ob and I'll do the fighting."

Together they made their way into the presence of the mutineers, who
were crowded into the main cabin.

"Well, here's a conspiracy," cried Dan DeMille, but there was no anger
in his voice. "How did you escape? I was just thinking of unlocking
your door, Monty, but the key seemed to be missing."

Peggy displayed it triumphantly.

"By Jove," cried Dan. "This is rank treachery. Who was on guard?"

A steward rushing through the cabin at this moment in answer to frantic
calls from Bragdon furnished an eloquent reply to the question.

"It was simple," said Monty. "The guards deserted their post and left
the key behind."

"Then it is up to me to pay you a thousand dollars."

"Not at all," protested Monty, taken aback. "I did not escape of my own
accord. I had help. The money is yours. And now that I am free," he
added quietly, "let me say that this boat does not go to Boston."

"Just what I expected," cried Vanderpool.

"She's going straight to New York!" declared Monty. The words were
hardly uttered when a heavy sea sent him sprawling across the cabin,
and he concluded, "or to the bottom."

"Not so bad as that," said Captain Perry, whose entrance had been
somewhat hastened by the lurch of the boat. "But until this blows over
I must keep you below." He laughed, but he saw they were not deceived.
"The seas are pretty heavy and the decks are being holystoned for
nothing, but I wouldn't like to have any of you washed overboard by
mistake."

The hatches were battened down, and it was a sorry company that tried
to while away the evening in the main cabin. Monty's chafing about the
advantages of the North Cape over the stormy Atlantic was not
calculated to raise the drooping spirits, and it was very early when he
and his shattered guests turned in. There was little sleep on board the
"Flitter" that night. Even if it had been easy to forget the danger,
the creaking of the ship and the incessant roar of the water were
enough for wakefulness. With each lurch of the boat it seemed more
incredible that it could endure. It was such a mite of a thing to meet
so furious an attack. As it rose on the wave to pause in terror on its
crest before sinking shivering into the trough, it made the breath come
short and the heart stand still. Through the night the fragile little
craft fought its lonely way, bravely ignoring its own weakness and the
infinite strength of its enemy. To the captain, lashed to t