g, and it isn't far."

A short time later the four of them stood at the gangplank of the _Mary
Ellen_. They saw no signs of any men on deck, but they were doubtless
below, making the repairs, which must be nearly finished.

"Come on," said Russ, leading the way. "We'll go aboard."

As they stood on deck, looking about them, they saw no one, but the
companionway was in plain sight, and they started toward it, intending
to go down into the main cabin.

The place was rather dimly lighted, but when their eyes had become used
to the gloom, they caught sight of a solitary figure in the forward end
of the main compartment.

"It's Jack Jepson," whispered Alice to her companions. "We'll give him a
surprise. Keep quiet now. His back is toward me and I'll tiptoe up
behind him and put my hands over his eyes. I'll make him guess who it
is. He'll think some British suffragette has taken him on that silly
charge of mutiny," she went on.

"Be careful," admonished Ruth. "No pranks, Alice."

"This isn't a prank. Keep quiet now."

The old sailor was evidently not aware that visitors were in the cabin,
for they had made little noise in descending the companion stairs, and
what little they had caused was drowned by the distant noise of
carpenters' hammers.

As Alice advanced, the others remaining back in the semi-darkness, they
all heard Jack Jepson break into a sort of monologue. He was talking to
himself, in fashion something like this.

"It ought to be hereabouts, if it's anywhere, and I'm sure it is. I
can't be mistaken. They have cut her down, and made a lot of changes,
but they can't fool me. I was suspicious when I first came aboard, and
I'm more so every minute. I'm going to find out for sure, while I have
the chance. Let me think now."

He leaned up against a bulkhead, while Alice glanced back at her friends
in some surprise. What meant the words they had overheard? The old
sailor seemed strangely excited, and he was passing his hand over the
paneling of the cabin as though in search of something long forgotten,
or dimly remembered.

A moment later another step was heard in the apartment, and Captain
Brisco entered. He started at the sight of Jepson, though the commander
had not yet seen the four young people.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a hoarse voice. The old salt
started back as though caught in some guilty act.

CHAPTER XIII

"ALL ABOARD!"

Ruth, Alice, Paul and Russ remained silent and