gh he were
trying to discover some secret panel, a passage or hiding place, or
something like that. And Captain Brisco certainly was rather brusque
about it. I do hope there won't be any quarreling or mutiny aboard the
_Mary Ellen_ when we put out to sea."

For a time Alice was a little alarmed, but she soon recovered her
composure, and was able to take her part in the conversation.

The _Mary Ellen_ was indeed assuming a "ship-shape" appearance. The
litter that had obstructed her decks on the first visit had given place
to a semblance of neatness. The craft had been newly painted and she
glistened in the sun, her brass work having been highly polished.

"A few more days and we'll pull out of here," announced Captain Brisco,
as they went up on deck. "Then I suppose you folks will begin to cut up
all sorts of capers," and he smiled indulgently. He seemed to have
recovered his good nature, or, rather, perhaps, to have summoned some of
it to be used on this occasion.

"Well, we'll leave the 'cutting-up' to Mr. Switzer," said Paul with a
laugh. "He's the comedian of the company."

One of the workmen approached and asked the captain some question. It
seemed to be about pumps, though the girls did not understand it very
clearly.

"You needn't bother to mend those valves," the commander said. "We
shan't need the pumps anyhow, and there's no use putting too much time
and work on the old hulk. Pertell told me to get her ready for sea so
she'd last a reasonable length of time. They're going to wreck her
anyhow, you know."

"Yes, I know. But those pumps----"

"Let 'em go!" the commander ordered. "Now about those stays," and he and
the sailor plunged into a mass of technical details in which the moving
picture girls were not interested, nor, I am sure, would you be, my
readers.

In spite of all the work that had been done on the _Mary Ellen_, she was
still far from being a fine ship. Many things were left undone, as they
would not show in a picture. As the captain had said, Mr. Pertell was
not desirous of putting too much time or expense on her, just to send
her to the bottom after a few days' use. Still the craft had to be
rendered seaworthy, as some views were to be taken showing her progress
down the coast to the Florida Straits.

A little later Captain Brisco was called below, and he took leave of his
visitors, saying he would be busy for some hours.

"Well, it's time for us to go," Ruth said. "We promised to meet