misgiving on the
part of those who witnessed it.

Inez was almost a spoiled child from the indulgence shown her by every
one with whom she came in contact. She distrusted no one, because she
had never had any reason to do so. It was night when the officers of
the schooner were rowed back, and those who had seen Inez taken away
did not observe that the boat returned without her. Holding no thought
of anything wrong, they gave no further attention to the strange
sailor.

The moment Captain Strathmore learned these facts, he caused an abrupt
change to be made in the course of the _Polynesia_. For he was
determined that no effort should be spared to recover the lost child,
who had so endeared herself to every one on board the steamer.

The precise point where the accident had befallen the shaft was
recorded on the log, as a matter of course, and it was within the
power of the chief officer to return wonderfully close to that spot.
If the schooner _Coral_ should remain anywhere in that latitude and
longitude, she could be found and Inez recovered.

"But it is not likely the schooner is near there," reflected Captain
Strathmore, as he swept the horizon with his glass and failed to catch
sight of a sail. "They could not have taken away the child ignorantly,
and instead of remaining there or attempting to find us, the captain
has headed in some direction which is not the one he named, as if by
accident, when he was aboard."

The captain was in that mood that it would have been dangerous for him
to come upon the daring thieves. He could conceive of no explanation
that would relieve them from his wrath, and as the steamer described
a huge curve in the sea and headed toward the point where he hoped to
gain sight of the sail, full steam was put on, and she ran at a rate
of speed which, in the condition of her shaft, was certainly dangerous
to a high degree.

It may be said there was not a heart on board the _Polynesia_ that did
not share in the general anxiety, and there was scarcely an eye that
did not scan the broad ocean again and again in the hope of catching
sight of the schooner.

Several sails were descried in the course of the day, but not one was
that of the _Coral_, and when the night descended not only had there
been a complete failure, but the captain was convinced that it was
useless for him to delay the steamer by hunting further.

With an angry and sad heart he gave over the search, and the
_Polynesia_ was