ess ship through waters so full of dangers that it
would be folly to venture in their midst in broad daylight and with
full steam-power."

Then Courtenay took off his sou'wester, and bowed.

"I had no idea I had such expert critics on board. Is it you,
Christobal, who has followed the ship's course so closely?"

"Not I, my dear fellow. Miss Maxwell is only saying what I feel,
indeed, but could not have expressed as admirably. Our silent friend,
Tollemache, is the man who observes. I was so amazed when I came on
deck half an hour ago that I sought him out, and he told me something
of the night's later happenings. So I took the liberty of arousing
Miss Maxwell from a very sound sleep, but we thought it best not to
disturb you by appearing on the bridge until you had done everything
you had planned."

"I shall never understand how I came to fall asleep," said Elsie. "I
remember feeling very tired; I sat down for a moment, and that ended
it. The next thing I heard was a rapping on my door, and Dr.
Christobal's voice bidding me hurry if I would see the entrance to the
harbor."

The two men exchanged glances. Courtenay laughed, so pleasantly that
it was good to hear.

"Yet there was I up aloft, maneuvering the ship in the firm faith that
Dr. Christobal was busy in the cook's galley," said he.

"Ah, we have news for you," cried Elsie. "One of the poor fellows who
was knocked on the head during that terrible fight for the boats was
the master cook himself. He is better now, and breakfast can be ready
in five minutes. I'll go and tell him."

She ran off, and Joey scampered by her side, for he knew quite well
where the kitchen lay.

"Bromide is useful at times," murmured Christobal, watching Elsie until
she had disappeared. Then he turned to Courtenay.

"I suppose you have seen nothing of the boats?"

"No sign whatever. And I could hardly have missed them if they were
here. They may have escaped, but I doubt it. The sea ran very high
for a time, and the _Kansas_ scraped past so many reefs that it was
almost impossible for each of the three boats to have done the same."

"Even if one or more of them reached land, there is small likelihood
that they would turn up in this particular bay?"

"That is true, especially if they used their sails. The Chileans who
got away in the life-boats would know sufficient of the coast to
endeavor to make a northerly course, while my parting instructions to
Malcolm we