distinguish more than bare hints of sound or sight; then
suddenly the hum ceased; not suddenly, either, but as if a crowd of men
walked away, chattering as they went, and gradually passed beyond
earshot.

"Say, Barry, isn't that a tiny streak o' light about where the forward
stateroom porthole should be?" whispered Little presently.

"I don't see it--wait, get my night glasses from the companionway." The
glasses rendered the schooner perfectly clear as to outline; they
revealed a ship deserted to all outward sign; but they also revealed a
slender streak of light where Little's keen eyes had detected it.

"You're right!" said Barry. "That's a light supposed to be covered by
the curtains, and badly done or purposely foozled. I'm going over to
look--see. Coming?"

"What d' ye suppose? Think Miss Sheldon may be there?"

"Just what I do think. And I'm going to find out. If she's there under
restraint, I'm going to haul her out if it busts all Vandersee's plans
higher than a kite. If she's there of her own free will, she can stay,
and I'll wish her good luck of her choice. Here, give me a hand with
this paint punt; it's the smallest thing that'll carry us."

A paint punt is a small, flat, square-ended raft with raised sides, used
for floating around a ship's water line to renew the boot-topping paint.
A single oar, used as a scull, a pair of oars, or a paddle, are all
equally capable of navigating such a craft; and Barry and Little shoved
off with a paddle apiece, sending the tiny float softly and easily
across the river. They entered the patch of shadow cast by the schooner
and dipped their paddles with greater caution. But no challenge greeted
them; they pulled up under the overhanging stern of the vessel itself
without obstruction.

And as they reached the side, the tiny streak of light above their
heads vanished,--not as if suddenly curtained, but as if utterly
extinguished.

"Here, look around for something to get up by," whispered Barry, hauling
the punt along the side by digging his fingers into the above-water
seams which the long sun-blistering had opened. The main rigging was the
first available means of access, and the skipper clambered nimbly into
the channels, making no more noise than a cat. He raised himself above
the rail and peered down upon dark, mysterious decks, untouched by a
single ray of relieving light. And his breath stopped painfully at the
shadowy sight that struck upon his senses out of t