for?" persisted Olivia. 

"Dis letter, " replied the colored man. "Massa Seabury done tole me t'give it t' one ob de young gentlemen what had de motor boat. He say itcome from Cresville, an' it might be important, so I done set heahwaitin', but I done forgot which young gentlemen he tole me t' gib itto. "

"Let me see it, " said Rose, and she looked at the envelope. 

"It's for you, Jerry, " she declared, "and it's from some railroadcompany. It's been sent on here from Cresville. "

"Maybe it's about damages to our boat, " said Bob. 

And so it proved. The letter announced that an investigation had beenmade of the wreck in which the Dartaway was smashed, that the claimdepartment of the Florida Coast Railway Company admitted theirliability, and were prepared to pay damages. They enclosed in theletter a check for the value of the boat, as declared by Jerry at thetime of the shipment. 

"Hurrah!" cried Ned. "That's the stuff!"

"Well, it's the end of the Dartaway, " observed Jerry. "Poor old boat!I suppose we had better accept this sum, and not sue, eh?" and helooked at his chums. 

"Sure, " replied Bob. "If we sued it would take a good while tocollect, and if we got a larger sum we'd have to pay the lawyers. Let's take this money and hire the Ripper. "

"I don't believe you'll need all that, " interposed Rose. "That's quitea sum, and Charlie will surely not ask as much as that for the hire ofhis boat. "

"Well, if he does we'll pay it, " decided Jerry. "I want to cruise onthe Pacific, and this seems to be the only way we can do it. We'llhave a motor boat trip, even of the Dartaway is out of commission. "

Charlie came over to "The Next Day" bungalow that night and in a shorttime he and the motor boys had arrived at a business arrangementregarding the hiring of the Ripper. Charlie only asked a small sum asrental, much less than the amount of damages received, so that thetravelers had plenty left for other purposes. 

"And now the boat is yours, as long as you stay here, " said Charlie, when the final details had been arranged. "I know you will take goodcare of her. "

"Of course we will, " answered Jerry, "and, if you find, after you getto San Francisco, that you have a chance to come back, we'll give herup to you. "

"There's no such good luck as my coming back this season, " saidCharlie. 

Early the next morning he brought the craft to the Seabury dock, whereit was run in the small boathouse. Then, having explained to the boyssome minor details of the engine, which was different and morepowerful than the one they were used to, Charlie took his departure, having had another letter from his father asking him to hurry to SanFrancisco. 

"I hope you will have a good time, " said the Ripper's owner, as hebade the boys and girls good-bye. "Don't get into any dangerousadventures, especially with the girls on board. "

"We'll not, " promised Jerry, but he did not know how soon Charlie'swarning was to be fulfilled. 

"Well, what do you girls say to a ride?" asked Jerry when Charlie hadgone, and they stood looking at the powerful boat. 

"Do you think you boys can run her?" asked Nellie. 

"Run her? Well, I guess we can, " declared Ned. 

"Didn't we tackle the Atlantic in the Dartaway, a smaller boat thanthis?" asked Bob, "and isn't the Atlantic worse than the Pacific?"

"I don't believe it is, a bit, " said Olivia. "Everyone thinks thePacific ocean is very peaceful, because the name indicates that. Butold fishermen here have told me there are terrible storms, which comeup quite unexpectedly, and that at times there are dreadful fogs. "

"Well, we're not afraid, " boasted Bob. "Are we fellows?"

"Oh, I guess we can manage to run the boat, " replied Jerry, who wascritically examining the machinery. "If you girls want to go for aspin, I think I can guarantee to get you safely back. "

"Oh, we're not afraid on a day like this, " replied Nellie. "There's nosign of a storm. Come on girls. "

She and her sisters got in, followed by Ned and Bob. Jerry was alreadyin the small cabin, set aside for the engineer. He was testing variouswheels and levers, seeing that the oil feed cups worked well, andlooking to the sparking system. 

"All ready?" he asked. 

"Let her go, Captain Jerry, " called Bob, as he cast off the lines, andthe Ripper, with her new commander and crew, started off. 

Jerry found he could manage the engine about as well as the one thathad been in the Dartaway. He soon had the motor going almost at fullspeed, and the way the boat cut through the water was a revelation tothe boys. They had never ridden so fast in a motor boat before. Straight out to sea Jerry headed the craft, and the weather was sopleasant, the water so calm, and the sense of swift motion soenthralling, that, before they knew it, they had gone several miles. 

"Oh!" suddenly exclaimed Rose, as she came from the small cabin, andglanced back toward the shore, "I can't see anything. "

"It is a bit hazy, " admitted Ned. 

"Must have blown up a little fog, " spoke Jerry. "I guess we'll putback. It didn't look as it was going to be thick weather when westarted. "

He swung the boat around and headed for what he supposed was theshore. As the boat speeded on the mist became thicker, until theycould scarcely see two hundred feet ahead of them. 

"Better slow down; hadn't you?" suggested Bob. "We might hitsomething. "

"Yes, for goodness, sake, don't have a collision, " begged Nellie. 

"We ought to be pretty near shore, " remarked Jerry. "I'll keep on alittle longer, and we'll come pretty near the dock, I think. "

He tried to peer ahead into the fog, but it slowly settled down inlazy, curling wreaths, that made it as hard to see through as though awhite blanket had been hung in front of him. 

"Hark! What's that'?" asked Olivia, holding up her hand. 

Out of the mist there came the dismal clang of a bell. 

"Dong! Ding! Dong!"

"A vessel!" cried Bob. "Look out, Jerry, or we'll be run down. "

"That isn't a vessel, " said Rose, with a worried look on her face. "That's the bell of the shoal buoy. We are quite a way out to sea!"

"And lost in the fog, " added Nellie. 

 CHAPTER XVI

 ON THE ROCKS

WITH a quick motion Jerry shut off the power, and the Ripper driftedthrough the mist, slowly losing headway. The sound of the bell becamemore distinct, and in a little while something dark loomed up beforethe anxious eyes of the boys and girls. 

"Lookout! She's going to hit!" cried Ned. 

"That's the buoy, " declared Nellie. 

"What's its location?" asked Jerry. "Can't we get our bearings fromit?"

"Well, it's about eight miles off shore, I've heard the fishermensay, " replied Nellie, "and it's about four miles down the coast fromSan Felicity. "

"It doesn't seem as if we came as far as that, " said Bob. 

"This is a very fast boat, " commented Rose. 

"Is the buoy anchored to rocks?" asked Ned. 

"No, it's on a dangerous shoal, " answered Olivia "But there is no harmfrom that source to be feared to this boat, as it doesn't draw muchwater. "

"It ought to be easy enough to start in the right direction for SanFelicity, with this buoy to guide us, " suggested Bob. "Can't you, Jerry. "

"I guess so, if you think it will be safe to travel in the fog. "

"No, don't, " urged Nellie. "I'm afraid we might have a collision. Idon't know much about this bay, and there are dangerous places in it, I've heard the fishermen say. We had better stay here until the foglifts. "

"That's what I think, " agreed Rose and Olivia. 

Bob and Ned, however, were for going on, but Jerry rather sided withthe girls. 

"Well, " he finally said, in answer to the urging of his two chums, "Which way would you say the dock was, Ned?"

"Off there, " and Ned pointed over the port rail. 

"No, you're wrong, " declared Bob. "It's there, " and he indicated theopposite direction. 

"There, you see, " remarked Jerry. "It can't be both ways. The fog hasyou puzzled, just as it has me. We should have looked at the compasswhen we started out. Maybe the girls can advise us. "

But they, too, were equally at loss regarding in what direction SanFelicity lay. 

"We'll have to drift around a bit, " decided Jerry. "It's not verypleasant, but it's better than running any chances. "

In spite of their dismal situation the boys and girls managed toextract a good deal of fun out of their experience. They laughed, joked, told stories and sang songs. 

"Well, well!" exclaimed Jerry, looking at his watch. "Here it is noon, and we're not home for dinner. "

"No, and not likely to be, " added Ned rather gloomily. "I'll admit I'mas bad as Bob this time. I want something to eat. "

"Do you?" asked the stout youth. 

"Sure, Chunky. "

"Then, maybe you'll quit making fun of me, " was Bob's answer, as, fromone of the lockers he drew out a bulky package. 

"What is it?" asked Jerry. 

"Sandwiches and cake. I bought 'em in the little booth where we hadchocolate with Mr. Blowitz the other day. I thought we might behungry, so I got 'em while you were tinkering with the engine. Now, maybe you wish I hadn't. "

"Not a bit of it, Chunky, " declared Jerry heartily. "You're allright!"

"It was very thoughtful to provide for us, " said Rose. 

There was fresh water in a cooler, and the young people made a merrymeal. They ate everything to the last crumbs, and, as Bob said, theycould probably have gotten away with more, for the salt air gave themgood appetites. 

"The fog's lifting!" exclaimed Ned suddenly. "Now we can start forhome. I can just make out the coast. "

True enough, right ahead of them was a low, dark line. 

"Well, if that isn't queer, " remarked Bob. "I would have said theshore was off there, " and he pointed in the opposite direction. 

"I guess we must have turned around when we drifted, " said Jerry. "We're quite a way from the buoy now. "

Once it began to lift, the fog dispersed rapidly, and Jerry soon hadthe engine going, and the boat headed for the shore. He speeded themotor up to as high a pitch as was safe, in unfamiliar waters, andsoon the town of San Felicity came into view. 

"Get near the shore, " advised Ned, "then, if the fog shuts down on usagain, we'll know where we are. "

Jerry decided this was good advice, and steered the Ripper straightin, intending to run up along the coast to San Felicity. It was wellthat he did so, for the lifting of the fog was only temporary. Whenthey were about a quarter of a mile from the shore the white mistclosed in again, worse than before. But Jerry had his sense ofdirection now, and decided it would be safe to continue on at halfspeed, as there did not appear to be any other craft in sight, when hetook a rapid survey of the bay just as the fog settled down. 

Peering through the almost impenetrable white mass of vapor ahead ofhim, Jerry sent the Ripper slowly on her way. 

"You'll have to be careful, " cautioned Rose. "The tide is running out, and there's not much water along here at the ebb. I hope we don't goaground. "

"So do I, " answered Jerry. 

Just then there was a shock, and the boat quivered, hesitated for aninstant, and then resumed her course. 

"We struck bottom that time, " said Ned. "Luckily it seemed to be mud. "

"There are rocks along here, " declared Nellie. "Go slow, Jerry. "

The steersman, who could manage the boat from the engine cockpit, aswell as from the bow, further slowed down the motor, until the Ripperwas barely moving through the water. 

Suddenly there was a grinding sound, the boat heeled over to one side, and came to a stop. 

"The rocks!" cried Rose. "We're on the rocks!"

"Reverse!" yelled Ned, and Jerry did so, as quick as a flash, but itwas too late. 

"We're aground, " he announced grimly. 

"Will we sink?" asked Olivia in alarm. 

"I guess there's no danger of that, " announced Jerry, as he wentforward, "but I hope we haven't stove a hole in her, " he added, peering anxiously over the side. 

"How about it?" asked Ned. 

"Well, it might be worse, " answered Jerry. "We have run right on thecleft of a rock, and we're held there. Can't get off until high tide, I suppose. Say, we seem to be up against it on our first trip. "

"Oh, as long as we're not sinking we're all right, " said Olivia. "Wecan wade ashore. It's not far. "

"Yes, it's quite a way, and I don't want to spoil my shoes, " objectedNellie. "We should have brought our bathing suits. Oh, dear! Isn't itunfortunate? I'm afraid father will be worried about us. "

"One of us will wade or swim ashore, and tell him, " said Ned. "We caneasily do it. "

"Boat ahoy!" suddenly called a voice out of the mist. "Who are you?"

"The Ripper, " answered Jerry. "Who are you?"

A moment later a rowboat appeared from behind the white curtain offog, and the boys and girls saw. That Mr. Carson Blowitz was in thecraft. 

"Well! Well!" he exclaimed. "You're in trouble, aren't you?-- and I'mjust in time to effect a rescue, " and he smiled at the boat load ofboys and girls. 

 CHAPTER XVII

 NEWS OF THE BRIG

"OH!" exclaimed Rose, rather excitedly, "take us off please! Our boatis sinking!"

"No, it isn't, " declared Jerry. "We're all right only we're aground. Can't get off until high tide I suppose. "

"Then perhaps I had better take the young ladies ashore, " proposed Mr. Blowitz. "I have a large boat here, and they will be more comfortablethan sitting there waiting for the tide to rise. Besides, you'll heelover quite a bit, I should judge by the way you're listing now. "

There was no doubt of this, as the Ripper was, even now, far frombeing on an even keel. The boys did not relish having this man, whomthey disliked, take off the girls, but there was no help for it. 

"Say, we ought to go to some kindergarten and learn to run a motorboat, " grumbled Ned in a low voice, as the girls were getting into Mr. Blowitz's craft. "We're peaches, we are!"

"It was my fault, " admitted Jerry, rather embarrassed over theaccident. 

"Not in particular, " remarked Bob. "Any one of us would have done thesame thing. Lucky the boat isn't damaged any, but I hate to be underobligations to him, " and he nodded toward Mr. Blowitz, who was helpingNellie into his boat. "I don't like him, " he went on in a low voice. "There's something queer about him. "

"We oughtn't to feel that way, " said Jerry. "He's doing us a favor. "

"Of course, " admitted Bob. "I know it, and I suppose I shouldn't feelthat way, but I do, and I can't help it. I don't want any favors fromhim. He's the kind, who, if he does something for you, will want youto do twice as much for him in return. "

"Well, I'll be more careful next time I run this motor boat, " saidJerry. "It's too bad. "

"Might be worse, " said Ned as cheerfully as he could. 

"Don't you want to go ashore, boys?" called Mr. Blowitz. 

"I guess we'd better, " murmured Bob. "The water is quite deep exceptfor the place where the Ripper went on the rocks. "

"The motor boat will stay there all right until high tide, " the manwent on. "Better anchor her well, however, it might come on to blow. "

Jerry attended to this, throwing over a strong anchor which wasaboard. Then the three boys joined the others in the rowboat. 

"Can you find your way to shore, through this fog?" asked Rose. 

"Oh, yes, we're not far from the beach, " replied Mr. Blowitz. "I'vebeen out to see an old fisherman, on business, and I was slowly comingback through the fog, when I saw your boat. I didn't know you ownedthat. "

"We don't, " replied Jerry shortly, for he did not want to get toofriendly with Mr. Blowitz, even if that man did show a desire to doso. "We hired it. "

"I thought I'd seen it in the bay before, " went on the man. "It's afine boat. I suppose you could go out quite a way to sea in her. "

"You could, " said Bob. "It's big enough to weather quite a gale, andyou could carry provisions enough for two weeks. "

"It certainly is a fine craft, " went on Mr. Blowitz, as if he wasthinking of something. "A fine craft. "

"Did you ever hear anything more of your brig, the Rockhaven?" askedNellie. 

"Yes, I did, " was the unexpected answer. "In fact that was why I wentout rowing to-day. I had a telegram from the captain of the brig lastnight. It seems she did not sink as at first supposed, but is aderelict, drifting about somewhere off this coast. "

"Has any one seen her?" asked Ned. 

"Yes, the captain of a fishing smack. He was the man I went tointerview to-day. He says as he was cruising along, day beforeyesterday, he sighted what he took to be a small boat. When he gotcloser he saw it was an abandoned brig. From his description I knew itwas the one I was interested in. "

"But if you only got a telegram from the captain of the brig lastnight, telling you it had not sunk, how did you know the fishing smackcaptain had sighted her, and how did you go out to see him to-day?"asked Jerry, for he thought there was something queer in the story Mr. Blowitz told, while the man's manner did not favorably impress him. 

"Oh, that, " and Mr. Blowitz glanced sharply at Jerry, and then resumedhis rowing toward shore. The fog had lifted a bit, and the beach couldbe made out. "Well, that was rather queer, " admitted the man, slowly, as if searching about for a good answer. "You see I didn't know thefishing captain had seen the derelict. When I got the telegram, telling me the brig was still afloat, I thought it might be a goodplan to go about among the fishermen, making inquiries. "

"And you happened to strike the right one?" asked Jerry. 

"I-- that is-- well, I had inquired among several before I met CaptainDeckton of the smack Sea Girl. He saw the derelict. But I'd like tohave a talk with you boys, when you are at liberty, " added Mr. Blowitz, quickly. "I have a proposition to make to you. I think youwill be interested. "

"Please put us ashore first, before you talk business, " begged Olivia. "It is long past noon, and I'm afraid my father will be worried aboutus. "

"We'll land at the dock in ten minutes, " said Mr. Blowitz. "I'll talkto the boys later. "

"I wonder what he wants?" thought Jerry. "Something of a favor, I'llbet. I know his kind. "

"Let me take the oars and relieve you, " proposed Ned, who saw that theman was having rather hard work with the boatload of young people. 

"Thank you, there's another pair in the stern, if you want to trythem, " said Mr. Blowitz, and Ned got them out. They made better timeafter that, and were soon at the dock. 

"We must hurry home, " said Rose. 

"Perhaps you boys had rather talk with me later, " suggested Mr. Blowitz. "There is no special hurry. Some time this afternoon will doas well, and you might like to go home with the young ladies. "

"I guess it would be better, " decided Jerry. "Where shall we see you?"

"If you will call at the refreshment booth here about five o'clockthis evening, I'll be taking my usual afternoon drink of chocolatethere, and I'll be pleased to have you join me. "

"We will be here, " promised Jerry, as, with his chums, he followed thegirls along the dock and toward the bungalow. 

"Why didn't you ask him what he wanted?" inquired Ned, when they werebeyond hearing distance. 

"Because, I want a chance to think some matters over, " replied Jerry. "I believe Mr. Blowitz is up to some game, and I want to see if Ican't discover what it is. "

"It seems a mean thing to say, " added Rose, "but I don't like thatman, in spite of the fact that he has been kind to us. I'm sure weought to appreciate what he did for us to-day, in saving us a wetting, but I can't feel that he is sincere. "

"I, either, " admitted Olivia and Nellie, while the latter added:

"I hope you boys don't go into any business dealings with him. Perhapsyou had better consult with my father, before you do. "

"I guess it would be a good plan, " said Jerry. "I hope Mr. Seaburywill not be angry at us for taking you out and getting fog-bound, aswell as involving you in a shipwreck. "

"Oh, no!" answered Rose with a laugh. "He knows we are all right, forwe have been on the water, more or less, all our lives. He sometimesworries a little, but, when we get home safe, he's so glad to see usthat he never scolds. " Nor did he this time. He inquired about thetrip, and expressed his regrets at the mishap to the Ripper. 

"It will be all right if we don't get a storm before high tide, " hesaid. "I'll inquire of Ponto what the weather signs are. Ponto! I sayPonto! Where are you?"

"Comin' Massa Seabury! I'se comin', " answered a sleepy voice and Pontocame from the garden to the veranda, where Mr. Seabury, his daughtersand the boys were. 

"Do you think we are going to have a storm?"

"Storm? No, sah. No storm to-day. "

"How can you tell?"

"Easy, Massa Seabury. When it's goin' t' storm, I cain't never sleepwell, an' now, I can fall asleep as easy as a baby. "

"I believe you. Well, that's what I wanted to know. He's a very goodweather prophet, " he added in a low voice to the boys. "I guess theboat is safe. Have you seen Professor Snodgrass lately, Ponto?"

"Yais, sah, I done saw him 'bout half an hour ago. He were huntin'around de' lower end ob de garden, after some web-footed grasshoppers, I t'ink he said. "

"Web-footed lizards, " corrected Ned. 

"Yais, sah, dat's what it were. Web-footed lizards an' horned toads. Golly, I hopes he don't cotch none when I'se around!"

The boys told Mr. Seabury of Mr. Blowitz, and their host advised themto be careful about entering into any arrangement with the man. 

"I don't know him, " he said, "but I have heard from different personshere that there is something queer about him. However, he may onlywant some favor that you can easily do. "

Shortly before five o'clock the three boys started to keep theirappointment with Carson Blowitz. Professor Snodgrass had not succeededin finding any horned toads, and announced his intention of making asearch near the bed of a dried-up river that evening, as he had heardthere were some there. The girls were too tired to care for furtherexcursions that afternoon, and they remained on the shady veranda, asthe boys started off. 

"I wonder what Blowitz can want?" mused Ned, as he and his chumsneared the chocolate pavilion. 

"We'll soon know, " said Jerry. 

 CHAPTER XVIII

 WHAT MR. BLOWITZ WANTED

THE boys found Mr. Carson Blowitz in the little courtyard of thepavilion, calmly sipping some cold chocolate. 

"Ah, you are right on time, I see, " he remarked, as pleasantly as hecould. "That's what I like, boys. It shows your American spirit. Bright, hustling lads, all of you. Just the kind I have been lookingfor. "

"Did you want to see us on business?" asked Jerry, for he did not carefor the man's too obvious flattery. 

"Yes, I did, but first let me order some chocolate for you. It is ahot day and you'll feel better after it. I never talk business unlessI am eating, or drinking something like chocolate or lemonade. Itcalms the nerves. "

Jerry was about to refuse, as he wanted to get the interview over withas soon as possible, but he looked at Bob, and that youth showed anevident desire to have some refreshment. 

"Well, we'll take a little, " Jerry said. 

"I thought so. Here!" and he clapped his hands to summon the waitress, who soon returned with some cups of cold chocolate. 

"Now to business, " went on Mr. Blowitz, after a pause. "Did Iunderstand you to say you had hired that large motor boat?"

"We have; for several weeks, " answered Jerry, who, by consent of Nedand Bob, had been elected spokesman. 

"And do you think it could go to sea-- say for a couple of weeks?"

"Yes, I think so. But did you think of hiring her from us? Because ifyou did I don't believe we can consider it, as we have no authority tolet any one but ourselves run it. "

"Oh, no, I was not thinking of running it, " declared Mr. Blowitz. "Iwouldn't know how if I wanted to. But I was thinking I might engagethe motor boat and you with it, as a crew, to go on a cruise for me. "

"A cruise?"

"Yes, out on the Pacific, but not too far from shore, say not morethan twenty miles. "

"What for?" asked Jerry. 

"To search for that derelict-- the brig Rockhaven!"

"The Rockhaven!" exclaimed Ned and Bob together. 

"Yes, as I told you it has a valuable cargo aboard, and, in addition asupply of gold, in money, and some important papers. "

"Do you think we could find her?" asked Ned. 

"I think so, " answered Mr. Blowitz. "I made some particular inquiriesof the captain of the fishing smack, whom I saw to-day, and I got herlongitude and latitude, as near as he could give it to me. Of courseit would be a rather hard search, and might consume considerable time, but I would be willing to pay for that. What I want to know is, if youboys would care to go out in that boat, the Ripper, and search for thederelict? If you find her I will pay you prize money. "

"If we found her, and she was quite a way out to sea, how would we gether in?" asked Jerry. 

"You could tow her, unless there was a bad storm. That motor boat isvery powerful. "

"Then there isn't anyone on board now?" asked Bob. 

"Not a living soul, " answered the man. "It's queer how they came todesert her, but I guess the captain and crew got scared and went offin a hurry, without making a proper investigation. The brig is a smallone, and if she hit on a rock, or was in a collision, it would nottake much to knock her out. 

"Now here is my proposition. You are to take the Ripper, get her ingood shape for the cruise, and start out. The sooner the better. Iwill pay all expenses, such as for provisions and supplies. If youreturn with the brig I will pay you two thousand dollars. If you don'tsucceed in finding her, after say a two weeks' search, you are toreturn, and I will pay you five hundred dollars, and all expenses. What do you say?"

"That sounds good to me, " replied Bob. 

"Suppose we got the vessel, made fast to her, and started to tow herin and had to abandon her because of a storm?" asked Jerry. 

"Well, of course that might happen, though it's not likely, for weseldom have bad storms an this coast this time of year. Still if youcouldn't bring the derelict in, you couldn't that's all. But if youfound her, you could get the papers and gold, and if you had toabandon her, you could go back after the storm was over. I think youboys could do what I want, and, as I say, I'm willing to pay well. I'dgo with you, of course. What do you say?"

Mr. Blowitz seemed quite anxious. In fact he was so anxious that Jerrywas suspicious. 

"I wonder why he doesn't hire some larger boat, or a small steam tugto go for that derelict?" thought Jerry. "He could get men, who areregularly engaged in the business of saving vessels, to go out forthat price. Why should he prefer us, when we have had no experience inthat line, and hardly know him? There is something back of all this, that he is not telling us. I wonder what we had better do?"

"Well?" asked Mr. Blowitz, as none of the boys spoke. Ned and Bob werewaiting for Jerry to reply and the latter was turning it over in hismind, seeking to find a reason for the strange request. 

"When would we have to start?" asked Jerry, at. Last. 

"I'd like you to go to-morrow, or the day after, at the farthest. Itwould not take long to provision the boat for the cruise. "

"Will you put your offer in writing?" asked Jerry. 

"In writing-- why, isn't my word good? Well, of course-- Oh, I see--you think I am a stranger here and might-- Oh, well, I have noobjection to drawing up an agreement. Perhaps that will be the bestway. "

Mr. Blowitz looked a little annoyed that Jerry should have suggestedsuch a thing, but he quickly covered his confusion by speakingrapidly. 

"I'll draw up a paper right away, " he said, taking a fountain pen fromhis pocket. "I'll have the waitress get me some blanks, and you canhave them witnessed before a notary public, if you wish. "

"There's no hurry, " said Jerry. "Suppose you draw up the papers, andwe can meet you here to-morrow to talk things over further. I think weshould take a little time to consider this. It is rather a queerproposition--"

"Oh, of course, I don't want to hurry you into it, " declared Mr. Blowitz, in rather a nervous manner. "Of course I could get some otherboat and a regular crew, but I saw you boys, and I took a liking toyou. I thought you might like to earn some money and, if you have goodluck, it oughtn't to be hard work. "

"Oh, we'd like the money all right enough, " interposed Bob. 

"We'll think it over, " put in Jerry quickly, for he was afraid Ned orBob might say something that would commit them. "We'll meet you hereto-morrow at ten o'clock and you can have the papers with you. "

"All right, " agreed the man, and Jerry thought he seemed disappointedthat the matter was not settled at once. "Don't forget now, " he urgedthem, as they left the pavilion, Mr. Blowitz remaining there to drinkmore chocolate. 

"Why didn't you agree to it, Jerry?" asked Bob, when they wereoutside. "That would be a swell cruise. Just the thing! And think ofgetting two thousand dollars!"

"That's just it, " replied Jerry. "We want time to think it over, and Iguess we had better tell Mr. Seabury. Boys, I believe there issomething wrong back of all this, and we don't want to run intodanger. "

"Danger!" exclaimed Ned. "Do you think there is danger?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to be on the safe side. I don't like Mr. Blowitz, but he may be all right. If we find he is, and Mr. Seaburyadvises it, we'll go on that cruise, and try to find the derelict. Iasked him to make out the papers so we could have a chance to considerit. "

"Well, maybe you're right, " admitted Ned. "But I do hope it's allright. It would be great, to take a voyage on the Pacific in theRipper. "

The boys hurried back to the bungalow, intending to tell Mr. Seaburythe result of their talk with Mr. Blowitz before mentioning it to thegirls. 

"Father has gone out, " said Rose. "He has gone to dine with a friend, and he'll not be back until late to-night. We'll have supper together, and go for a trip on the bay. It's going to be a nice moonlightnight. "

"The very thing!" exclaimed Ned. "But we must see to the Ripper. She'son the rocks yet. "

"That's so, " exclaimed Jerry. "I nearly forgot about her. Bob and Iwill get her and take her to the dock. She must be afloat by now. "

"It's almost supper-time, " said Nellie, "hurry back. "

"Oh-- it's near supper-time, is it?" asked Bob, with a woe-begone lookon his face. "I-- er--"

"Come on, Ned, " called Jerry. "Bob's afraid he'll get left on theeating proposition. You come with me. "

Ned and Jerry rowed out to the motor boat. They found her floated, andriding easily, and, after towing her to the dock, they returned to thehouse. Partaking of a hasty supper the young folks, leaving Ponto andthe servant in the bungalow, went down to the beach, and started for amoonlight ride in the Ripper. 

 CHAPTER XIX

 A CRY FOR HELP

"ISN'T this perfectly delightful, " remarked Nellie, as she reclined onsome cushions in the little cabin. "I just love to be on the water!"

"Well, it's better than being out in the fog, " admitted Jerry, as headjusted the oil feed on the engine, and glanced over the moonlitwaves. 

"There don't seem to be many boats out tonight, " observed Olivia. 

"Maybe the owners are afraid of a storm, " suggested Rose. "Sometimes astorm will follow a fog. I wonder if it's safe for us to go out?"

"We're not going far, and we'll keep near shore, " replied Jerry. "Itdoes act as if it was going to blow a bit, but I guess it will notamount to much. "

There was quite a swell on as they got further out, and the Ripperrolled some, but the boys and girls were too good sailors to mindthat. 

"I wonder if we'll meet Mr. Blowitz again, " came from Nellie, after aperiod of silence. "He's always turning up most unexpectedly. "

"I don't believe we'll see him to-night, " said Ned. "What do you thinkhe wanted of us? Shall I tell 'em, Jerry?"

"Might as well, I'm going to tell Mr. Seabury as soon as I see him. "

Thereupon Ned related the interview with Carson Blowitz, and thelatter's desire to have the boys search for the derelict Rockhaven. 

"I hope you don't go, " spoke Nellie. 

"Why not?" asked Bob. 

"Because-- well, because, " and she laughed a little uneasily. 

"That's just like a girl, " remarked Jerry, good-naturedly. "They don'twant you to do a thing, but they can't tell you why. "

"Well, it's just an uneasy feeling I have toward Mr. Blowitz, that'sall, " went on Nellie. "I can't explain it, but I feel, whenever I amnear him, that he is planning something mean, or that he is up to sometrick. "

"Well, it's just how I feel, " declared Rose, and Olivia admitted thatshe, too, did not trust the man. 

"Well, we haven't decided to go, " said Jerry, "and we're going to havea talk with your father about it. I admit I'd like to make the tripand find the brig, but, as you say, I don't quite trust Blowitz. "

"Oh!" suddenly exclaimed Rose, as a wave, larger than any that hadpreceded it, sent a shower of spray over the boat. "Don't go out anyfarther, Jerry. It's getting quite rough. "

"Yes, I guess it is, " admitted the steersman, as he put the boatabout. "There's quite a swell on. Wouldn't wonder but we'd have astorm by morning, though it's bright enough overhead. I don't believePonto is a good prophet. "

There were only a few clouds in the sky, and the moon was shining downlike a big silver disk, making objects unusually bright, for thesouthern moonlight is wonderful. 

Jerry put the boat over near shore, and steered along the coast, which, at that point was quite rocky, cliffs rising here and there toa considerable height above the water. 

"Look out you don't run her on the rocks again, " cautioned Ned. 

"I'll be careful, " replied Jerry. "Maybe you want to run her a while. I don't want to be the whole show. "

Ned was glad of the chance to take the wheel, and he and Jerry changedplaces. They were proceeding at slow speed, the girls occasionallyhumming the chorus of a song, and the boys joining in when they knewthe air. The beauty of the night, the fine boat, and delight of movingalong with scarcely a sound, had them all under a sort of magic spell, and they felt they could thus go on forever. 

It was when they came opposite a range of low cliffs, close to thewater's edge, that Bob suddenly called out in a low voice:

"Look at the men on the rocks!"

"Where?" asked Jerry. 

"Over there, " and Bob pointed. Ned steered the boat nearer to wheretwo black figures, sharply outlined in the moonlight, could be seen inbold relief on the cliff. 

"They are men, sure enough, " replied Jerry, "but you needn't getexcited over it. "

"I'm not, " went on Bob. "Only one of them is Mr. Blowitz, that's all. "

"Mr. Blowitz?" queried Jerry sharply. 

"Hush! He'll hear you, " cautioned Rose. "Sounds carry very easily overwater. "

"It is Mr. Blowitz, " admitted Jerry. "I wonder what he's doing outhere. "

"Probably getting some more information about the brig Rockhaven, "suggested Ned. "Maybe that's a seaman who has some news of her. "

By this time the motor boat was quite close to the two men, who, however, did not seem to notice the Ripper. There was no questionabout the identity of Mr. Blowitz. The other man was a stranger to theboys and girls. The two were apparently talking earnestly, and, occasionally Mr. Blowitz could be seen to be gesticulating violently. 

"He's mad about something, " declared Ned. 

"It does look so, " agreed Rose. 

All at once the boys saw Blowitz take a step toward the other man, whoretreated, as if afraid. Blowitz raised his hand as though to give ablow. 

"Look out!" cried Ned involuntarily, as if the man could hear him. "You'll go over the cliff!"

With a quick motion he turned the boat, steering toward the foot ofthe rock, above which the men stood. 

At that instant a black cloud came over the moon and the scene wasplunged in darkness. It was just as if it had been blotted out, and amurmur of surprise, at the suddenness of it, came from those in theRipper. 

At the same instant a cry rang out-- a man's cry-- and it seemed to beone for help. 

 CHAPTER XX

 BLOWITZ IS ANGRY

"QUICK!" called Jerry. "Put us over there, Ned!"

"I will! Something has happened. I wonder--"

"Oh, why doesn't the moon come out from behind that cloud, " exclaimedRose, for she and the other girls were nervously afraid. 

"Maybe they have both toppled over the cliff, " suggested Nellie. 

"More likely only one of them did, " said Bob. "I only heard one cry. What's the matter, Ned?"

"Something's gone wrong with the engine. "

"Here, let me have a look, " called Jerry, and he went to the cockpit. 

There was a lantern aboard, and, by the light of it, Jerry saw thatone of the battery wires, leading to a spark plug, had becomeloosened, breaking the circuit, and preventing the gas from explodingin the cylinders. He soon had it fixed and the engine started, sendingthe boat toward shore. 

By this time the moon was out again, flooding the scene with radiance. Eagerly the boys and girls looked toward the spot on the cliffs, wherethe odd scene had taken place. To their surprise they saw Mr. Blowitzstanding there, and they were close enough to note that he was smokinga cigar. 

"Well!" exclaimed Nellie, for that was all she could say, so great washer astonishment. 

"Guess nothing happened after all, " added Ned. "We have had our frightfor nothing. "

"There certainly was another man there, " declared Jerry, "and he'sgone now. "

"And I'm certain I heard a cry for help, " said Bob. 

"We all heard a cry, " admitted Jerry, "but it might have been a callfor a boatman, or something like that. However--"

He did not finish what he was going to say for, at that instant, Blowitz heard the noise of the approaching motor boat. The muffler. Was not working just right, and the usually noiseless engine of theRipper was making quite a fuss. Blowitz was in a listening attitude, standing in bold relief in the moonlight, and, having, apparently, satisfied himself as to where the boat was, he started to descend thecliff. 

"He's coming down, " said Ned. 

"Is that the Ripper?" called Blowitz suddenly. 

"Yes, " replied Jerry, wondering how the man knew. 

"I thought I recognized her engine. Are you coming ashore? If you are, I'd like to speak to you. "

"We're coming, " answered Ned. 

"Don't come too close then, for there are dangerous rocks. Make forthat little point up there, " and the man pointed so that the boyscould see where he meant. "There's deep water right up to the edge. It's a sort of natural dock, but go slow. I'll meet you there, I wantto tell you something. "

"Shall we ask him about the man?" inquired Bob in a low voice. 

"No, don't, " advised Nellie quickly. "It might make trouble. See whathe has to say, and then let's hurry home. I'm afraid of him. "

"What? With we three aboard?" asked Jerry with a little laugh. "We arecomplimented. "

"Oh, I don't mean that, " Nellie hastened to say. "I mean that Mr. Blowitz is a dangerous man. "

She spoke low for she did not want him to hear her, and they werequite near to shore now. 

Ned steered for the little point of land, and found he could send theboat quite close with no danger of hitting the rocks. PresentlyBlowitz, who had momentarily vanished amid the shadows at the foot ofthe cliff, appeared. 

"Good evening, boys, " he said. "I--" he stopped suddenly, "I didn'tknow you had young ladies aboard. "

"Yes, we have been taking a moonlight run, " Jerry explained. "We sawyou up there on the cliff, and--"

"I was there with a friend of mine, " Blowitz spoke quickly. "We weretalking about the derelict brig. I was to meet a sea captain there, but he did not come. My friend had to leave in a hurry, and just thenI heard the noise made by your boat, so I called to you. Did you heara call?"

"We heard some sort of a call, " spoke up Bob, "but we thought itwas--"

"That was me, " interrupted Blowitz, "I recognized the Ripper by thepeculiar sound of the exhaust. I have quite a trick of recognizingboats that way. I was afraid you'd get past, so I called. But I didn'tknow you had the young ladies with you, or I would not have botheredyou. "

"That's all right, " said Jerry. "We were coming ashore anyhow. "

"You were? What for?" and Blowitz looked sharply at the boys. "Oh, Isuppose you saw me and wanted to tell me you would accept my offer--but excuse me, perhaps the young ladies--"

"Oh, we have told them of it, " answered Ned. "You can speak beforethem. "

"All right then. I was going to say perhaps you came in after seeingme, to tell me you had accepted my offer and would search for thederelict. Is that it?"

"Well, we hadn't quite decided, " replied Jerry. 

"What! Not decided!" exclaimed Blowitz. "Why I want you to start atonce-- or-- that is-- to-morrow morning. I have just received newsthat makes it important that the search begin at once. I am dependingon you. You will go at once, won't you? Come, I'll increase my offer, "he said. "I'll pay you two thousand dollars for your time and trouble, stand all expenses, and, if you find the brig, and tow her in, I'llgive you three thousand dollars. That's a fair offer. Now you canstart to-morrow morning, can't you, boys?"

"I don't know, " began Jerry, slowly. 

"Isn't that money enough?" and Blowitz seemed much excited. 

"Oh, yes, the offer is a very good one. But I think we should consultwith some one-- We--"

"No, there is no need of consulting with any one, " interruptedBlowitz. "I have the papers all made out. We can go before anotary-public to-night, for it is not late yet, and sign them, and youcan start by to-morrow noon. What do you say? Will you go?"

It was a hard question to decide. The trip was alluring to the boys, even had there been no prize money connected with it. But there wassomething about Blowitz that made them hesitate. His very eagerness tohave them start, almost at once, made them feel there was somethingqueer back of it all. Still they had undertaken, before this, moredifficult and risky tasks. Why not this one?

"Well, I must have your answer soon, " said Blowitz, approaching nearerto the boat. 

"Will you wait just a moment?" asked Jerry. "My chums and I will go inthe cabin and talk it over. We'll let you know right away. "

"I'll wait five minutes, " said the man. "Time is precious to me. Ihave lots to do. But I know you'll go. I'll raise the offer fivehundred dollars. Now, that's the best I can do. But you must start assoon as possible to-morrow. "

"Come in here, " called Jerry to his chums, entering the small cabin, where the three girls had already gone as they did not wish to seem tolisten to the talk between Blowitz and the boys. 

Jerry closed the sliding doors, and, by the light of a small lanternwhich hung from the cabin ceiling, looked at his companions. Outsidethey could hear Blowitz pacing up and down on the rocky shore. 

"Well, what do you fellows say?" he asked. 

"I'd like the trip, " said Ned, wistfully. 

"The money is a large sum, " added Bob. 

"Then you want to go?" asked Jerry. "I'll do just what ever you do. I'll tell him we'll go. "

"No! Don't!" cried Nellie in a tense whisper. "Jerry-- boys-- don'thave anything to do with this man. He may be all right, but there'ssomething mysterious about him. Why should he want to hire you when, for the same money, or less, he could get a company of fishermen, whoknow these waters well, to make the search? Take a girl's reason, foronce, and don't have anything to do with him!"

She had risen to her feet, her eyes were flashing and her cheeksflushed with the excitement of the moment. The boys looked at her inadmiration. 

"I admit there is something queer in his offering to increase theprize money, " spoke Jerry, after a pause. "He must be very desperate. "

"And why this sudden rush?" inquired Ned. "This afternoon he was in nosuch hurry. Something must have occurred in the meanwhile-- I wonderif it was the man on the cliff--"

"Now don't let's go to guessing at too much, " cautioned Jerry. "Thequestion to be settled now is: Do you want to go on a search for thederelict brig? Yes or no? That's what we've got to settle now. "

There was silence for a moment, broken only by the tick of the clockin the cabin. Involuntarily Nellie glanced at it. The hands pointed tothe hour of nine, and she felt that she and her sisters should behome. Jerry looked at his two companions. 

"I guess we'd better not go, " said Bob slowly. 

"I hate to give it up, but maybe it will be for the best, " added Ned. "I'm suspicious of him. Tell him we'll not go, Jerry. "

"Very well. "

Jerry stepped to the cabin door and slid it back. At the sound Blowitzcame eagerly forward. 

"Well?" he queried. "Are you going? Can you start at once'?"

"We have decided not to go, " replied Jerry, slowly. "I-- that is mychums and I-- do not feel just right about it. It is not our boat, and--"

He hesitated, for he did not want to give the main reasons that hadinfluenced him and his chums. But Blowitz did not give him a chance tocontinue. 

"Not go!" the man fairly cried. "Why I'm surprised at you! You led meto believe, all along, that you would go. Here I've gone and wasted alot of time on you, gone to a lot of trouble, made all myarrangements, expecting you would go, and--"

"We never gave you any reason to think we would go, " declared Jerryvery positively. "You are wrong, there, Mr. Blowitz. We only said wewould consider it. We have done so, and have concluded not to go. I amsorry--"

"Sorry? You'll be sorrier than this before I'm through with you!"threatened the man. "You'll wish you had gone before very long, let metell you. You've spoiled all my plans. I depended-- Oh! I'll get evenwith you for this!" and the man, in a fury threw his cigar down on therocks, whence it bounded up amid a shower of sparks. "You'll regretthis!" he cried in angry tones, as he turned away and started off upthe cliff, muttering to himself. 

"You've made him mad, " said Bob. 

"Can't help it, " replied Jerry. "I'm glad we are not going to haveanything to do with him. I believe he is a dangerous person. Certainlyhe had no right to talk about us as he did. "

"Oh, I'm so glad you're not going!" exclaimed Nellie, as she and hersisters came out of the cabin. "I was afraid you would give in when hegot so angry. But let's get away from here. Somehow, I don't like thisplace. Besides we should have been home some time ago. Papa may havereturned, and we always try to be in before ten o'clock. We'll hardlyget home by that time now. "

"Yes, we will, " said Ned. "I'll send the Ripper along at a good clip. "

He started the engine, and, as the boat swung out from beside the rockdock, the form of Blowitz could be seen going up the cliff in themoonlight. In less than an hour the boat was at San Felicity and thegirls were put ashore. They found Ponto down at the dock to meet them. 

"Massa Seabury done got worried after he got home, " said the coloredman, "an' he sent me to see if yo' was heah. "

"Ponto, " asked Jerry, "do you think you can take the young ladiessafely home, without falling asleep?"

"Suttinly I can, " Massa Jerry. "Fall asleep! I gess I doan't fallasleep at night. I'se only sleepy when de sun shines, I is. "

"Then I guess you'll do all right. See that they get home safe. "

"Why, aren't you boys coming too?" asked Nellie, in some surprise. 

"Not now, " replied Jerry. 

"Why not?"

"I think we'll go back to the foot of the cliffs and see if we can'tfind the man to whom Blowitz was talking. I don't like the way heacted, for that certainly was a cry for help, and there may have beenfoul play!"

 CHAPTER XXI

 THE MAN ON THE ROCKS

JERRY'S announcement was news to his chums, for he had given them nohint of his intentions as the Ripper was nearing the boathouse. 

"Do you mean you are going to hunt for that man on the rocks?" askedNed. 

"Yes, I think he fell; or was pushed over by Blowitz. There was nomistaking that call for help. Blowitz says it was he who called to us, but I know better. That was a cry of fear. "

"Oh, don't get into any danger, " cautioned Nellie. "Maybe you hadbetter take Ponto with you. We're not afraid to go home alone. It'snice and bright, and there is no danger. "

"Deed an' there be, Miss Nellie, " interrupted Ponto, who did notrelish going off on a strange hunt with the boys. "Some ob dem hornedtoads might git after yo', an' if Ponto wasn't along dey'd bite you. Ishorely am gwine home wid yo'. Massa Seabury, he done 'speciallystipulate it, an--"

"Yes, I guess Ponto had better go with you, " said Jerry. "We can dobetter alone. It won't be the first time we've had a midnight hunt, though never before one just like this. We'll come back as soon as wecan, and tell you all about it. We can make quick time in the boat. "

"And, if you find the man?" asked Rose. 

"If we do, and he needs help, we'll see that he gets it; I think if wedo find him we'll learn more about Mr. Carson Blowitz than we knownow. "

"Shall I tell my father?" asked Nellie, as the boys were preparing tomake the return trip. The dock was deserted, save for the young peopleand Ponto, but in the chocolate refreshment place, and other booths onshore there was plenty of life. 

"I think it would be a good plan, " agreed Jerry. "You know the wholestory, about the brig and the offer Blowitz made. Tell Mr. Seaburythat we would have consulted him before, only he was out when we gotback this afternoon. Now, Ponto, lookout that no horned toads orweb-footed lizards get the young ladies, and, above all, don't liedown alongside the road and take a nap. "

"Hu! Guess I ain't gwine t' sleep when I's 'scortin my massa'sdaughters home, " declared the colored man, rather indignant that sucha slur should be cast on him. 

"Don't worry, " called Jerry, as the girls walked along the dock toshore. "We'll be back as soon as we can. "

"Do you really think we'll find anything?" asked Ned of Jerry whenthey were some distance out, and speeding along toward where they hadseen Blowitz and the other man on the cliff. 

"I don't know, " Jerry frankly admitted. "It looks suspicious, and theway Blowitz acted made it more so. Maybe the shadows deceived us, andthe man did not fall, for the cloud over the moon made things black. But it will do no harm to take a look, and then we'll be satisfied. "

"If we find him, what will we do with him?" asked Bob, who had a habitof looking ahead. 

"Let's find him first, " said Jerry. "Maybe it is some man who worksfor Blowitz, and who would not do just as his boss wanted him to. Blowitz can get angry very easily, as was proved by his actions whenwe refused to make that trip. Maybe he hit the man in a fit ofpassion, and the man cried out in surprise, and ran away. "

The sky was more cloudy now, and the moon was oftener obscured bymasses of dark vapor. Still, there was light enough for the boys tomake out landmarks, and distinguish objects when they came near thelow cliff, on which they had seen Blowitz and the other man. 

"There's the place, " called Ned suddenly, from his position near thewheel. 

"That's right, " admitted Jerry. "Better put us in near that rock wherewe talked to Blowitz. We can fasten the boat there and go ashore. There's no swell in here. "

In a short time the three boys were on the rocky shore. Jerry carrieda lantern and Ned had a coil of rope, as he thought if the man hadfallen over a cliff, and was unable to help himself, they might need aline to hoist him up. 

"Go easy now, " cautioned Jerry, as they moved forward. "We don't wantto send out notice that we have arrived. Blowitz may still be sneakingaround. "

As cautiously as possible they advanced. They found there was a roughpath leading from the beach up the cliff, on top of which the two menhad stood. With Jerry, holding the lantern to guide them, Ned and Bobfollowed. They paused now and then to listen, but the only sound theyheard was caused by the waves of the Pacific breaking on the rockyshore, the rattle of the pebbles on the beach, and the soft swish ofthe seaweed. 

"It was right over there that he seemed to fall, " said Ned, pointingto indicate where he meant. 

"That's where I made it out to be, " agreed Jerry. 

It was not easy walking, as the rocks were slippery, and some of themwere thick with weeds, for, at very high water, they, were covered bythe ocean. Several times Bob slipped and nearly fell. 

"Look out, " cautioned Jerry. "We don't want two wounded persons tolook after. "

They paused a moment to get their breath, after a stiff bit ofclimbing, and, as they stood there in the silence of the night, withthe moon fitfully showing through the clouds, they suddenly heard agroan. 

"What's that?" whispered Ned, tensely. 

"It must be the man we're looking for, " replied Jerry. "He's hurt. Where did the sound come from?"

Ned pointed to a dark spot at the foot of the cliff. The three boyshastened toward it, Jerry flashing his lantern. 

When they got to the place they saw, lying huddled up on a bed ofseaweed, the form of a man. 

As the light flashed on him they noticed that there was blood on hispale face, and one arm was doubled up under him in a strange manner. 

"He's dead!" whispered Bob softly, "No; he's breathing, " answered Jerry, as he bent over the man on therocks. "Get me some water in your cap, Ned. I'll try to bring him to. "

 CHAPTER XXII

 DE VERE'S STORY

NED ran down to the shore, slipping and stumbling over the rocks, andonce falling and bruising himself considerably. But he did not mindthis. He wanted to get the water, for it might save the man's life. Itlooked as if some crime had been attempted, and evidence pointed toBlowitz. 

Making as quick progress on the return trip as the carrying of a capfull of sea water would permit, Ned held it so Jerry could sprinklesome drops on the man's face. He stirred and seemed to be murmuringsomething. 

"We ought to have some fresh water for him to drink, " said Bob. "I'llget some from the cooler on the boat. "

Off he hurried, returning presently with a pitcherful of fresh waterand a glass, and with this the man was given a drink, when Jerry heldup his head. 

The water seemed the very thing needed for the sufferer, as they couldsee by the light of the lantern, opened his eyes, and gazedwonderingly about him. 

"What-- where am I?" he asked, in a hoarse whisper. 

"You're at the foot of the rocks-- on the cliff near the ocean, " saidJerry. "You had a fall. Are you badly hurt?"

The man groaned in reply. Then an angry, light shone in his eyes. 

"No! I didn't fall!" he exclaimed. "I was shoved over the cliff. Hewanted to get me out of the way so he could claim everything! He's avillain!"

"Who?" asked Ned quickly. 

"Who? Who else but Carson Blowitz! I suppose he thinks I am dead, andhe can have all that is on the ship! But I'll--"

The man stopped suddenly, and a spasm of pain passed over his face. 

"What is it?" asked Jerry. 

"My arm-- Oh, I'm afraid it is broken!"

The boys remembered how the left arm of the man was doubled up underhim in a peculiar manner. He had doubtless fallen on it. 

"Wait a minute and we'll lift you up so that you will rest morecomfortably, " said Jerry, and, with the aid of his chums he made fromtheir coats and some seaweed a rude sort of bed for the man. 

There was no doubt that the stranger's left arm was broken. It hunglimply down, and the least motion of it produced terrible pain. Fortunately the man did not again lose his senses, and he directed theboys how to bandage the arm close to his side, with theirhandkerchiefs tied together, so that the injured member would notswing about, and further splinter the broken bones. 

"Do you think you can walk down to our boat?" asked Jerry. "We cantake you to a doctor, for I think you need one. "

"Need one? I should say I did, " replied the man. "It is a wonder I wasnot killed by that fall. I'm afraid my ankle is sprained, but, after Irest a bit, and get over this dizzy feeling, I'll try to walk to theboat. It's lucky you boys happened to come along, just when you did. "

"We didn't 'happen' to come along, " said Jerry. "We were looking foryou. "

"Looking for me'?"

"Yes, we saw you and Blowitz talking on the cliffs in the moonlight, and then we saw you disappear. We thought it was queer at the time, "and Jerry related the subsequent events. 

"I'm glad you witnessed that, " said the man, when Jerry had finished. "This will be additional evidence against that scoundrel who intendsto rob me, and who tried to get me out of his way. However my time ofreckoning will come. But would you mind telling me your names?"

Jerry introduced himself and his companions, briefly, telling thereasons for their presence in California. 

"My name is De Vere, " said the man. "Maurice De Vere. I was inpartnership with Blowitz, in several ventures, including the one inwhich a brig named the Rockhaven is concerned. "

"Are you interested in that?" asked Jerry eagerly. "Why that is thederelict Blowitz wanted us to go in search of in the motor boat. "

"He did? Now I understand why he wanted to get me out of the way!"cried Maurice De Vere, quickly. "He was afraid I would meet you boys. "

"Yes, and that's why he was in such a hurry for us to start, " addedNed, and they told of their dealings with Blowitz, and his anger attheir refusal to take part in his schemes. 

"I can't be thankful enough to you boys, " said the wounded man. "Idon't know what would have become of me if you hadn't happened to haveseen Blowitz push me from the cliff. I-- I wish--"

Mr. De Vere seemed overcome by a sudden weakness, and fell back on thepile of coats and seaweed. 

"We had better get him to a doctor, " said Ned. "He may be more injuredthan we suppose. "

"I-- I'll be all right in a little while-- that is all but my arm, "said the injured man faintly. "It was just a little weakness. If youwill give me some more water--"

They gave him some and he seemed to feel better after that. Then hetried to rise, but he had to fall back again. 

"My ankle-- I think it's sprained, " he said. 

"Then let us carry you to the boat, " suggested Jerry. 

"I'm afraid you can't. "

"Well, we can try. "

They did, but it was hard work. By dint of carefully picking theirsteps over the rocks, however, the three boys finally managed to getMr. De Vere into the cabin of the Ripper, where they made himcomfortable on the cushions. 

"Now speed her up for the doctor's, " said Jerry to Ned, who had takencharge of the engine. "That is if you know where to find one. "

"There is a physician whom I know, not far from the main wharf at SanFelicity, " said Maurice De Vere. "If you run the boat there I can getinto a carriage and drive right to his house. Then after he has set myarm, I should like to tell you my story. That is, if you care tolisten. "

"We certainly do, " said Jerry. "We will be very glad to help you inany way that we can. "

"Will you?" asked the man eagerly. "Then, perhaps, I can get ahead ofBlowitz after all. "

Quick time was made to the dock, and, though it was quite late, theboys found several public hackmen on hand. Mr. De Vere was put in oneof the vehicles and driven to the doctor's office, whither, after theyhad secured their boat, the boys followed. 

It took a little time to set the broken arm, and, after somerestoratives had been administered, and the sprained ankle, bandaged(though that hurt was not as severe as at first supposed) Mr. De Verereceived the boys in his room, which his friend, the physician hadprovided. 

"I do not want to detain you boys too long, " he said, "and it is notnecessary to go into all the details of my story now. I will tell youa little of it, and then I have a request to make of you. I have beenmaking plans while the doctor was working over me. It helped me toforget the pain. "

"We'll do anything we can for you, " promised Jerry, and the other boysnodded in assent. 

"Well, Blowitz and I have been associated in many enterprises, " saidMr. De Vere, "but, of late, I have had my suspicions of him. I beganto fear he was trying to get the best of me, so that he would controlall the interests. Now I am sure of it. 

"We went equal shares in loading the brig Rockhaven with valuablemerchandise, for trade among the Santa Barbara Islands. There wasalso, aboard the brig, some valuable papers, and a considerable sum ingold, that was to go to a client of ours. After the ship was loaded Ilearned that Blowitz sent some mysterious boxes aboard. They came fromBoston, I understand. I--"

"Those are the boxes we saw in Cresville!" exclaimed Bob. 

"What's that?" asked Mr. De Vere, and the boys explained the curiousactions of Blowitz in connection with the boxes. 

"Very likely they were the same, " said Mr. De Vere. "What theycontained I do not know, but I--"

"Excuse me for interrupting you, " said Jerry, "but I think at leastone of the boxes contained something poisonous, " and he related howthe dog, in the Cresville freight station, had been affected bysmelling at the broken package. 

"That's it!" suddenly exclaimed Mr. De Vere, after a moment's thought. "I see it all now. I can understand his actions. But I will explainlater, for I want to be very sure of my facts. At any rate, not toburden you with too many details, after the brig had sailed, Blowitzwanted to purchase my interest in her. As he offered me a large sum Iconsented, and I transferred all my rights to him. 

"As soon as I had done so he left town, and then I learned that he hadcheated me, for he had pretended to give me certain property for myshare in the ship, and this property he gave me was utterly worthless. I then considered the deal off, and I knew that I still had a right tomy half of the ship and the cargo. But, more than this, I also learnedthat Blowitz had cheated me in another way, by taking property andmoney that belonged to me. I consulted my lawyers, and they told me Ihad a right to the entire ship Rockhaven and all that it contained. Iam the sole owner, and Blowitz has no right to the brig nor anythingon it. It is all mine, though he is trying to get it. 

"This all happened before the brig was abandoned and became aderelict, but I can't understand how that happened, as she was a verystout vessel, though small. There has been no collision, as far as Ican learn. It is all something of a mystery, but I am going to solveit. As soon as I learned what a scoundrel Blowitz was, and of thewrecking of the brig, or, at least, the reported wrecking of it, Icame here for further news. 

"When I met Blowitz I accused him of cheating me, and I claimed thebrig, when she should be found. He wanted to argue with me, and talkedof seeing lawyers, but I knew I was right. Then he asked me to meethim on the clips to-night, to talk matters over. He said we might getsome news of the ship from the captain of a fishing smack. 

"Rather foolishly I consented to meet him, and talk the thing over. Wequarreled, and he attacked me, with what result you saw. He pushed meover the cliff, and fled, leaving me, I suppose he thought, for dead. 

"Now what I am going to ask of you boys is this: Will you go with mein your motor boat and search for the brig? Wait; do not give me ananswer now. I think I can prove to you that I have a right to theabandoned ship, and I will pay you well for your time and trouble. Better than Blowitz offered to. But do not decide in a hurry. I mustget in a little better shape myself, and then I have some arrangementsto make. But I hope you will decide to go. Of course, if you don'tcare to, I can hire some one else, but I would rather have you boys. Now you can go home and think it over, and let me know at yourleisure. "

The boys did not know what to say. Events had happened so rapidly thatthey did not exactly understand all of them. They realized, however, that they had another chance to go on a cruise on the Pacific, in theRipper, and they felt that they ought to take advantage of it, and aidMr. De Vere. 

"I think I shall have to break up this little party, " said thephysician, coming in just then. "I can't have my patient getting afever. You boys will excuse me, I know, if I ask you to let him getsome rest now. "

"That's all right, " spoke Jerry. "We'll see you to-morrow, Mr. DeVere. "

"Very well, " was the answer, and the boys left the injured man to thecare of the doctor. 

"Well, what do you think of that?" asked Ned, as he and his chums wereon their way to the Seabury bungalow. "Isn't it simply great?"

"Great? It's immense!" exclaimed Bob. "We're going, aren't we, Jerry?"

"If you fellows say so, and outvote me, I suppose you are. "

"But you want to go, don't you, Jerry?"

"I didn't say I did not. I think we have a different man to deal with, in this Mr. De Vere, than we had in Blowitz. I think we shall goderelict hunting, boys. "

"And maybe we'll not have sport!" exclaimed Ned. 

They were soon within sight of the bungalow. The storm clouds hadcontinued to gather, and the moon only shone at brief intervals. Thewind was blowing considerable, and there was every evidence that itwould rain before morning. 

"Guess we got in just in time, " said Ned, as they entered the gateway. As he spoke Ned came to a sudden stop. He was looking at a dark figurewhich seemed to be stealing up to the bungalow. 

It appeared to be that of a man, advancing so as to make no noise, andattract no attention. The fitful gleams of moonlight showed him to bestooping over, and, now and then, glints of light about him, indicatedthat he carried a dark lantern, which he flashed at intervals toenable him to see his way. 

"Look!" whispered Ned, grasping Jerry's arm. 

"I see, " was the low answer. 

"It's a burglar, " spoke Bob. "Let's creep up on him, and make acapture!"

 CHAPTER XXIII

 OFF ON A CRUISE

CAUTIOUSLY the boys advanced. They did not stop to think what theywere going to do, nor how they would capture the man, who, if he hadevil designs, was probably armed and desperate. With the sole desireof protecting from loss their friends in the bungalow, they determinedto prevent the man from breaking into the place. That this seemed hisintention was almost certain to the boys, for they saw him approachone of the low windows, stop under it, and flash his light severaltimes. 

"Now's our chance!" whispered Ned. "Let's creep up and jump on hisback. Then yell like mad and Ponto, and some of the servants will comeand help us. "

With light footsteps, hardly making a sound that was not covered bythe noise of the wind in the trees, the boys advanced until they werewithin a few feet of the man. He did not suspect their presence. Thethree chums were trembling with nervousness and excitement. 

Suddenly the man flashed a bright beam of light on the ground, andmade a quick motion. 

"Now!" whispered Ned. "Jump boys!" for it looked as if the intruderwas about to open a window, and spring inside. 

The chums leaped together, and fairly bore the man to the earth. Downthey came upon him, as if they were stopping a halfback, with afootball, running around right end on the second down. 

"We've got him!" yelled Bob. 

"Help! Help!" shouted Ned. 

"Murder! Thieves! Robbers! Fire! Police! Help!"

These were cries coming from the man who was struggling to get rid ofthe crushing weight of three healthy, sturdy boys. 

"He's trying to get away!" called Jerry: "Hold him, fellows!"

"Let me go! Help! Help! I haven't any money!" pleaded the manunderneath!" Fire! Police! Help!"

"What is it?" cried Mr. Seabury, opening a window just over where thestruggle was going on, and thrusting his head out. "What's thematter?"

"We've caught a burglar!" cried Bob. 

"A burglar? Hold him until I get my revolver! Ponto! Where are you?There's a burglar below! Hurry up and help the boys! Where is thatblack rascal? I'll bet he's gone to sleep again!"

"Comin'! I'se comin' Massa Seabury, " answered Ponto's voice from thefar distance. "I were jest takin' a nap--"

"Do you take me for a burglar?" suddenly asked the wriggling man, ashe succeeded in getting his head from under Bob's stomach where it hadpractically been out of sight. "Did you think I was trying to rob thehouse?"

"Of course; aren't you--" began Jerry, when a light flashing from oneof the windows, as Ponto approached, shone full on the prostrate man'sface. Upon the startled view of the boys there burst the vision of thepeaceful, though sadly surprised, face of Professor Snodgrass. 

"Pro-fes-sor Snodgrass!" exclaimed Ned weakly. 

"Pro-fes-sor, " stammered Bob, rolling over in his astonishment. 

"Well, if we--" began Jerry but he could not finish. 

He let go his hold of the scientist's arm, and Ned at the same timeloosened his grip on the supposed burglar's leg. The professor arose, smoothed out his rumpled clothing, and remarked in a sad tone:

"I suppose it's got away, now. "

"What?" asked Ned. 

"The horned toad. I was chasing one through the garden by the light ofmy portable electric lantern. I cornered him under the window, and Iwas just casting the net over him when you jumped on me. The toad gotaway. It's too bad, but of course you didn't know it. I must continuemy hunt, for at last I am really on the track. "

"Whar am dat bug'lar man?" suddenly demanded Ponto, opening the sidedoor a crack, and thrusting a gun out. "Whar am he? Jest hold him upagin this yeah shootin' iron, young gem'mens, an' Ponto'll make himwish he done gone stayed home? Whar am he?"

"Lookout for that gun, " cautioned Ned. "It might be loaded. There's noburglar, Ponto. It's all a mistake. It was Professor Snodgrass, hunting for horned toads. "

"Yes, " added the scientist. "I heard they were always out just beforea storm, and so I went after them. I saw a fine specimen, but he gotaway. However I shall catch him. "

"No bug'lar, eh?" mused Ponto, in disappointed tones. "Golly, itshorely am lucky fo' him dat dere ain't. I shorely would hab pluggedhim full ob holes, dat's a fact!"

By this time Mr. Seabury had dressed and come down, and the girls werecalling in anxious voices to know what all the excitement was about. Matters were soon explained, and the awakened household prepared toreturn to its normal state. That is all but the professor; he decidedto continue his toad hunt, and, probably would have done so, but forthe fact that it began to rain just then, and there was such adown-pour that it was out of the question to search in the garden. 

"Anyway, " the scientist consoled himself, "I don't believe the toadswould be out in the rain. I shall probably find one to-morrow, " and, with that comforting reflection he went to sleep. 

Though it was rather late Mr. Seabury insisted on hearing from theboys the rest of the adventure, part of which his daughters had toldhim. He was much surprised at the disclosure of Blowitz's acts, andcongratulated the boys that they had had nothing to do with him. 

"Do you think it would be safe to go with Mr. De Vere?" asked Ned. 

"I think so, " replied Mr. Seabury. "Of course you want to make aninvestigation, but, if you find him all right, I see no reason why youshould not go off on a cruise after the derelict. "

"Oh, I wish we could go, " spoke Rose wistfully, but she knew it wasout of the question. 

Mr. De Vere was much better the next day. The swelling in his anklehad gone down, and he could walk around, though he had to carry hisarm in a sling. He sent for his lawyer, who soon proved that what theinjured man had said was true. The boys consulted further with Mr. Seabury during the next two days, and made up their minds to go on thecruise. 

"Now, when can you start?" asked Mr. De Vere, after this point hadbeen settled. "Or, rather, when can we start, for I intend to go withyou, though I can't do much with this broken arm

"We can go whenever you are ready, " replied Jerry. 

"Then I'll give orders to have the Ripper provisioned, for I am goingto pay all expenses. By the time we get ready I think this storm willhave blown over, " for the wind and rain had continued for three days. 

Under Maurice De Vere's directions preparations for the cruise weresoon completed. On the fourth day the storm blew away and there wasthe promise of settled weather, though some old sailors, down at thedock, said there were liable to be high winds for some time yet. 

The Ripper was overhauled, a plentiful cargo of provisions andsupplies had been stowed aboard, and, having bid good-bye to theirfriends, the Seaburys, the boys were ready for their cruise. 

"When will you come back?" asked Rose, as she and her sisters wentdown to the dock to see the party off. 

"When we find the derelict, " answered Jerry. 

"Good luck!" said Nellie. 

"Don't let a sea serpent catch you, " cautioned Olivia, as she wavedher hand. 

Jerry threw on the switch, Ned turned the fly wheel over, there was athrobbing of the cylinders, and the Ripper was off on her long cruiseafter the derelict brig. 

 CHAPTER XXIV

 HUNTING THE DERELICT

"WELL, now that we're under way, " said Jerry, who had assumed chargeof the engine, "in which direction do you propose going, Mr. De Vere?We are under your orders you know. "

"There are to be no special orders given on this cruise, " was theanswer. "I regard you boys as my partners in this enterprise. We willall do our best to find the brig, and if any of you have anysuggestions, I hope you will not hesitate to offer them. To be frankwith you I do not know where to look for the Rockhaven. She issomewhere in this vicinity, floating around, but at the mercy of wind, wave and cross currents. All we can do is to cruise about, hoping toget a sight of her. "

"I thought when you searched for anything on the ocean you had to havethe longitude and latitude, " said Rob. 

"So you do usually, " replied Mr. De Vere, but, in this case it isimpossible to get those figures. If it were it would be an easy matterto pick up the brig. But, in the case of a derelict, that is floatingabout, going in no particular direction, and making only such speed asthe wind or the currents give it, there is no telling where it willdrift to. It might be at one spot at night, and many miles off thenext morning. "

"We are prepared for a long cruise, " spoke Ned, "and it doesn't matterwhich way we go. How would it do to go about in big circles, taking anew one every day?"

"That's a good plan, " said the owner of the Rockhaven. "We might tryit, at any rate. "

So this was done. With chart and compass Mr. De Vere, who understoodthe science of navigation, worked out a plan of traveling about in bigsweeps, that took in a goodly portion of that part of the Pacific. They had some strong marine glasses aboard and, with these, they wouldtake an observation, every now and then, to see if there was any sightof the brig. As they did not expect to come upon her close to theharbor of San Felicity, this work was not undertaken until theafternoon of the first day. 

In the meanwhile the Ripper's cabin had been put in ship-shape, bunkswere arranged for sleeping and, at his request Bob was put in chargeof the galley, to prepare the meals and be cook. 

"And mind, " cautioned Jerry, "don't eat all the things yourself. Giveus a chance, once in a while. "

"Of course; what do you think I am?" asked Bob indignantly. 

"I don't think-- I know, " replied Jerry with a laugh. 

Mr. De Vere could not do much to help the boys as, with his broken armin a sling, he had to be careful how he moved about so that he wouldnot be tossed against the side of the boat and injured. The Ripper wasa large boat, for one of the motor class, but, when it got outside theharbor, and felt the full force of the Pacific swell, it was not aseasy riding as the boys had imagined. At first they were a littleinclined to be seasick, as it was some time since they had been onsuch a big stretch of water, but, after a while, they got used to it. 

The approach of night found them many miles from the harbor, but theyhad had no sight of the derelict, nor, did they expect to. If thedeserted brig was anywhere in the vicinity, it must be pretty well outto sea, Mr. De Vere told them. So when it got dark, and lights wereset aglow in the cozy cabin, it was with light hearts that the boysand their friends gathered around the supper table, Bob had prepared agood meal, and they enjoyed it very much. 

They took turns at the night watches, the boat continuing to steam onahead, and the person on the lookout taking occasional observations ofthe dark horizon through powerful night glasses. 

Morning found them upon a waste of waters, out of sight of land, andwith not a sail in view. 

"Say, but it's lonesome, " remarked Bob when he went to the galley toget breakfast. "What a big place the ocean is. "

"I suppose you expected to find a lot of excursion boats out here, "remarked Jerry. 

"I did not!" exclaimed Bob. "But I thought we might see a ship ortwo. "

For two days they cruised about, moving in great circles and keeping asharp watch for any sight of the derelict. Several times one of theboys, after peering through the glasses, would call that they hadsighted her, and the motor boat would be rushed in that direction. But, each time, it only resulted in disappointment for what they sawturned out to be only a bit of wreckage, a big dead fish, or somefloating box or barrel, thrown overboard from some ship. 

"It looks as if our search was going to be longer than I at firstthought, " said Mr. De Vere on the fifth day. "It is a good thing weare well provisioned and have plenty of gasolene. "

"Yes, we could stay out for three weeks if necessary, " replied Jerry. 

"I hope we don't have to, " went on the owner of the brig. "A weekought to bring us within sight of her, if she still floats. But thereis no telling what that scoundrel Blowitz may have done. He is capableof having some one of the crew bore holes in the ship before theydeserted hEr, so she would slowly sink, and he could collect theinsurance. In fact he may have done so, and only be pretending thatshe is a derelict. I wish we would get sight of her. A great deal, sofar as my fortune is concerned, depends on the result of this search. "

The boys, no less than Maurice De Vere, were anxious to sight thederelict, not so much for the prize money, but because they wanted tobe successful, and have their cruise result in something. 

Another day went by, and, though they sighted several vessels in thedistance, no water-logged craft or slowly drifting derelict greetedtheir eyes. 

"We'll hope for better luck to-morrow, " said Mr. De Vere as darknessbegan to fall, "though from the weather indications, I would say wewere in for a blow. "

"It does look as if getting ready for a storm, " admitted Jerry. 

There was a curious stillness to the air, and the ocean had a queeroily look, the waves heaving restlessly as though they were impatientat their slow motion, and wanted to break into a wild revel. 

Off to the west there was a murky, yellowish look to the sky, and, nowand then, there came puffs of wind that had in them a hint of greatforce and power. 

"We had better make everything as snug as possible, " advised Mr. DeVere. "If it comes on to blow in the night we'll have our hands fullto manage the boat. "

 CHAPTER XXV

 IN A BAD STORM

SHORTLY after midnight, Jerry who was to take the last, or dog-watchwas awakened by Ned shaking him in his bunk. 

"What-- what's the matter?" asked Jerry sleepily. 

"You'd better get up I think. The boat is pitching something fierce, and it's beginning to blow great guns. "

"Um!" exclaimed Jerry, as he got out of his bunk, and was thrown upagainst a bulkhead by a roll of the boat. "I should say it waspitching some. Where's Rob? Where's Mr. De Vere?"

"I didn't call them. I thought I'd tell you first and see what youthought. "

"Wait until I take a look outside, " said Jerry, dressing as best hecould while swaying to and fro with the motion of the Ripper. 

"Here! Quit your fooling!" suddenly exclaimed Bob, as he rolled fromhis bunk, and barely saved himself from a bad shock by landing on hishands and feet in a crouching attitude, as does a cat. "What did youdo that for?"

"You'll have to ask Father Neptune, " answered Jerry. "We're notguilty, Chunky. "

"Didn't you pull me from my bunk?" asked the stout youth. 

It needed no answer from his chums to assure him to the contrary. Themotor boat was now pitching and tossing violently, and, as the boysstood in the cabin, they had hard work to prevent themselves frombeing thrown from partition to partition. Had it not been for theirforethought in making everything secure earlier in the night, the boatmight have been damaged. 

"What's the matter, boys?" asked Mr. De Vere, looking out from hissmall stateroom. "Oh, it's the storm. Arrived strictly on time, Iguess, and it's a hummer too! How's the engine working?"

"Fine, " declared Ned, who had just left the motor cockpit. "Runs likea charm, and hasn't missed an explosion since I took charge. "

"That's good, " commented Mr. De Vere. "We'll need all the power we canget, to keep her head on to the waves, if this gets any worse. "

As he spoke there was a thundering crash on the deck above them, and arush of water told that a big comber had come aboard, nearly buryingthe small craft in a swirl of green water. 

"Are the hatches closed, " asked Mr. De Vere anxiously, "and thesliding doors fastened?"

"Yes, " replied Ned. "I saw to that when I noticed the wind was gettingworse, and the waves higher. "

The boat was fitted with a cabin over the full length, but amidships, where the motor was, were sliding partitions that could be taken down, thus making that part of the craft open. Ned had put these slides inplace, securely fastening them, and closing the top hatches. Thederelict hunters were thus completely shut up in the Ripper, and couldmanage the engine, and run the boat without exposing themselves. Onlyfor this the big wave might have swamped them. 

Maurice De Vere quickly dressed and, with the boys went to the enginecompartment. The motor was humming and throbbing, and, at Jerry'ssuggestion, Ned gave the wheels and cogs an additional dose of oil. 

The storm rapidly increased in fury, and the boat was pitching andtossing in a manner that made it difficult to get from one part toanother. But the Ripper was a substantial craft and though her nose, many times, was buried deep under some big sea, she managed to workher way out, staggering under the shock, but going on, like thegallant boat she was. 

The engine, from which one or another of the boys never took his eyes, worked to perfection. If it had failed them, and they had gotten intothe trough of the sea, there probably would have been a differentstory to tell of the motor boys on the Pacific. 

"This is getting fierce!" exclaimed Bob; after a particularly big wavehad deluged the boat. 

"Getting fierce?" repeated Jerry. "It's been fierce for some time. Ihope it doesn't get any worse. "

But, if it did not increase in violence, the storm showed no signs ofceasing. The wind fairly howled around the frail boat, as if angrythat it could not overwhelm it, and beat it down under the waves, which were altogether too big for the safe or comfortable riding ofthe Ripper. 

There was nothing to do save watch the engine, keep the wheel steady, and the boat pointed head on to the waves. The three boys took turnsat this, for no one would now venture back to his bunk. Mr. De Verecould do little, for his broken arm hampered him, and, in order thathe might suffer no further injury, he braced himself in a corner, where he would be comparatively safe from the pitching and tossing. 

"Wow! That was a bad one!" exclaimed Bob, as another heavy wavethundered on the deck, and ran hissing along the scuppers. 

"I think you had better get out the life preservers, " suggested Mr. DeVere, when several more tremendous waves followed in quick succession. 

"Do you think we are in danger?" asked Ned. 

"No more than we were some time ago, " was the rather grave answer. "But it is best to be prepared. We seem to be running into the centerof the storm, instead of away from it. "

"I'll get the cork jackets, " volunteered Jerry, going to the lockerswhere the preservers were kept. 

They were placed where they could be quickly put on in case the boatfoundered, and then, with white, set faces the boys prepared to watchout the remainder of the night, looking to the engine occasionally, and hoping fervently that they would weather the storm. 

It was not cold, for they were in the latitude close to perpetualsummer, and there was no rain, only that never-ceasing wind whichpiled the waves up in great foam-capped masses. On and on the boatstaggered, now scarcely making any progress at all, and, again, duringa lull shooting through the water at great speed. Sometimes the screwwould be "racing, " as the stern lifted clear of the water, and againthe powerful motor would be almost at a standstill, so great was thepressure of the waves on the blades of the propeller. 

"It doesn't seem to be getting any worse, " remarked Bob after a longsilence, broken only by the howl of the wind. "We haven't been boardedby any seas lately. "

"No, I think we have gone through the most dangerous part of it, "agreed Mr. De Vere. "But we're still far from being out of danger. There is a very heavy sea on. "

They waited and hoped. The throb of the engine became a monotonous humand whir, and the crash of the waves like the boom of some big drum. Rob, looking through one of the cabin dead-eyes, exclaimed:

"See!"

The others looked out. 

"It's getting morning, " spoke Jerry, with a sigh of relief. "The nightis almost gone. "

Gradually it became lighter, the pale gray dawn stealing in throughthe thick bull's-eyes, and revealing the rather pale faces of theyoung derelict hunters. They looked out on a heaving waste of waters, the big waves rising and falling like some gigantic piece ofmachinery. 

"The wind is dying down, " announced Ned in a low voice. Somehow itseemed as if they ought to talk in whispers. 

"Yes, I think it will stop when the sun comes up, " said Mr. De Vere. "It looks as if it would be clear. "

In the east there appeared a rosy light. A golden beam shot up to thesky, tinting the crests of the waves. Then the rim of Old Solappeared, to cheer the voyagers. 

"Look there!" suddenly called Jerry, pointing straight at the disk ofthe sun, which, every second, was becoming larger. 

They all looked and saw, laboring in the waves, about a mile away, apowerful tug, that seemed to be following them. 

 CHAPTER XXVI

 RIVAL SEARCHERS

"WHAT boat is that?" asked Ned. 

"Hand me the glasses, " requested Mr. De Vere, as he went nearer to thecabin port. He peered through the binoculars for some time, thenannounced:

"It's the steam tug, Monarch, from San Pedro. I wonder what it can bedoing out this way?"

"Perhaps it was blown out of its course by the storm, " suggestedJerry. "I'm sure we must have been. "

"Very likely, " admitted Mr. De Vere. "Still that is a very powerfulboat, and the captain must have some reason to be keeping after us theway he is doing. "

"Do you think they are following us?" asked Ned. 

"It certainly looks so. We're headed straight out to sea now, " headded, after a glance at the compass. "If the tug was out of it'scourse it would be turned about and going the other way. Instead it iscoming right after us. "

This was very evident, for, as the Ripper was laboring through thewaves, the other vessel kept in her wake, and seemed to be overhaulingthe motor boat. 

"Well, it's a free country; I suppose they have a right to be here, "spoke Jerry. 

"Yes, " said Mr. De Vere, watching the tug through the glasses, "but Idon't like their actions. "

"Why not? Do you think--" began Jerry. 

"I don't like to say what I think, " was the answer. "We will have towait and see what develops. But I propose that we have some breakfast, or, at least, some hot coffee, if Bob can manage to stand in thegalley. It has been a hard night for us. "

Bob soon demonstrated that he could get up a breakfast under ratheradverse circumstances, and the derelict hunters were soon drinking hotcoffee, though they had to hold the partly-filled cups in one hand, and maintain their balance by clinging with the other to some part ofthe cabin. 

The day was clear, and, save for the high waves, there were noevidences of the storm. The big sea, however, was not likely tosubside soon, and the Ripper had to stagger along as best she could, which task she performed to the great satisfaction of the voyagers. 

Maurice De Vere seemed much worried by the appearance of the tug, which hung on the wake of the Ripper, maintaining a speed that kept itabout a mile to the rear. The owner of the Rockhaven kept the glassesalmost continually on the steam vessel, and the anxious look did notleave his face. 

"Can you slow down the engine a bit?" he asked of Jerry, who hadrelieved Ned at the motor. 

"Yes, if you want me to, Why?"

"I'd like that other boat to come closer to us. I want to see if I canmake out who is aboard. If we slacken our speed they may approachbefore they see the trick, and I can form some opinion of what thisstrange chase means. "

"What do you think it means?" asked Ned. 

"I'm afraid it indicates that Blowitz is after us, " replied Mr. DeVere. "I think he has heard of our voyage after the brig and has hiredthis tug to try and beat me. But slow down, and let us see whathappens. The waves are not so high now, and you can do it withsafety. "

Accordingly Jerry reduced the speed of the motor. The Ripper at oncebegan to lose headway, and Mr. De Vere, watching the oncoming tugthrough the binoculars, announced:

"She'll be closer in a little while, and I can make out the man ondeck, who seems to be directing operations. "

The boys anxiously waited. Their employer kept the glasses to hiseyes, though it was tiresome work, holding them with one hand. Suddenly he exclaimed:

"I can see him quite plainly, now!"

"Who is it?" asked Jerry quickly. 

"Carson Blowitz! He, too, is after the derelict! He is going to tryand cheat me again!"

Nearer and nearer approached the steam tug, for the pilot had, evidently, not taken into consideration the fact that the Ripper wasgoing ahead at reduced speed. Soon it was close enough for the boys, without the aid of the glasses, to make out the figure of Blowitz. 

"I must go outside, " announced Mr. De Vere. "Give me a hand, Jerry, soI won't stumble and hurt my broken arm. "

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to ask Blowitz what he means by following me; and whetherhe is trying to find the derelict that belongs to me. "

Jerry assisted Mr. De Vere out on the small deck in front of thecabin. By this time the Monarch was within hailing distance, those incharge of her evidently having decided to give up trying to remain inthe rear. 

"Ripper ahoy!" called Carson Blowitz, waving his hand at the littlegroup on deck. 

"What do you want, you scoundrel?" asked Mr. De Vere angrily. "What doyou mean by following me?"

"Rather strong language, my dear partner, " was the taunting answerfrom Blowitz. "Besides I don't know that I am following you. The oceanis big enough for two boats, I guess. "

"Do you deny that you are following me, and seeking to find thederelict Rockhaven?" demanded Mr. De Vere. 

"I deny nothing-- I admit nothing, my dear partner. "

"I am no longer in partnership with you, since you tried to cheat me, "was the answer. "I consider our relations at an end. "

"Very well. But I am sorry to see that you are hurt. I hope it isnothing serious. "

"No thanks to you that I was not killed! You meant to end my life whenyou pushed me over the cliff, and, as soon as this business is settledI intend to see that you are punished for your crimes. You have gonetoo far, Carson Blowitz. "

"Not as far as I intend to go!" suddenly exclaimed the other, with achange in his manner. The two boats were now side by side, not twentyfeet away. "You have guessed it, " he went on. "I am after the derelictbrig, and I intend to get her. I am going to finish you before I amthrough. That ship is mine, and all the cargo on her. If you attemptto touch it I shall have to take stringent measures to prevent you. Iwarn you not to interfere with my property!"

"Your property!" cried Maurice De Vere. "That brig and all on it ismine, by every legal claim, and I shall maintain my rights to theuttermost. "

"Very well then, it is to be a fight!" answered Blowitz. "We are to berival seekers after the derelict. Possession is nine points of thelaw, and I intend to take possession. "

"First you'll have to find it. "

"Never fear. I am on the track. Good-bye, my recent partner. Sorry Ican't keep you company. "

Blowitz waved his hand, as though in friendly farewell, but Mr. DeVere turned aside, refusing to notice him, for the scoundrel hadgreatly wronged him, and was now adding insult to injury. 

There was a ringing of bells on the tug, and the powerful vesselforged ahead, leaving the Ripper astern. 

"Shall we speed up?" asked Jerry. "We can easily beat them, for oursis the faster boat. "

"No, let him go, " replied Mr. De Vere. "He has no more idea, than haveI, where to look for the derelict. He is taking the same chances weare, but I'll not follow him. As he says, we are rivals now. I hope Iwin, for my whole fortune depends on it. "

"We'll do our best to help you, " said Bob. 

"That's what we will, " added Jerry, and Ned nodded an assent. 

"Bear off to the left, " suggested Mr. De Vere, as a cloud of blacksmoke from the funnel of the tug showed that the engineer was crowdingon steam. "We'll part company from them. "

Speeding up the engine Jerry steered the Ripper out of the course ofthe Monarch. The hunt of the rivals to locate the derelict brig wasnow on. 

 CHAPTER XXVII

 THE DERELICT

"THEY don't seem to be following us now, " observed Ned, after they hadwatched the tug continuing on her course. 

"No, it looks as if they were taking another tack, " said Maurice DeVere. "I wonder if he can have private information as to the locationof the brig? If he has he may get ahead of me and discover her first. "

"I don't believe he has, " was Jerry's opinion. "I think he is on ablind search, just as we are. "

"I hope so. It means a great deal to me to find that derelict. "

"What had we better do?" asked Bob. "Can't we get ahead of him in someway?"

"I know of no other way than to cruise about until we find the brig, "replied Mr. De Vere. "It is only a chance, but luck may favor usfirst. That is all we can hope for. "

All that day they cruised fruitlessly about, and the next day wasequally barren of result. 

"I'm afraid you'll think we're not very good derelict hunters, "remarked Jerry on the morning of the third day after the storm, whenthey took an observation, and saw nothing but a vast extent of water. The weather was calm, the sun shone brightly and the Ripper was makinggood time. 

"No, " was the answer. "It isn't your fault. This was in the nature ofan experiment, and I do not expect immediate results. I figured onbeing three weeks on this search, and we have only spent about a thirdof that time. We are yet on the safe side, although I admit it israther disappointing. "

After breakfast they resumed their observations. It was nearly eightbells when Ned, who had been stationed in the bow with the powerfulglasses, cried out:

"I see something. "

"Where?" asked Mr. De Vere eagerly. 

"Off the left. "

Mr. De Vere took the glasses and peered long and anxiously throughthem at a small speck which Ned pointed out as it rose and fell on thecrest of the billows. 

"Is it the derelict?" asked Jerry, appearing in the companionway. 

"I don't know, " answered Ned. "It looks like some sort of a ship, butI'm afraid to be positive, because we've had so many false alarms. "

"It's some sort of a ship, " remarked Mr. De Vere suddenly as he passedthe glasses to Jerry. "I make it out to be a brig, and, from the wayit is jibing about, it seems to be under no control. See what youthink. "

Jerry took a careful look. 

"It's a brig, sure enough, " he declared, "and I can't see any sign oflife on her. "

"Put us over that way, " requested Mr. De Vere, of Ned, who wassteering and running the engine. "When we get a little nearer I may beable to make out the name. "

There were anxious hearts beating in the breasts of those aboard theRipper. Could it be possible that the ship they saw was the derelictfor which they had been searching? They all hoped so. 

Ned speeded the motor up to the highest notch and the boat fairly flewthrough the calm sea. Near and nearer it came to the ship, which couldnow plainly be made out. There was not a sail set, and this waspeculiar in itself. The brig idly rose and fell on the long, heavingswells. 

"It's my ship!" suddenly cried Mr. De Vere, after a lengthyobservation through the binoculars. "I can make out her name. It's theRockhaven! Hurrah, boys! We have found her at last!"

"And Blowitz and his tug are nowhere in sight!" cried Ned. "We havebeaten him!"

"Indeed we have, " went on Mr. De Vere. "Now, Ned, see how soon you canput us alongside. "

"It will not take long, " declared the young engineer. "It's only a fewmiles. "

The Ripper proved worthy of her name, for she fairly "ripped" throughthe waves, and, in a short time, was so close to the derelict thatthey had to slow up. 

"Put us up under the port quarter, " advised Mr. De Vere. "Luckilythere is not much of a swell on, and we can easily get aboard as shesets low in the water. She must be leaking. "

With skillful hand Ned brought the motor boat alongside. The anchorchains were hanging low from the hawse holes and as they approachedJerry prepared to catch hold and swing himself up. He had reached outhis hand, and was just going to grasp the links, when, from the deckof the deserted brig there came savage growls and barks. Jerry jumpedback in alarm and Ned, who had jammed a boat hook in the side of thebrig, to hold the Ripper steady, looked up. 

"It's dogs!" he cried. "Two of 'em!"

As he spoke two savage looking creatures thrust their heads up overthe low rail. They were large dogs, of the wolf-hound variety; greatshaggy creatures, and they growled in a menacing manner. 

"They must have left the dogs aboard when they so strangely desertedthe ship, " said Mr. De Vere. "I suppose they're glad to see us. Theymust be lonesome. Try again, Jerry. I would, if I had the use of mytwo arms. "

Once more Jerry prepared to ascend by means of the chains, but thedogs almost leaped over the rail at him, showing their teeth, whilethe hair on as much of their backs as could be seen stood up inridges. Foam dripped from their jaws. 

"Look out!" cried Bob. "Those dogs are mad! Be careful!"

Savage growls and barks from the angry beasts emphasized his words. There was no doubt of it. The dogs were mad from fear and hunger. Theydisputed the advance of the voyagers, and would not let them aboard. 

"Try on the other side, " suggested Mr. De Vere. 

The boat was worked around to the other side of the bow, but the dogsfollowed, and stood on guard there. 

"Maybe we can get up at the stern, " said Jerry. "Perhaps the dogscan't make their way aft. "

But it was the same there. The maddened animals were ready to fly atthe throats of any one who should attempt to board the derelict. 

"What's to be done?" asked Ned. "We didn't count on this. Those arefierce dogs. "

"Indeed they are, " replied Mr. De Vere. "It would not be safe to riskgetting too close to them. "

"But what can we do?" asked Jerry. "If we wait here too long, Blowitzmay appear. "

"We've got to do something, " said the boy's employer. "The only thingI can see to do is to shoot the dogs. I'll get my rifle, " and he wentinto the cabin, where he had left his weapon, one of several he hadbrought aboard. 

 CHAPTER XXVIII

 A MYSTERIOUS INFLUENCE

"ONE of you boys will have to do the shooting, " said Maurice De Vere, as he came out on the small forward deck with his rifle. "I'm a prettygood marksman, but I can't do anything when I have this broken arm. "

"Let Jerry try, " suggested Ned. "He's the best shot of us three. "

"Oh, I don't know, " spoke Jerry modestly, but Mr. De Vere handed himthe rifle. 

"We have no time to lose, " he said. "Blowitz may be here at any hour, and, as he said, possession is nine points of the law. I want to getaboard. "

Jerry looked to the loading of the weapon, and then, at his suggestionthe motor boat was backed off some yards. 

"I want to see to get a good shot, and put the poor things out oftheir misery as soon as possible, " he said. 

The dogs acted more wild than ever as they saw the motor boat movingabout. They almost leaped overboard, as they raced about the derelictand finally, they both jumped on the quarter deck, where they stood inbold relief. 

"Now's your chance, Jerry!" cried Ned. 

Jerry took quick aim, steadying himself as best he could against themotion of the boat. The rifle cracked, and, at the same instant one ofthe dogs gave a howl, a convulsive leap, and, a second later wasfloundering in the water. 

"There's one of the poor brutes gone, " remarked Mr. De Vere. "Now, once more, Jerry. I hate to kill the dogs, for they are valuableanimals, but it is a question of their lives or ours, and it would notbe safe to let them live. "

The remaining dog, startled by the rifle shot, and the disappearanceof its companion stood in mute surprise on the quarter deck. Heoffered a good shot, and Jerry fired. The dog howled, and beganwhirling about in a circle, snapping its jaws. 

"You've only wounded him!" exclaimed Bob. 

Before any one else could speak Jerry had fired the repeater again. This time the bullet went true, and the dog fell to the deck, gave afew convulsive struggles, and was still. 

"That settles him, " remarked Mr. De Vere. 

"Now, boys, we'll go aboard, and I'll get what belongs to me. Thenwe'll see if we can tow the ship in. "

The Ripper was once more put alongside the brig, cork buffers wereadjusted to prevent damage being done, and, in a few minutes Jerry hadscrambled up on deck. 

"That's a fierce brute, " he remarked to Bob who followed him, as theystood looking at the dead dog. "I'm glad I didn't have to tackle himat close quarters. "

"Let's heave him overboard, " suggested Bob, and they did so, though ittook all their strength to drag the body to the rail. 

"I guess you'll have to lower the accommodation ladder for me, boys, "said Mr. De Vere. "I don't believe I can scramble up by way of thechains, as you did. "

"Wait until I get up there and I'll give you a hand, " called Ned, whohad been left in the motor boat. 

"No, you had better stay here and help fasten the ladder when Bob andJerry lower it, " answered Mr. De Vere. "I'll need your aid. "

After some little difficulty, for part of the tackle had fouled, Boband Jerry succeeded in lowering over the ship's side an accommodationladder, somewhat like a short flight of steps. It hung above theRipper's deck, and when some ropes had been strung for hand rails, Mr. De Vere was able to ascend, holding on by one hand, and was soon onthe deck of the brig. 

"At last!" he exclaimed. "Here we are! I was afraid we'd never findher, and, if we did, that Blowitz would be ahead of me. But, thanks toyou, boys, I have beaten him. Now I must see if my papers are safe. "

"Where will you look for them?" asked Jerry. 

"They must be somewhere in the captain's cabin. That is where the goldwill likely be. I suppose we'll have to hunt for it. "

"Shall we help you?"

"Yes, if you will. Let's go below. Is the motor boat securely madefast?"

"I'll guarantee she'll not drift away, " declared Ned, as he and hiscompanions followed Mr. De Vere to the main cabin. 

On every side were evidences of a hurried abandonment of the brig. Some of the sailors had gone off without taking all their clothing, for garments were scattered here and there. Things were in confusionbelow decks, and the captain's cabin showed signs of having beenransacked. 

"There is something queer about this, " said Mr. De Vere as he surveyedthe scene. "The ship is not sinking, and I don't believe it has leakeda drop, though at first I thought so. There was no collision, forthere is no sign of damage. Yet there is every indication that captainand crew deserted the brig in a hurry. Now what made them do that? Whydid not Blowitz give me some reason for that? What caused theabandonment of the brig?"

"Perhaps the sailors got superstitious, I've often read that they do, "suggested Jerry. 

"I hardly think so. "

"Maybe they were afraid of the mad dogs, " said Bob. 

"I don't believe the dogs went mad until after the sailors left, " wasMr. De Vere's answer. "No, there is some strange secret connected withthe brig, and I'd like to solve it. But I must first find my papersand the gold. "

"Suppose the captain took them with him?" remarked Ned. 

"He did not know about them. That is he did not know of what thevaluables consisted. The gold and papers were put in a safe, and onlyBlowitz and myself had the combination. The safe was placed in thecaptain's cabin, and he was instructed to deliver it, unopened, to acertain man. When they deserted the ship in such a hurry I do notbelieve they took the safe with them. It must be somewhere on board. We'll search for it. "

The cabin was rather large, and contained a number of lockers andother places that might serve as a hiding place for the safe. The boysand Mr. De Vere made a careful hunt. While they were in the midst ofit a sudden noise startled them. 

"What was that?" asked Bob. 

"The cabin door slid shut, " answered Jerry, who had seen whathappened. "I'll open it. "

"Here's the safe!" suddenly called Mr. De Vere, as he opened a smalllocker, in an out-of-the-way corner. "Help me get it out, boys, andwe'll open it. "

The closed door was forgotten, and the three lads, at their employer'ssuggestion, fastened a rope about the safe and pulled it out. Itrolled on small wheels. 

"Sorry I can't help you much, " spoke Mr. De Vere, "but this arm ofmine prevents me. "

"Oh, we can manage it all right, " declared Jerry, and after a while, they succeeded in wheeling the safe out into the middle of the cabin. 

"There is some other stuff in the locker, " announced Bob, as he peeredwithin. "It looks like those small boxes Mr. Blowitz shipped fromCresville. "

"That's what they are, " added Jerry, taking a look. "Now we have achance to see what is in them. "

"Wait until we get the safe open, " advised Mr. De Vere. "Then we'llsee if we can't get at the secret of the ship. "

He sat down in front of the strong steel box, and began to turn thecombination. It was quite complicated, and took some time. 

"Um-m-m-m-m!" exclaimed Bob, with a lazy stretch. "I'm beginning tofeel sleepy. Guess I'll lie down on this couch and rest. "

He did so, and, somewhat to his companions' surprise, was soonapparently asleep. 

"He must be pretty well played out, " remarked Ned. "Funny, but I feela little drowsy myself. We haven't been getting any too much sleep, oflate, I suppose. "

Mr. De Vere was working away at the combination of the safe. Somethingseemed to have gone wrong with it, and he twirled the knobs and dials, first this way and that. 

"What a curious ringing sound they make, " Jerry was thinking, as hesat in a chair and looked on. "It's just like bells away offsomewhere. I wonder if it's my ears? I feel as if I had taken quininefor a cold. There seems to be some sort of a haze in the cabin. Iwonder--"

But Jerry never knew what he wondered, for the same mysteriousinfluence that had overpowered Bob had made Jerry succumb. His headfell forward on his breast, and he was unconscious. 

Ned began to imagine he was in a boiler factory, of which Mr. De Verewas the foreman. The latter seemed to be hammering on a big steelsafe, and soon, in Ned's ears there echoed the noise of the blows. Then the boy's eyes closed, and he joined Bob and Jerry in fallingunder the mysterious spell. 

Seated on the floor in front of the safe Mr. De Vere wondered whatmade his fingers move so slowly. With his one good hand he couldscarcely turn the dials of the combination. His head, too, felt veryheavy, and once there was such a mist before his eyes that he couldnot see the figures on the shining disk of the safe. 

"This is queer, " he murmured. "It is very close in this cabin. I wishthe boys had opened the door. I wish-- I--"

Mr. De Vere fell over backward, unconscious, while, around the silentforms in the cabin wreathed a thin bluish vapor that came from thelocker where the safe had been, and where there were some smallboxes-- the same mysterious boxes that Blowitz had shipped fromCresville. 

In the tightly-closed cabin the derelict hunters were now at the mercyof the mysterious influence-- an influence they could not see or guardagainst, and from which they were in deadly peril. 

 CHAPTER XXIX

 A COMMAND TO LAY TO

STRANGE things happen on the ocean. Sometimes slight occurrences leadto great results. When the sailors deserted the brig Rockhaven, provisioning their boats in a hurry, one water cask was left behind. The mate had intended stowing it away in the captain's gig, but foundthere was no room for it, so he allowed it to remain on deck, where heset it. 

In due time, by the motion of the abandoned brig in the storm, thewater cask was overturned and rolled about at every heave of thewaves, first to port, and then to starboard, Now aft, and againforward. As luck would have it, not long after those in the cabin fellunder the deadly influence of some queer, stupefying fumes, the watercask was rolling about close to the trunk roof of the cabin, a roofthat had side windows in it. 

With one lurch of the ship the water cask nearly crashed against thesewindows, but, by the narrowest margin missed. Then the cask rolledtoward the scuppers. Those in the cabin were more than ever under theinfluence of the fumes. They were breathing heavily, the veins intheir necks began to swell, their hearts were laboring hard toovercome the stupefying influence of the fumes. But it was almost toolate. 

Suddenly a long roller lifted the brig well up into the air. Then itslid down the watery incline. The cask started to roll toward thecabin windows. Straight for them it came, turning over and over. 

With a resounding blow the cask shattered the frame, and sent theglass in a shower into the cabin below. Through the opening thusProvidentially made, the fresh air rushed. The deadly fumes began toescape. Once more the cask rolled against the window, breaking anotherglass, and more fresh air came in. 

Jerry stirred uneasily. It seemed as if some one had a hammer, hittinghim on the head. That was the blood beginning to circulate again. Hisveins throbbed with life. Slowly he opened his eyes. He became awareof a sweet, sickish smell, that mingled with the sharp tang of thesalt air. By a great effort he roused himself. He could not, for amoment, think where he was, but he had a dim feeling as if some onehad tried to chloroform him. Then, with a sudden shock his senses cameback to him. He became aware of the need of fresh air, and, hardlyknowing what he was doing, he opened the cabin door. 

The inrush of a fresh atmosphere completed the work the water cask hadbegun. The poisonous fumes were dispersed, and, with theirdisappearance, the others regained their senses. Mr. De Vere was thenext to arouse. 

"What-- what happened?" he asked. 

"I don't know, " replied Jerry, "unless Blowitz came aboard andchloroformed us. "

"He couldn't do that-- yet-- the safe is not tampered with-- but thisdrowsy feeling--"

Mr. De Vere stopped suddenly. His eyes were fixed on the closet orlocker, whence the safe had been wheeled, and where the little boxeswere. From the locker a thin, bluish smoke arose. 

"Quick!" he cried. "I understand it all now! We must get themoverboard or we'll all be killed!"

Ned and Bob had been aroused by this time, and were sitting staringstupidly around them. They did not realize what had happened. 

"I'll throw 'em overboard, " volunteered Jerry. 

"Don't go near them, " cautioned Mr. De Vere. "If you breathe toodeeply of those fumes, you'll be killed. Get a boat hook, poke themout of the locker, spear them with the sharp point, and thrust them upthrough the broken cabin window. "

Jerry hurried to the Ripper, which safely rode alongside the brig. Hegot a sharp boat hook, and, with the aid of Bob and Ned, the boxes, with their deadly contents were soon out on deck, whence they wereknocked into the sea. Then a hunt was made in other parts of the brigand more boxes were found and cast into the ocean. 

"What was in them?" asked Ned, when the task was finished. "Was thatwhat made us fall asleep?"

"It was, " replied Mr. De Vere. "What was in them I do not knowexactly, but it was some chemical that Blowitz put there to accomplishhis purpose. I see through his scheme now. After the brig was loadedhe sent these boxes aboard. They were distributed in different partsof the ship, some in the quarters of the crew, some where the matesslept, and others in the captain's cabin. They were properly adjustedto give off a vapor at a certain time and he counted either on thefumes killing the men, or making them unconscious so they would die ofheart failure. Then, very likely, he intended to make a search for thebrig which would have no captain or crew, and claim the vessel. Buthis scheme did not work as he intended. The crew and captain wereprobably frightened by feeling some mysterious sleepy influence atwork, and they hastily deserted the ship. Probably the commander didnot like to acknowledge the real reason for his seeminglyun-called-for act, and he did not tell Blowitz the cause for theabandonment. The stuff in the boxes remained on board, ready to renderunconscious any persons who came within reach of the fumes. Maybe itmade the dogs mad. 

"The accidental closing of the cabin door deprived us of air. Thefumes filled the cabin, and rendered us all unconscious. I do not yetunderstand how we were revived. "

"It must have been the water cask, " declared Jerry, who had seen it ondeck, and his theory, which was the correct one, was accepted. 

"Now I will finish working the combination, and open the safe, " saidMr. De Vere, when they had breathed in deep of the fresh air, and feltthe last influences of the fumes vanish. "We must have beenunconscious an hour or more. "

It did not take him long after this to open the strong box. From aninner compartment he drew forth a bundle of papers, and a small box, that seemed quite heavy. This he opened. 

"The gold is safe, at any rate, " he announced. "Now to look at thepapers. "

A hasty examination of these showed that they were all there. 

"This is good news for me, boys, " announced Mr. De Vere. "My fortuneis safe now, and that scoundrel Blowitz can not ruin me as he tried todo!"

"Hark! What was that?" asked Jerry suddenly. 

From somewhere out on the Pacific there sounded a whistle, long drawnout. 

"It's a steamer!" cried Ned. "It has probably sighted the derelict!"

"A steamer, " murmured Mr. De Vere. "If it is not--"

He did not finish, but the boys knew what he meant. 

Mr. De Vere hastily thrust the papers into an inner pocket of hiscoat. 

"Distribute the gold among you, " he told the boys. "When we get itaboard the Ripper we can hide it. There is no telling what mighthappen. If that steamer--"

"It's the tug Monarch!" cried Jerry, who had hurried up on deck. "It'scoming this way full speed!"

"Then we must leave at once!" decided Mr. De Vere. "I think our boatcan beat theirs. I did hope to be able to tow the brig into harbor, and save the cargo, but that is out of the question now. I do not wanta fight with Blowitz. Come, boys, we must escape!"

The boys hurriedly divided the gold among them. It made their pocketsbulge out, and was quite heavy. Mr. De Vere had his papers safe. 

As the derelict hunters all came out on deck they could see theMonarch was much nearer. In bold relief stood a figure in the bow. 

"It's Blowitz!" exclaimed Mr. De Vere, "and he's shaking his fist atme. He's angry because I have beaten him at his own game. But come on, I don't want a clash with him. I am in no shape for another fight. We'll have to retreat. "

It was the work of but a few seconds to get into the motor boat. Thelines were cast off, and, with one turn of the wheel Ned started theengine, and ran her up to full speed after a few revolutions. 

"Now let them have the brig, " said Mr. De Vere. "I've gotten the bestout of her. "

But Blowitz and his men seemed to have lost interest in the derelict. Instead of continuing on their course toward it they were now comingfull speed after the Ripper, the tug being steered to cross her bows. Probably Blowitz took it for granted that De Vere had the papers andgold. 

"They're after us!" cried Jerry. 

"Yes, but they've got to catch us!" declared Bob. 

An instant later a puff of white smoke spurted out from the side ofthe Monarch, something black jumped from wave-crest to wave-crest. Then came a dull boom. 

"What's that?" asked Bob, in alarm. 

"A shot across our bows. A command to lay to, " said Mr. De Vere. 

 CHAPTER XXX

 THE END OF BLOWITZ-- CONCLUSION

"ARE you going to stop?" asked Ned, of Maurice De Vere. 

"Not unless you boys are afraid. I don't believe they can hit us. That's only a small saluting cannon they have, and it's hard to shootstraight when there's as much sea on as there is now. Do you want tostop and surrender?"

"Not much!" cried the three motor boys in a breath. 

"Then may it be a stern chase and a long chase!" exclaimed Mr. DeVere. "Crowd her all you can, Ned, and we'll beat him. "

Ned needed no urging to make the powerful motor do its best. Themachinery was throbbing and humming, and the Ripper was cuttingthrough the water "with a bone in her teeth, " as the sailors say. 

"Swing her around so as to get the tug in back of us, " advised Jerry. "We'll be in less danger then. "

Ned shifted the wheel, but, as he was doing so there was another shotfrom the Monarch, and, this time, the ball from the cannon cameuncomfortably close. 

"Their aim is improving, " remarked Mr. De Vere, as he coolly looked atthe pursuing tug through the glasses, "but we are leaving thembehind. "

The chase had now become a "stern" one, that is the Monarch wasdirectly astern of the Ripper, and the varying progresses made by theboats could not be discerned so well as before. Still it seemed thatthe motor boat was maintaining her lead. 

It now settled down to a pursuit, for, stern on as she was, the Ripperoffered so small a mark for the tug, that it was almost useless tofire the cannon. 

There were anxious hearts aboard the motor boat, as they watched thetug pursuing them. They knew there would be a fight if Blowitz and Mr. De Vere met, and, in the latter's crippled condition, it was not hardto imagine how it would result. 

"How's she running, Ned?" asked Jerry, as he looked at the engine. 

"Never better. She's singing like a bird. This is a dandy boat. "

"I think we'll beat him, " declared Mr. De Vere. 

For an hour or more the chase continued, the Monarch seeming to gainslowly. Mr. De Vere looked anxious, and kept his eyes fixed to thebinoculars, through which he viewed the pursuing vessel. At length, however, a more cheerful look came into his face. 

"Something has happened!" he exclaimed. 

"Happened? How?" asked Jerry. 

"Why aboard the tug. Blowitz went off the deck in a hurry, and thesteersman has left the pilot house. Maybe something is wrong with themachinery. "

That something of this nature had happened was evident a few minuteslater, for the Monarch had to slow up, and the Ripper was soon so farin advance that to catch up with her was out of the question. 

"I guess the chase is over, " announced Mr. De Vere. "I think they'vehad an accident. Still Blowitz will not give up. I must expect a legalbattle over this matter when I get ashore. He will try to ruin me, andclaim these papers and the gold. But I will beat him. "

The Ripper, urged on by her powerful motor, soon lost sight of thetug, which, from the last observation Mr. De Vere took, seemed to haveturned about, to go back to the brig. 

Two days later, having made quick time, and on a straight course, thevoyagers sighted the harbor of San Felicity a few miles away. 

"Now for home!" cried Ned. 

"And the bungalow 'The Next Day, ' Ponto and a good square meal!" addedBob. 

"And the girls, " came from Jerry. "I guess they'll be glad to see us. "

"If Blowitz doesn't turn up to make trouble for me, " put in Mr. DeVere, rather dubiously. 

The Ripper docked that afternoon, and, Mr. De Vere, promising to callon the boys and pay them their prize money as soon as he had seen hislawyer, and deposited the gold and papers in a safe place, bade themgood-bye at the wharf, and hurried off. He was fearful lest he shouldbe intercepted by some agent of Blowitz, though there was no sign thatthe tug had arrived. 

The three boys were warmly welcomed by the girls and Mr. Seabury, whenthey got to the bungalow. 

"I congratulate you, " said the elderly gentleman. "You deserve greatcredit for what you did. "

"Well, we had good luck, " admitted Jerry. "But where is theprofessor?"

"Out searching for horned toads and web-footed lizards, " said Nellie. "He has enlisted the services of Ponto, and they are continually onthe hunt. I hope he gets what he wants. "

"He generally does, " said Bob. "If he doesn't he finds something elsenearly as good. "

Some days later Mr. De Vere called at the bungalow. He had finished uphis business affairs, and brought the boys the prize money, as theirreward for the parts they had played in the finding of the derelict. 

"But this is too much, " protested Jerry, when Mr. De Vere had givenhim and his comrades nearly half as much again as was originallypromised. 

"Not a bit of it, " was the reply. "I can well afford it. Those paperswere more valuable than you supposed, and I find I will be able tocollect insurance on the cargo of the abandoned brig. I have heardfrom the captain of it, and he tells me, just as I supposed, that heand the crew left her because of the peculiar fumes, so that my theorywas right, after all. They tried to take the dogs, which belonged tothe first mate, but could not. "

"Did you hear anything more of Blowitz?" asked Ned. 

"Yes, " replied Mr. De Vere, rather solemnly. "Blowitz was killedshortly after the tug gave up the chase. "

"How?"

"The boiler blew up when the tug was trying to tow the derelict in, and he and several of the crew were burned to death. The survivorsfloated on the wreckage until they were picked up. So I have nothingmore to fear from Blowitz. But I called to know if you boys, and theyoung ladies, Mr. Seabury and Professor Snodgrass, would not be myguests at a little dinner I am to give at the hotel. I want to showyou that I appreciate what you did for me. "

"I think you have already done so, " said Jerry. 

"Perhaps I have, but I would like you to come to my dinner. Will you?"

The boys promised. So did the girls and Mr. Seabury, whose health wasmuch improved by the California climate. The professor, with a faraway look in his eyes, said he would be there if he could. 

"What's to prevent you?" asked Bob. 

"Well, I haven't found that horned toad yet, and I'm still searching. "

The dinner came off three nights later. It was a grand affair, servedin the best of style of which the San Felicity hotel chef was capable. The girls and the boys were there, dressed in their best, and Pontowas taken along as a sort of chaperon, which gave him great delight. He did not once fall asleep. 

"But where is Professor Snodgrass?" asked Mr. De Vere, when it wasnearly time to sit down. "Isn't he coming?"

"He promised to be here, " announced Mr. Seabury. "Probably he is onhis way now. "

At that moment a commotion was heard outside the private dining-roomwhich Mr. De Vere had engaged. A voice was saying:

"I tell you I will go in! I'm invited! My clothes? What about myclothes? All mud? Of course they're all mud. I couldn't help it!"

Then the door flew open and a curious sight was presented. There stoodthe professor, his coat split up the back, his trousers torn, and hishat smashed. Splashes of mud were all over him. 

"What is the matter?" cried Mr. Seabury, in alarm. 

"Nothing, " replied the professor calmly. "I have caught two hornedtoads, that's all. I saw them as I was on the way here, and I had togo into a mud puddle to get them. I fell down, but I got the toads, "and he held up a small cage, in which were the ugly creatures. 

"Ugh!" exclaimed Nellie. 

"Good for you, Professor!" cried Jerry. "You got the toads and we gotour prize money!"

"Yes, but I would rather have these toads than all your prize money, "replied the professor. "They are beauties, " he added, fondly. 

The dinner was a joyous affair, and it is a question who was thehappiest, the professor, over the capture of the horned toads, theboys over the successful outcome of their cruise on the Pacific, orMr. De Vere, who had recovered his fortune. At any rate they all had agood time. 

"Well, " remarked Bob, when the supper was over, and they were on theirway back to the bungalow, "I suppose we'll soon have to think ofgetting back east, and beginning school. They must have the pipes andboiler fixed by now. "

"Don't think of it, " begged Ned. "It's too awful. I'd like to go onanother long cruise in the Ripper. "

"Well, I don't know that we can do that, " said Jerry, "but I certainlyhope we have more adventures soon. " How his wish was gratified will betold in another volume of this series, to be entitled, "The Motor Boysin the Clouds; Or, A Trip for Fame and Fortune. " In that book we shallmeet many of our old friends again, and learn something more of aventure in which the motor boys were already interested. 

"Boys, this has been an interesting trip for me, " said ProfessorSnodgrass. "I have the two horned toads, seven web-footed lizards, andover fifty other valuable specimens to take back with me. I would nothave missed this trip for a great deal. "

"So say we all of us!" cried Jerry. 

"Let us go out for another trip in the motor boat to-morrow, " saidNed. "I mean a short trip. "

"Take us along!" pleaded the girls in concert. 

"Sure thing!" answered the boys. 

And they went out-- and had a glorious time-- and here we shall haveto say farewell. 

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