"There, that puts new life into a fellow!" declared Dick, after the
repast was over. "If I only knew what had become of the _Mascotte_
and the other fellows--knew that our friends were safe--I'd feel
quite happy."

"Oh, don't speak of the _Mascotte_!" answered Sam, with a shiver. "I
can't bear to think that Fred and Songbird have been drowned!"

"Let us hope for the best," said Tom, with a sigh. And for the moment
all traces of fun disappeared from his countenance.

Thinking it might be a good plan to cast anchor over night, they
attempted to do so. But although they let out all the rope and chain,
no bottom could be found.

"The water is certainly deep here," said Dick, after the anchor had
been brought up again. "I don't think there is any danger of striking
rocks."

"Not unless the steam yacht sinks a mile or two," said Tom, with a grin.

It was decided that one person should remain on watch during the
night, to report any vessel that might pass and to watch the fire
under the boiler. Dick said he would stay up, and Tom told his brother
to call him at two in the morning.

"And call me at four," said Sam. "I want to do my share."

The night proved to be as misty as that previously passed, and although
first Dick and then Sam and Tom kept their eyes on the alert, nothing
was seen or heard of any other vessel. Once Dick fancied he heard
the faraway toot of a foghorn, but the sound, whatever it was, was
not repeated.

By morning it was raining. At first only a few drops came down, but
then it began to pour, so that all were glad to remain under shelter.
Hans and Sam prepared breakfast, while Tom looked after the engine
and the fire and Dick kept watch on deck.

"It is going to be a corker," was Dick's comment, when he came in
for something to eat. "The rain is so thick now you can't see a dozen
yards in any direction."

"Let us hope that the rain will clear away the mist," said Sam. "Then
perhaps we'll have some sunshine for a change."

"It's all right, if only it doesn't start to blow," answered Tom.
"But you must remember that they have some pretty fierce storms down
here."

The rain continued to come down as hard as ever and kept up until
near noon. In the meantime, however, Sam and Tom got up enough steam
to run the yacht at a low rate of speed.

"We can try her that way first," said Tom. "Then, if it's O. K.,
we'll give her a hundred pounds or so."

"Now, Tom, be careful of that engine!" pleaded Dick. "It won't do to
monkey too much."

"Oh, I'll be careful, Dick. I don't want to be blown up any more than
you do."

"Remember the old saying, 'The more haste the less speed,'" warned
the big brother.

It was with a peculiar thrill that Dick took his place in the wheelhouse
and rang the bell for the engine to start. Tom, below, was equally
excited as he turned on the power. There was a peculiar hissing and
bubbling, but the propeller did not turn.

"What's the matter?" called down Dick, through the speaking tube.
"Didn't you hear my signal?"

He listened for a reply, but instead of Tom's voice he heard the
fierce hissing of steam. Then, of a sudden, came a yell from Tom.

"Shut off that steam, Sam! Quick! or I'll be scalded to death!"



CHAPTER XVIII

IN PERIL OF STEAM

As quickly as he could, Dick rushed from the wheelhouse and toward
the companionway leading to the engine room.

"Vot's der madder?" bawled Hans, who was at the rail, waiting for
the steam yacht to start.

"Tom's in trouble," ejaculated the eldest Rover, and went down the
stairs four steps at a time, with the German youth behind him.

The engine room was full of steam, so that for the moment Dick could
see little. A pipe running along one side of the engine had burst,
and Tom was hemmed in a corner. To get out he would have to pass
through the furious outpouring of steam, which might scald him to death.

Not far away was Sam, frantically trying to turn the steam off. But
the youngest Rover's knowledge of engines and marine machinery was
limited and, while he fussed around, the steam in the narrow engine
room kept growing thicker and thicker.

"Get down on the floor, Tom!" yelled Dick, as he took in the situation.
"Maybe you can crawl out."

Tom did as urged, and like a snake he attempted to crawl from his
position of peril. But when he was only halfway he got stuck.

"I--I can't make it!" he panted, trying to worm along. "I--I'm too big."

"Can you go back--I see a door behind you," said Dick.

Tom went back, and as he did this Dick ran out of the engine room
and to one of the coal bunkers. Here was the door the eldest Rover
had seen. It was closed and barred and somewhat rusty, and he had to
exert all his strength to make it budge.

"Quick! quick!" came faintly from Tom. "I can't stand this much longer!"

"This way out, Tom!" called Dick, as the door at last flew open. In
the cloud of steam that rushed into the coal bunker Dick saw his
brother faintly, and caught him by the arm and pulled him forward.
In a moment more both were safe.

"Sam, are you all right?" yelled Dick, rushing again to the engineroom
door proper.

"Whe--where's Tom?"

"Safe."

"Oh! then I'll come out," and Sam staggered into the fresh air.

"Mine cracious! vos der ship going to plow up!" gasped Hans, who had
stood looking on with his hair standing on end.

"I don't think so," answered Dick. "The steam will soon blow itself
away. You didn't have very much pressure; did you, Tom?"

"No, but it was too much when the pipe burst. Gosh! I was afraid I
was going to be boiled alive!" and he shuddered.

"It's about gone now," came from Sam, who was watching at the doorway.
"It isn't hissing nearly as much as it did." He was right, and
presently the hissing ceased entirely. Then Sam, Dick, and Hans opened
all the portholes and doors, to let out the steam, and soon the scare
was over. But Tom felt "shaky in the legs," as he termed it, for some
hours afterwards.

"I suppose I should have tested all those pipes and valves as soon
as I had just a little steam," said the fun-loving Rover. "There is
where I wasn't a good engineer. Well, one thing is certain, nothing
gave way but the single pipe."

"And that could happen on any steamer," answered Dick. "Any engine
is liable to a breakdown of this kind. The question is, Are we
machinists enough to repair the break? If we are not, then we'll have
to let the steam power go and hoist some sails."

"Oh, that would be slow work!" cried Sam. "Let us try to fix the
pipe. I saw some extra pieces in the tool room. Maybe one of them
will fit."

With the engine room cleared of steam they inspected the split pipe.
It was a piece exactly two feet long, and they looked over the pieces
in the tool room and found one just half an inch shorter.

"I think that will do," said Dick. "We won't be able to couple it on
quite so tightly as the other was but we can pack it well, and I
guess it will last till we reach some port."

The tool room was supplied with the necessary wrenches and all of
the boys spent two hours in fitting in the new piece of pipe. Then
they inspected the other pipes and the engine, but everything appeared
to be in first-class shape.

The fire had been allowed to die down while the repairs were going
on, and was not started up again until the work had been completed.

"Say, don't I look like a nigger?" demanded Tom, as he put down some
tools. "If I don't, I feel black from head to foot."

"You are certainly pretty grimy," answered Sam, with a laugh. "But
I am that myself."

"We'll all have to go in for a good wash," said Dick.

"Vy ton't you chump oferpoard?" demanded Hans, who was pretty dirty
himself.

"Say! just the thing!" ejaculated Tom. "A swim wouldn't go bad on
such a hot day as this? Let us go in by all means!"

Sam was delighted at the suggestion, for the calm waters of the gulf
looked very inviting. Dick did not care so much for a swim, but said
he would go in if the others did.

"Dare vos a whole lot of pathing suits in von of der lockers," said
Hans. "I vill git dem."

He soon appeared with the suits, and in less than ten minutes all of
the boys were ready for a plunge. The waters of the gulf appeared to
be unusually calm and nothing disturbed the surface.

"Here goes!" cried Tom, and poised on the rail he made a splendid
dive and disappeared like a flash. Sam and Dick immediately followed.
Hans remained on the rail, grinning.

"Why don't you come in, Hans?" yelled Sam, as he came up and commenced
to swim about.

"I dink you vos chumps alretty," answered the German boy, calmly.

"Chumps?" returned Dick.

"Dot's it!"

"Why?"

"You chump oferpoard und you ton't know how you vos going to git
pack, ain't it!" And now Hans laughed outright.

"Well, I never!" cried Tom. "We forgot to throw even a rope down!"

"We certainly would have had a time getting on deck," was Dick's
comment. "Hans, throw an end of the rope ladder down."

"Dot vos vot I dink mineselluf," answered the German youth, and did
as requested. Then he, too, took a dive, coming up and blowing like
a porpoise.

It was certainly good sport and the four boys enjoyed it thoroughly.
With the aid of the rope ladder it was easy to climb on the deck of
the steam yacht, and they did a good deal of diving and running
around. They also had a race, Tom offering a pint of ice cream to
the first one around the ship. Dick won this race, with all of the
others in a bunch at his heels. He was just reaching the end when
Tom caught him by the ankle and held him fast.

"Hi, you! let go!" yelled Dick, and then turning, he promptly sent
his brother downward, so that Tom had to let go.

"Wish I had a plate of ice cream," murmured Sam, when they were all
resting on the rail of the steam yacht. "Wouldn't it be fine?"

"Oxactly," came from Hans. "Ven I gits me to a hotel again I vos
order a plate a foot high, mit vanilla, strawperry, chocolate, orange
ice, lemon--"

"Don't, Hans!" cried Tom, reproachfully. "You hurt my feelings so!"
And with a comical grin he placed one hand over his stomach. "Just
think of strawberry ice cream!"

"Or strawberries with cream! My, but it makes a fellow's mouth water!"
came from Sam.

The boys remained in and out of the water the best part of two hours.
It was so inviting all hated to think of dressing again. They had a
game of tag and kept poor Hans "it" for a long while, until, in fact,
the German youth was out of breath and had to give it up.

"I ton't run me no more, py golly!" panted Hans. "Of you vonts to
been caught you caught yourselfs alretty!" And at this remark all of
the others roared.

"I shouldn't mind our situation a bit if only we were certain the
others were safe," remarked Dick, when they were dressing. "But when
I think of Fred, Songbird, and Harold Bird--" He did not finish, but
shook his head sorrowfully.

"It makes a fellow sick, doesn't it?" returned Sam. "Oh, I do hope
they are safe!"

"I'll tell you one thing," came from Tom, walking up at this moment.
"This swim has made me as hungry as a bear."

"Tom, did you ever know the time you weren't hungry?" demanded his
elder brother.

"Sure," answered the fun-loving Rover, with a broad grin.

"When?" demanded both of the others.

"Directly after a good, square meal!" answered Tom, and then dodged
hurriedly, to escape the shoe Dick hurled at him.



CHAPTER XIX

THE STORM ON THE GULF

"Boys, we are going to have a corker of a storm if ever there was one."

"I believe you, Dick. My, how the black clouds are rolling up!"

"And just when we were doing so nicely too."

The three Rover boys had come to the deck in a bunch, directly after
the bath and a hearty meal.

It was Dick who had noticed the black clouds rolling up so suddenly
and had called the attention of the others.

"How kvick der veader can change," sighed Hans. "Ven ve vos in
schwimming I dink it vos lofely for a veek, ain't it!"

The boys had a good fire under the boiler and had tested the engine,
to find it now in good working order. From one of the new joints the
steam bubbled the least bit, but not sufficiently to do any harm or
cause alarm. Dick had tried the wheel, to find it in the best of
order. It thrilled him to take hold of the spokes and make the steam
yacht answer to his will.

"I don't wonder some men wish to be pilots," he had said. "It's great
to have a big steamer do just as you want her to." Then he had run
the vessel around in the form of the figure 8, just to "get the knack
of it," as he said.

"Shall we start for land in such a storm as this?" asked Sam. "It
might drive us up on the rocks somewhere."

"We're a good way from land, Sam. Let us see what the storm will do
first."

The black clouds increased rapidly, until the whole sky was overcast.
Then a strong wind sprang up and the gulf was covered with whitecaps
as far as the eye could reach.

"It's coming!" cried Sam, as the big raindrops began to fall. "We
may as well get out of the wet."

"I think I'll run before the storm," said Dick. "We must either do
that or face it. The yacht is beginning to roil."

"Yah, I feel dot!" sighed Hans, who had begun to turn pale.

"Hans, are you getting seasick?" demanded Sam.

"I ton't know, put I clink me my stomach vos going inside owid alretty!"

"You're certainly seasick," said Dick, with a grin. "Better lie down
for a while."

"Oh, my!" groaned the German youth, and rushed, first to the rail of
the steam yacht and then to the cabin. He was indeed sick, and that
was the last the others saw of him while the storm lasted.

Soon came a whistling wind and then the rain fell in torrents. The
sea was lashed into a white foam and the waves became higher and
higher, crashing against the stern of the _Mermaid_, as she ran before
them. At one moment the steam yacht would be on the top of the waves,
the next she would sink down and down in the trough of the sea.

"You don't think we'll be wrecked, do you?" asked Sam, as he left
his duty as fireman and came to the wheelhouse, where Dick stood,
with all the windows down, trying to peer forth through the fury of
the elements.

"Not at all, Sam,--but this is something fierce and no mistake."

"Poor Hans is down and out. I heard him rolling on his berth and
groaning with distress."

"Well, leave him alone. He'll be sick as long as the storm lasts,
most likely, and you'll only make matters worse by looking at him."

With the coming of night the storm appeared to increase. It was
pitch-black on every side and Dick did not dare to run the _Mermaid_
at more than quarter speed--just enough to keep her from swinging
around broadside to the storm. All the lanterns were lit and hung
up, Sam doing this with an oilsilk coat around him--a garment found
in one of the staterooms. Yet he came in pretty wet.

"It's a screamer," he announced to Tom, as he dried himself by the
boiler. "Never knew they could have such storms down here."

"They have storms all over the world," answered Tom. "What is Dick
doing?"

"Running before the wind."

"He just told me to slow down more yet."

"Well, he can't see a thing ahead and he doesn't want to run into
anything."

"And Hans?"

"Down, the sickest ever."

"Too bad! I know what it is to be sick. Better leave him alone."

"That's what Dick said."

As but little steam was needed Sam had no call to urge on his fire
beneath the boiler, and he and Tom sat down near the speaking tube,
to talk occasionally to Dick.

Thus two hours went by. Nobody had the least desire to go to sleep,
even though the long swim had made each boy rather tired. The fury
of the elements made them nervous.

"This puts me in mind of the time we were on the Pacific," called
down Dick through the speaking tube. He referred to the adventures
they had had as related in "The Rover Boys on Land and Sea."

"Well, we don't want to be cast away on a lonely island as we were
then," said Sam.

"There are no islands around here," answered Tom. "I looked on the
chart to make sure."

"In that case we can't hit anything. I am thinking--"

"Back her!" yelled Dick, through the speaking tube, and then jingled
the bell.

Tom leaped for the engine and reversed it. There was a pause, and
they felt the steam yacht swing half around. Then, after a wait, Dick
ordered the speed ahead.

"What was wrong?" asked Tom, at the tube.

"Light right ahead," was the answer. "We cleared it by fifty feet.
But I was scared, I can tell you that."

"What kind of a light?"

"A steamer--tramp, I reckon. She's way behind now."

Sam ran on deck to get a view of the stranger, but the fury of the
storm shut out the sight.

"I suppose you didn't see much of her, Dick," he said, going into
the wheelhouse.

"I saw enough," was the grim response. "I thought we were going to
have a smashup sure, and I reckon the other pilot thought the same."

"Did you see anybody on board?"

"Not a soul. She came up like a ghost, with only two lights showing,
and by the time I had backed and turned she was gone. But it nearly
gave me nervous collapse," added the amateur pilot.

The wind was now so heavy that it sent the rain against the pilot
house in solid sheets. Dick could not see ahead at all and he requested
Sam to go to the bow, to keep the best lookout possible.

"If you see anything wrong yell to me," he said. "And be careful that
you don't tumble overboard." And then he spoke to Tom through the
tube and asked the amateur engineer to play fireman also for the time
being.

Wrapped in the raincoat, and with a cap pulled far down over his
head, Sam took up his station near the bow, clinging to the rail for
protection. He knew their safety depended in good part on keeping a
sharp lookout and he eyed the darkness ahead closely. So far there
had been little lightning and scarcely any thunder, but now the
rumbling increased until there came a crash and a flare that made
all on the _Mermaid_ jump.

"Did that hit us?" yelled Tom up the tube.

"No, but it was pretty close," answered Dick,

"Where is Sam now?"

"At the forward rail. I can see nothing from the wheelhouse."

"If it gets much worse you had better come below and let the boat
run itself, Dick."

"I can't do that, Tom--I must stick to my post."

Another half-hour went by, and there was no let up in the fury of
the storm. Poor Sam was almost exhausted and, tying the wheel fast
for the time being, Dick went to him.

"Better come in," he said. "If you'll take the wheel I'll stay out
here. Just keep her straight before the storm."

"All right," panted poor Sam, and made his way back to the wheelhouse
step by step, and holding on to whatever was handy, to keep from
being swept overboard.

Sam had interested himself in steering from the start and knew how
to handle a wheel moderately well. He looked at the compass and saw
that they were running almost due east, varying a little to the
southward. He untied the wheel and kept to the course with but little
trouble.

"Dick has gone on the lookout," he explained to Tom. And then he
added: "You've got the best job to-night."

"I'd come up, if you could run the engine," was Tom's reply.

"No, you had better attend to that, Tom."

"Doesn't the storm seem to be letting up?"

"Not a particle. If anything it is growing worse."

"It must be a hurricane."

"It is--or next door to it," answered the youngest of the Rovers.

The thunder and lightning appeared to draw closer, until the steam
yacht was literally surrounded by the electrical display. The flashes
of lightning were so blinding that, for the moment afterward, neither
Sam nor Dick could see anything. Sam tried to keep the windows of
the pilot house fairly clean, but the effort was a dismal failure.

Presently came one awful flash and crash that caused Sam to sink back
in a heap on one of the pilot-house cushions. He felt that the steam
yacht must have been struck and every nerve in his body tingled and
quivered. Only after a strong effort was he able to pull himself
together and clutch the wheel once more.

"Dick must have felt that," he murmured. "I wish--"

Another flash of lightning, but less vivid, interrupted his meditations.
He looked out of the front window towards where Dick had been standing.
Then he gave a cry of alarm.

His big brother had disappeared!



CHAPTER XX

A NIGHT OF ANXIETY

Had the lightning struck Dick and knocked him overboard?

Such was the terrifying question which Sam asked himself as he stared
out of the pilothouse window into the darkness before him. Another
flash of lightning lit up the scene and he made certain that his big
brother was nowhere in sight.

"Tom! Tom!" he yelled down the tube, frantically.

"What now, Sam?"

"Dick is gone--struck by lightning, I guess. Come up!"

At this alarming information Tom left the engine room at a bound and
came on deck almost as soon as it can be told. He met Sam running
toward the bow.

"Where was Dick?" he screamed, to make himself heard above the roaring
and shrieking of the wind.

"At the forward rail, on the lookout. He was standing there just
before that awful crash came, and I haven't seen him since."

No more was said by either, but holding fast to whatever came to
hand, the two Rovers worked their way forward until they reached the
rail where Dick had been standing. They now saw that the foretopmast
had come down, hitting the rail and breaking it loose for a distance
of several feet.

"The mast must have hit Dick and knocked him overboard," said Tom,
with a quiver in his voice.

"Oh, Tom!" Sam could say no more, but his heart sank.

The two boys stared around helplessly, not knowing what to do. Dick
was very dear to them and they could not bear to think that he was
lost, and forever.

Suddenly, as another flash of lightning lit up the scene, Sam caught
sight of something dark lying just a few feet away. He rushed over,
to see Dick lying in a heap, his head under his forearm.

"Dick! Dick!" he cried. "Are you killed?"

There was no answer, and now both Tom and Sam knelt beside their
brother and raised him up. His face was pale and the blood was flowing
from a cut over the left temple.

"The topmast hit him when it came down," said Tom. "Let us carry him
to the cabin."

They raised their brother up and, not without difficulty, took him
to the companionway and down to the cabin. Here they placed him on
the couch and Sam got some water and bathed his wounded forehead.
They saw he was not dead but unconscious from the blow received.

"I must look to the engine,--I don't want the _Mermaid_ to blow up,"
said Tom, and rushed off,--to get back in less than three minutes.
By this time Dick was gasping and groaning, and soon he opened his eyes.

"Dick," said Sam, softly. "Don't worry, you are safe."

"Sam! Th--the mast came down on m--me!"

"We know it. We found you in a heap on the deck. I was afraid you
had been knocked overboard. It was that awful flash of lightning did
it, I think."

"Yes."

Dick could say little more just then and did not try. Sam and Tom
made him as comfortable as possible and found he had suffered only
from the fall of the topmast and not the lightning stroke itself.

"If Hans felt a little better he might look after Dick, but he is
still as sick as ever," said Tom. "He declares we are all going to
the bottom and he doesn't care if we do!"

"That's the way with folks who are real seasick," answered Sam. "They
feel so utterly miserable they don't care what happens."

Leaving Dick on the couch in the cabin, Sam returned to the wheelhouse
and Tom to the engine room. The steam yacht had been drifting and
the waves were dashing over a portion of her deck. As quickly as
possible Sam brought the craft around and now headed her up to the
storm, which made her ride better than ever.

For some reason neither Sam nor Tom thought of the disagreeableness
of the situation after that. Both were overjoyed to think that Dick
had escaped serious injury. The foretopmast lay on the forward deck
still, but as it was not in the way it was allowed to remain there
for the time being.

Thus the whole of the night wore away, and with the coming of morning
the storm gradually died down. But the waves still ran high and it
was noon ere the sun came out, to cheer them up.

"I am thankful that is over," said Sam, breathing a deep sigh of
relief. "I never want to go through such a night again."

"Nor I," answered Tom. "It takes all the fun out of a chap."

Dick got up, a handkerchief tied around his forehead. He still felt
a trifle weak but that was all.

"I will take the wheel," he said to Sam. "If you want to do something
you can get breakfast--and be sure and make plenty of hot coffee,
for we need it to make us less sleepy."

As the storm went down, Hans came forth from his stateroom, pale and
so woebegone that Tom had to turn away to hide a smile.

"Vos dot storm ofer alretty?" asked Hans, sinking in a chair.

"Just about," answered Dick.

"Oh, such a night, Dick! I ton't forgot him of I lif a dousand years,
ain't it!"

"We shan't forget it either, Hans."

"Dick, I durn me insides owit more as fifty dimes, yes!" went on the
German youth, earnestly.

"We've had our own troubles too," said the eldest Rover, and then
related what had occurred. Hans was glad Dick had escaped falling
overboard but was still too weak to take a great deal of interest.

The wheel was lashed fast and the engine slowed down, and all hands
went to breakfast. It was by no means an elaborate meal, yet it made
all but Hans feel much better. The German youth had little appetite
and ate sparingly.

"Der kvicker ve git py land on der besser vill I like him," said he.

"Maybe you won't be seasick after such a dose," said Sam, hopefully.

During the night all of the Rovers had become more or less soaked
and they were anxious to find a complete change of clothing, so that
their own might be thoroughly dried.

"Sam, you can hunt around for some things," said Dick. "I'll go back
to the wheel and you, Tom, had better go back to the engine. Hans,
will you help Sam?"

"Sure I vill dot," answered the German boy.

Sam knew where there were several lockers containing both outer
clothing and underwear and he proceeded to these, followed by Hans.
They soon had one locker open and hauled forth what it contained.

"This underwear will about fit Dick and Tom," he said. "It's rather
big for me, though."

"Vell, maype der udder closets got someding schmaller in dem,"
suggested Hans, and opened up a second locker.

Here they found a variety of things, including socks, shoes, collars,
cuffs, and even fancy neckties.

"Whoever was on board of this steam yacht left everything behind him
when he went away," was the comment of the youngest Rover.

They next opened a locker filled with outer clothing, including linen
coats and panama hats. As the weather was growing warmer this just
suited the boys.

"Hello, here is a pretty big suit," observed Sam, hauling it forth
and holding it up. "The man who wore that must have been a pretty
large fellow. Even Dick would get lost in that suit."

"Dot's so!" exclaimed Hans. "Vait, I try on dot coats. Ha! Ha! Ain't
he schmall alretty!" And Hans began to roar, for the coat came to
his knees and the sleeves hid his hands from sight.

"You've got to grow, Hans, before you can fill that," said Sam, laughing.

"Vell, maype I grow some day."

"You will if you eat plenty of sauerkraut and Limburger cheese," and
Sam grinned broadly.

"I vos eat vot I blease, Sam Rofer!"

Hans took off the coat and in doing so turned the garment over. From
out of one of the pockets there fell a flat cardcase of red morocco
leather.

"Hello, you've dropped something, Hans."

"So I tit," answered the German youth, and flinging aside the coat
he picked up the leather cardcase.

"Has it got any cards in it?" questioned Sam, with sudden interest.

"Dot vos vot I vos going to see. Now vait, I vill oben him," went on
Hans, backing away as the youngest Rover reached out for the case.

"Well, do hurry, Hans! You are so slow!" cried Sam, impatiently.

"Vot's der use of hurrying ven you got lots of dime, hey?"

"I want to see what is in the case."

"Maype der tont been noddings in him."

"Hans, will you open it, please?"

"Yah."

"Well, then, do so."

With great deliberation the German youth opened the leather cardcase.
Out of it fluttered a small card photograph. Sam picked it up, gave
one look, and let out a cry of astonishment.

"Well, I never!"



CHAPTER XXI

THE PICTURE IN THE CARDCASE

"Who is it?" questioned Hans, trying to gain possession of the
photograph, but instead of answering Sam started from the cabin.

"I must show this to Dick and Tom!" he cried. "Come along."

"Yah, put--" began the German boy, and then stopped, for there was
nobody to talk to, Sam being already out of sight.

"Dick, look what I found," cried the youngest Rover, as he dashed
into the pilot house.

"A fortune?" asked Dick, with a smile.

"No, a picture. Just look!"

Dick did as requested and gave a start.

"You found this on the yacht?" he cried. "Yes. In the pocket of a
big coat hanging in one of the lockers. It was in a cardcase."

"This is certainly queer. It looks exactly like Harold Bird, doesn't it?"

"It certainly is Harold. I wonder--Oh, look!"

Sam had turned the picture over. On the back were these words, written
in a strong, masculine hand:

To father, from Harold. Merry Xmas!

"Why, Harold must have given this to his father," said Dick,
thoughtfully.--"And if so--"

"Do you think the coat belonged to Mr. Bird?" broke in Sam.

"Perhaps. Did you find anything else?"

"Ve titn't look," came from Hans, who stood in the doorway. "So dot
vos a picture of Harold Pird, alretty! Dot vos kveer!"

"It is astonishing," said Dick. "Sam, see if you can find anything else."

Sam went back and Hans with him, and while they were gone Dick,
through the speaking tube, acquainted Tom with the discovery made.

"Maybe Mr. Bird was on this steam yacht," called up Tom.

Sam and Hans went over the stuff in the lockers with care. They found
some cards bearing the name of James Morrison and a short note about
a meeting of a yacht club addressed to Barton Knox.

"Those men must have been on the _Mermaid_," said Sam. "Perhaps they
were part owners. Frequently several men or a whole club own a yacht
like this in common."

"Vell, she ton't vos a common poat," was Hans' comment. "She vos a
peauty."

Sam was on the point of giving up the search when he saw something
sticking from a crack next to the wall. He pulled the object forth
and saw it was the photograph of a big, heavy-set man with rather a
handsome face. He turned it over and gave a short gasp, for on the
back was written in pencil:

Sharwell Lee Bird, Murderer.

"What a horrible thing to write!" murmured the youngest Rover. "It
makes a fellow shiver to read it!"

"Of he killed dot man ven he vos hunting he vos sure a murderer, Sam."

"Not exactly, Hans; he didn't mean to shoot the fellow. It was
accidental."

"Yah, put der mans vos teat, ain't it!"

"Yes, and the death of the poor fellow drove Mr. Bird insane. I must
show this to Dick, and to Tom, too."

Sam took the second picture, and all on board the steam yacht discussed
the discovery for some time. But they could reach no conclusion saving
that Mr. Bird had likely been on the vessel at one time and had left
his coat and the two pictures behind him.

"Perhaps he was on this vessel after he disappeared from Kingston,"
said Tom. "If so, the question is, Where did he go after that?"

"We must tell Harold of this, the first chance we get," said Sam.

"Providing he is alive," answered Dick. "Remember, we are not at all
sure that the _Mascotte_ outlived that crash in the fog."

The middle of the afternoon found the _Mermaid_ steaming on her course
at a good rate of speed. Tom had now become fairly familiar with the
engine and he allowed the steam to run up some pounds higher than
before. Hans fell to tending the fire and Sam took turns with Dick
at the wheel.

"We ought to sight some kind of land by to-morrow," said the eldest
Rover. "But of course there is no telling where we will fetch up,
exactly."

"Somewhere on the coast of Florida, and not very many miles from
Tampa Bay, I reckon," returned Sam. "By the way, Dick, don't you
think the rascals on the _Dogstar_ have had ample time in which to
make their escape?"

"Perhaps so. But the storm may have crippled them, and we may overtake
them even yet. A sailing vessel can't make the speed a steamer or a
steam yacht can."

Twice during the afternoon they saw vessels at a distance, one a
steamer and the other a bark, and both bound westward. Neither came
close enough to be hailed and our friends did not think it wise to
raise any signals of distress.

"The yacht is running all right now," said Dick. "We may as well take
her into port and get the salvage money. The amount will be a good
round sum."

"Do you know, I shouldn't mind owning a steam yacht like this myself,"
said Tom, to whom he was speaking. "Couldn't we take some dandy trips,
off the coast of New England and elsewhere!"

"We certainly could, Tom. But you must remember that we ought to go
back to school. If we don't, we'll never get through. It's about time
I was thinking of college."

"I hate to think of leaving Putnam Hall, Dick. Why, the place is just
like a second home to me!"

"It is to all of us. But we are growing older and must either go to
college or get into business."

The sun was setting when Dick went on deck again. Hans was preparing
supper and Sam was at his station in the pilot house. The waters of
the gulf were growing calm and the scene was a beautiful one.

"This is something like," remarked the eldest Rover, as he drew in
a deep breath of fresh air. "Doesn't look like the storm of last
night, eh, Sam?"

"No, Dick, this is just splendid."

"What's that ahead?" asked the big brother, casting his eye on a dark
speck directly in the track of the steam yacht.

"I don't know--I didn't see it before."

The object, whatever it was, was a long way ahead, and by the time
they drew closer it was too dark to see clearly. But Dick saw enough
to make him cry out in astonishment:

"A rowboat, and full of men!"

The eldest Rover was indeed right, it was a large rowboat and it
contained six persons, four of whom were at the oars and the others
in the stern. The rowboat contained in addition a keg of water and
several small boxes and tins.

"Ship ahoy!" came hoarsely over the water, as the steam yacht drew
closer to the small craft.

"Ahoy!" called back Dick, and ran forward, while Sam signaled to Tom
to stop the engine.

"Can you take us on board?" was the question from a man in the rowboat.
"We've lost our ship and we are played out."

"Certainly we can take you on board," answered Dick. "Wait a minute,
and I'll throw you a rope ladder."

"Thank you very much!" called back the man.

The steam yacht was brought to a standstill and the ladder thrown
out. Soon the rowboat came tip to the ladder, and one after another
those aboard the small craft mounted to the deck of the _Mermaid_.
The three Rovers and Hans were at hand to see who they were.

"Dan Baxter!"

"Sack Todd!"

Such were the cries that came from Sam and Tom. Two of the new arrivals
were indeed the persons named, and a third was Gasper Pold.

"Did you come from the _Dogstar_?" demanded Dick.

"We did," answered Dan Baxter, sullenly. Evidently he was much
chagrined over this unexpected meeting.

"Have you been following us in this steam yacht?" asked Sack Todd,
with a sickly grin on his hard face.

"We were certainly following you," answered Tom. "But we didn't start
out in this vessel. We--"

"Tom!" said Dick, warningly, and then Tom shut up instantly.

"Who's the captain here?" demanded one of the men from the rowboat.

"I suppose I am, for the present," answered Dick.

"You!" And the man, a burly fellow, took a step back in astonishment.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"I am Sid Jeffers, first mate of the _Dogstar_. We sprung several
bad leaks in that storm last night and made up our mind the schooner
was going down. So we got out the boats and I and two men and these
three chaps manned one of them. We lost sight of the ship in the
dark,--and here we are. We're mighty hungry and we'd like something
to eat. And if you've got any liquor on board let us have it by all
means," concluded Sid Jeffers.



CHAPTER XXII

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING ON THE WATER

It was plainly to be seen that the first mate of the _Dogstar_ was
in no wise an agreeable person to meet, and the Rovers and Hans were
sorry that he and the others had come aboard the steam yacht. The
two sailors from the lumber schooner were also rough men and probably
under the thumb of the mate.

"We can give you what is on board of the _Mermaid_," said Dick, a
little stiffly. "I have not looked for liquor, so I can't say if
there is any on the vessel or not."

"Captain, and don't know what's aboard!" exclaimed Sid Jeffers.

While he was speaking Sack Todd and Dan Baxter had been looking around
the deck in the semi-darkness.

"Where are the rest of the people on this boat?" demanded the
ex-counterfeiter.

"I don't see anybody," declared Dan Baxter. "Say, do you know what
I think?" he cried suddenly. "I think these fellows are all alone!"

"Humph!" muttered Sack Todd. "If they are--" He did not finish, but
smiled quietly to himself.

"Where can we get something to eat?" demanded the first mate, after
a rather awkward pause.

"In the galley or the cabin, as you please," said Dick. "But you will
have to prepare it yourselves. We have no cook on board."

"Oh, that's it, eh? Well, Guirk can cook pretty good and he can do
the trick for us, eh, Guirk?"

"Aye, aye!" answered one of the sailors. "Just show me the victuals
an' the stove, an' I'll be after doing the rest in jig time. I'm
hungry enough to eat 'most anything."

Dick led the way to the galley and the crowd from the small boat
followed; one sailor stopping long enough to tie the rowboat astern.

"Nobody else on board, eh?" said Sid Jeffers, turning suddenly on Dick.

"No, not at present," answered the eldest Rover, boldly.

"Where are you bound?"

"For Tampa Bay."

"What vessel is this?"

"The steam yacht _Mermaid_."

"Did you charter her?"

"No, we found her," answered Dick, resolved to tell the plain truth.

"Found her?" came from the mate and also from Dan Baxter.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Out here in the gulf."

"Who was on board?" questioned Sack Todd.

"Nobody."

"Nobody!" came from all the newcomers.

"Do you mean to say there wasn't a soul on this boat when you found
her?" asked Dan Baxter, in high curiosity.

"That is the truth," said Tom. "She was drifting around, abandoned.
We simply climbed on board and took possession."

"Out in the middle of the gulf?" asked the first mate, incredulously.

"Yes."

"Ve vos shipwrecked and vos mighty glad to got on board," said Hans.

"Oh, that's it!" cried Sid Jeffers and a gleam of intelligence shot
from his eyes. "Mighty lucky you was, and no error! A ship like this
is worth a pile of money. But let us have something to eat and to
drink first and then we can talk matters over. A fellow can't pow-wow
well on an empty stomach."

He spoke a few words in a low tone to his two men and they passed
into the galley, where Hans and Sam showed them the food that was on
board. In the meantime Sid Jeffers went on a hunt for liquor, and
finding a bottle took a long drink, and then passed it over to Sack
Todd and the others.

"Dick, I don't like this at all," whispered Tom, as soon as he could
get the chance.

"Neither do I, Tom. I never expected to meet this crowd out here."

"There are six of them, while we number only four," went on the
fun-loving Rover.

"Come with me," answered Dick, softly. "Sam, you take charge for a
while," he added to his youngest brother.

Dick led the way to the main cabin of the _Mermaid_ and to a case
which was screwed fast to the wall. Inside were several pistols, and
below were several boxes of ammunition.

"I reckon I understand you," said Tom. "We had better arm ourselves
at once. There is no telling what those fellows will take it into
their heads to do."

"Let us four arm ourselves, and then hide all the other pistols,"
said Dick. "Then, if they are not armed, we'll have them at something
of a disadvantage."

They took four pistols,--one for Sam and another for Hans,--with the
necessary cartridges, and then all of the remaining weapons were
hidden at the bottom of one of the berths. This accomplished they
went on deck again, and called Sam and Hans.

"They are having a big time, eating and drinking," said Sam, as he
took the weapon handed to him. "I feel sure we will have trouble
sooner or later. Pold, Todd, and Baxter won't want to run the risk
of being arrested as soon as we land, and that mate and his men may
side with them."

"That isn't the only thing," said Dick. "They know this steam yacht
is valuable. The party to bring the vessel in to port will get big
money. Didn't the mate speak of it? That shows how his mind was running."

Our friends talked the matter over for some time, but the conversation
did not relieve their worry. They felt that there was serious trouble
ahead of them and that it might break out at any moment.

"You know the old school whistle," said Dick. "If anybody gets into
trouble whistle, and then the others can come to his aid." And so it
was agreed.

Not knowing what else to do, Dick went to the pilot house followed
by Hans, while Tom returned to the engine room and Sam to his job as
fireman. Soon the engine was started up once more, and the steam
yacht headed again for the western coast of Florida. It proved to be
a clear night, and though there was no moon the stars shone brightly
in the heavens.

A full hour went by, during which time the party from the _Dogstar_
made themselves at home aboard the _Mermaid_. They feasted on the
best the steam yacht afforded and several of the men drank a good-deal
of liquor.

"This is like falling into the softest kind of a snap," declared Sack
Todd, after he and Gasper Pold had been talking in a corner for some
time. "They don't own this steam yacht any more than we do."

"Right you are," answered the other.

"And if they calculate to take us to Tampa and hand us over to the
officers of the law, why--"

"Not much, Todd! I am not going to prison just yet."

"Can you trust Jeffers? You seem to know him pretty well."

"I think I can. Jeffers is close--he likes money--and he sees big
money in this steam yacht."

"That's an idea! Now what of the two sailors?"

"I think Guirk and the other fellow will do what the first mate tells
them to--especially if he promises them good wages for the job."

"And what of Baxter? Remember, he used to go to school with the Rovers."

"I don't know what to make of him. Sometimes I think he is all right,
and then again I don't feel like trusting him."

"That's my way of it, too. We don't want anybody we can't trust in this."

"Oh, he'll have to do as we say."

"Hello, what's up there?" shouted Sid Jeffers, from the bench where
he was sitting, finishing some liquor before him.

"We want to talk certain things over," said Gasper Pold. "Come here."

In a cautious manner Sack Todd and Gasper Pold "sounded" the first
mate of the ill-fated _Dogstar_. They said, if they could get control
of the steam yacht, it might mean big money to all concerned.

"But what will you do with those Rover boys and the Dutch lad?" asked
Jeffers.

"Oh, we can either cast them adrift somewhere or else put them off
on a deserted shore," answered Sack Todd. "Then I can turn this steam
yacht over to a friend of mine--an utter stranger to them--and he
can get the salvage on the craft for us and we can divide up."

This plan to make money appealed strongly to the first mate, and he
finally agreed to aid the others in gaining possession of the craft.
Then the two sailors were instructed by Jeffers and they agreed to
do as ordered, leaving the consequences on the mate's shoulders.
Finally Dan Baxter was consulted.

"I don't care what you do, so long as we can get away from the officers
of the law," said the bully. "But don't kill anybody--I won't stand
for that," he added, showing that his hard heart had at least one
soft spot in it.



CHAPTER XXIII

THE ENEMY TRIES TO TAKE POSSESSION

"Say, boy, come down in the cabin; I want to talk to you."

It was Sack Todd who spoke and he addressed Hans, who had left the
pilot house to look over the stern, to see if the rowboat was still safe.

"Vot you vonts of me?" asked Hans, in surprise.

"I want to ask you a few questions," returned Todd, smoothly.

Hans was a trifle suspicious, and yet he saw no direct reason for
refusing to comply with Sack Todd's request. He followed the
ex-counterfeiter across the deck and down the companionway.

"I want to ask your opinion of this letter," said Sack Todd, as he
laid a written sheet on the table. "We can't understand it at all.
I know you are a pretty smart boy and maybe you can help us."

Flattered by the compliment paid him, the German youth took up the
letter and scanned it by the light of the swinging lamp. As he did
so, Sack Todd closed the cabin door and motioned to Gasper Pold and
Dan Baxter, who stood behind an angle of the wall.

Almost before he could realize it, poor Hans was a prisoner. His arms
were held tightly by someone, while someone else thrust a gag into
his mouth and fastened it by means of a cloth running to the back of
his neck.

"Sthop! ton't choke me!" he gasped, and that was all he was allowed
to utter. Then his arms were fastened, and his feet secured.

"Now, into the stateroom with him!" cried Gasper Pold, and the three
evildoers lifted the prisoner up, carried him into one of the
staterooms, and threw him on the berth. Then the door was closed and
locked.

"That's Number One," declared Sack Todd. "And an easy job, too."

"If you can bag the others as easily, it will be a grand job," was
Dan Baxter's comment.

"We must get one of those chaps up from below next," said Gasper
Pold. "Baxter, you can go down and tell one of them his brother in
the wheelhouse wants to see him. We'll catch him on the stairs."

"All right," said the former bully of Putnam Hall.

He hurried down to the engine room and then to the nearest coal
bunker, where Sam was shoveling coal.

"Sam!" he called out, to make himself heard.

"Hullo, Dan Baxter, what do you want?"

"Dick wants you on deck at once."

"What for?"

"I don't know--I think Hans has a fit. That Dutch boy always was a
queer stick," muttered Dan Baxter.

"All right, I'll go up," answered the youngest Rover, and dropping
his shovel, he hurried through the engine room.

"Sam!" called Tom, warningly, but his brother did not hear him on
account of the noise made by the machinery.

All unconscious of the trap laid for him, poor Sam started to go on
deck, when he was hurled backward in a dark corner of a passageway.
Somebody came down on top of him, a gag was forced into his mouth,
and a rope was brought into use.

"Let--let up!" he managed to say. "Help!" And then his wind was
completely cut off for the moment until the gag was secured.

But though gagged the youngest Rover was game and did not give up.
He squirmed and kicked and landed a blow on Gasper Pold and another
on Dan Baxter. In return the former bully of Putnam Hall kicked him
in the side, and then the men tied him up, hands and feet.

"Where will you put him?" asked Baxter.

"Put him in another of the staterooms,--for the present," answered
Sack Todd. "After we have got them all we can put them somewhere else."

"Shall we search him?" went on Dan Baxter, who was anxious to know
what Sam might be carrying.

"Not now--we haven't time."

Poor Sam was placed in a stateroom next to that occupied by Hans,
and then the evildoers hurried off to see what they could do in the
way of capturing Dick. They expected to take the eldest Rover unawares,
but in this they were mistaken.

In the meantime, Tom, full of suspicion from the very start, called
up the speaking tube to his brother.

"I say, Dick, what's the mater with Dutchy?"

"Hans? Nothing that I know of," returned Dick. "Why?"

"Dan Baxter was just down here and said you wanted Sam quick--that
something was wrong with Hans."

"I didn't send for Sam!" cried Dick, excitedly. He looked around him
in the gloom. "Hans isn't here," he went on, down the tube.

"Well, look out--I think something is wrong," shouted back Tom. "Got
your pistol handy?"

Dick felt in his pocket, and found the weapon where he had placed
it. Then he looked around again, but the deck of the _Mermaid_ appeared
to be deserted.

"I'm going to see what has become of Sam!" he shouted down the tube.
"I'll tie the wheel fast."

"Keep out of trouble!" shouted back Tom. "If I don't hear from you
pretty quick I'll be up myself," he added.

With his hand on his pistol, Dick left the wheelhouse and walked
slowly and cautiously toward the waist of the steam yacht. As he
rounded a corner of the cabin he heard a murmur of voices, and the
next moment he found himself confronted by Pold, Todd, the mate of
the _Dogstar_, and Dan Baxter.

The evildoers were taken somewhat by surprise and halted in confusion.
In the semi-darkness Dick saw that one carried a gag and cloth and
the two others ropes.

"There he is!" faltered Dan Baxter, before he had time to think.

"No, you don't!" cried Dick, stepping back several paces. "What were
you going to do?" he demanded.

"We want to talk to you," answered Sack Todd, smoothly.

"What do you want? Stand back! I don't want any of you to come closer."

"See here, Mr. Rover, it's all right," came from Gasper Pold. "We
ain't going to harm you. We only want to have a little peaceable
palaver."

"Where is my brother Sam? And where is Hans Mueller?"

"They are both in the cabin. I was going to ask you to join us, in
a general talk," said Sack Todd, catching his cue from Gasper Pold
as to how best to proceed.

"We want to find out where you are taking us," put in the mate of
the _Dogstar_.

"You are acting very queerly," said Dick. He had backed up close to
one of the small cabin windows, which was open. "Sam! Hans!" he yelled
suddenly, and at the top of his lungs.