d Frank quietly, making his
appearance again, gun in hand. The boat had moved a length or so, and
then floated on the smooth water of the lagoon.

A shout from the sharpie had told that the spongers believed they meant
to run off, and at the same time one of them was seen flourishing a gun.

"Hold up, there, you rascals, you!" came across the water, and a shot
followed, the bullet splashing close to the motor-boat.

"Don't you try that again, there, or we'll give you a broadside! Do you
hear?" shouted Frank, as he and his chums lifted their array of weapons
so that the men could easily see what they were up against.

The sharpie kept pushing on until close by. Then a sudden shifting of the
rudder caused the boat with the tall masts to "come to" in the wind, with
her dingy sails shivering as they hung there lifeless.

"We want that kid!" called a tall, gaunt man with a red beard.

"That's Uncle Ben!" exclaimed Joe, who was peeping over the gunwale.

"Well, you'll have to take it out in wanting, then, because you're not
going to get him. Joe says you beat him. He prefers to stay with us, and
we're going to take him home to his mother in Cedar Keys. Get that?"
called Frank.

The three men conferred together for a minute or two.

"Say! my breakfast's getting cold! I wish they'd hurry," remarked Bluff.

Will was getting busy himself. The old familiar click announced that he
had secured a picture of the three spongers at a time when they stood out
plainly.

"Hey, you fellers! What yuh mean a-comin' an' stealin' my nephew out o'
my boat? He signed for the cruise, he did. It's ag'in the law, what yuh
did, an' yer liable ter git yerselves in trouble," the red-bearded man
now called.

"We can stand it if you can. The marks on this boy will settle your case
for you. Better go on about your business. We don't want any fight, but
just make up your minds that if you start it we're going to shoot holes
through every one of your crowd. That's enough talk. Now, twenty-three
for yours!"

It was seldom that Frank used slang, but just then he was in want of a
better expression by means of which to give vent to his feelings.

Bluff was already sitting down and eating, though he kept hold of his gun
at the same time, like a true soldier on duty. The trio of spongers
talked among themselves for a short time, then, with many harsh words,
they pushed their boat around with a pole until the dingy canvas took
the breeze again, aft