mself, swiftly. "Most of the men in the
crowd must have been his own men, too, posted to take the money
again, under pretense that a fight with sailors had started.
So I've been the means of blocking another profitable enterprise
for that fellow, Cosetta. By and by the scoundrel will feel a
deep liking for me!"

The first thief, he whose wrist Seaman Rogers had broken, had
promptly vanished. Unmolested, the blue-jackets escorted the
carriage out on to a dock next to the one at which the launch
from the "_Long Island_" lay.

Dave himself assisted the woman to alight from her carriage on
the dock, at the end of which lay an American steamship.

After she had thanked the young officer earnestly, Darrin, cap
in hand, remarked:

"I am afraid I shall have to trouble you, madam, for your name.
I shall have to turn in a report on this occurrence on my return
to my ship."

"I am Mrs. Alice Black," replied the woman. "My home is in Elberon,
Ohio, and I shall probably go there soon after I reach New York.
This steamship does not sail immediately, but my money will be
safe on board with the purser."

Darrin gave his own name.

"You have done me the greatest service possible, Mr. Darrin, for
you have saved me from utter poverty."

"Then I am very glad indeed," Dave assured her, and promptly took
his leave.

Before going off the dock Darrin secured the name of the boatswain's
mate, also, for inclusion in his report.

Then, with Rogers, he returned to the launch and was speedily
back on his own ship.

The packet of papers entrusted to him by the consul were at once
handed over to Captain Gales.

The launch was left fast to a swinging boom, and soon after was
employed to take ashore Lieutenant Cantor, who had received shore
leave for a few hours.

For the first time in several days, Dave and Dan had time to chat
together that afternoon. That was after Darrin had turned in
a brief report on the assistance rendered an American woman ashore.

"Cantor seems to have let up on you, apart from being as grouchy
as he knows how to be," Danny Grin observed.

"That is because there is nothing he can really do to me," Dave
answered, with a smile.

"Just the same," urged Dan, "I would advise you at all times to
keep your weather eye turned toward that chap."

"He really isn't worth the trouble," Dave yawned, behind his hand.
"And, fortunately, I shall not always be compelled to serve under
him. Officers are frequentl