tic and good-looking," agreed Miss Dixon.
"But perhaps this is only for moving pictures."

"Oh, pshaw! Perhaps it is!" sighed her companion, and the two of them,
who had been taking surreptitious glances in mirrors, enclosed in the
flaps of their bags, ceased "primping," until they could be sure whether
or not there was any object in it.

"What's it all about?" asked Miss Dixon again.

"Oh, they're going to take one of our men, I believe," said Pop Snooks,
the property "angel," as the ladies often called him.

"Oh dear! What are they? Pirates?" gasped Miss Pennington.

"No, it's Jack Jepson they're after. Some old charge, I believe."

"Ha! I knew something would happen on this voyage!" exclaimed Mr. Pepper
Sneed. "I felt it in my bones all along."

"Good thing you're not disappointed," murmured Alice.

"Oh dear!" sighed her sister. "It's too bad. And I liked Jack so."

"So did I," returned Alice. "But they're a long while sending that
boat."

It did seem so, for there were no signs yet, of one being lowered over
the side, though Captain Brisco, after the command to lay to, had
ordered his accommodation ladder lowered to receive the visitors.

Then came another hail from the steamer.

"_Mary Ellen_ ahoy!"

"Aye, aye!"

"We won't send a boat right away. A hurricane is sweeping up fast, and
this is a bad locality in which to be caught," called one of the
steamer's officers through a megaphone. "We'll have to get out of here,
and so had you better. There's no sea-room here. We'll pick you up
later, and don't forget you are in English waters, and subject to our
orders. We're going to have that man!"

"Well, if you put it that way, of course I'll have to give in," said
Captain Brisco. "I'll wait for you after the blow."

"Well, that's a respite, anyhow, but not a very pleasant one," said
Alice.

"No," agreed Jack Jepson, who breathed easier now. "We're in for a bad
storm, I reckon. We'll have to make everything snug."

"Attention!" once more came the hail from the steamer, and when Captain
Brisco answered, he was ordered to follow a certain course by compass,
as being safest.

"Then I can pick you up!" the steamer captain cried as the propellers
began to churn the water. The British vessel swept away, leaving Jack
Jepson still on the schooner, but under threat of arrest.

Then the forerunner of the storm came, filling the sails of the _Mary
Ellen_, and heeling her over until the lee scuppers were awas