Larry. "If you sail the
_Polly_ with care perhaps you can catch her--if they don't play us some
trick."

The chase was now on in earnest, and the cadets on board the sloop did
all in their power to make speed. There was a fair breeze, the gale
having gone down while they were at the house.

"I don't think they know much about running a boat," said Tom,
presently. "What are they up to now?"

"They are turning back!" cried Sam. "See, they are headed for yonder
cove. They are not going up to the three rocks."

"What cove is that?" asked Songbird. "Is it the place we went fishing
the day we caught the turtle?"

"Yes."

"Then they had better look out! Don't you remember those sharp rocks,
right near the mouth of the cove?"

Those who had been fishing the day mentioned did remember the rocks, and
they watched the boat ahead with keen interest. The wind had freshened a
little and the craft had swung around swiftly and was rushing for the
cove. They could see one of the men trying to lower the mainsail.

"They are in dangerous water!" cried Dick.

He had just uttered the words when they saw the boat strike something,
shiver from stem to stern, and back away. Then she went ahead and struck
a second time. A second later she went over to larboard, throwing the
two men and Tad Sobber into the lake!

"They've struck the rocks!"

"The boat is sinking!"

"They are all in the water!"

"Lower the mainsail!" yelled Larry. "We don't want to get caught on the
rocks! Sheer off, Dick!"

Dick swung the tiller around, and in a few seconds the mainsail came
down with a bang and was secured by the others. The jib was still up,
and this drew just sufficiently to send them forward slowly, to the spot
where the catastrophe had occurred.

They found Pike floundering around in the water, yelling lustily for
aid. Sid Merrick and Tad Sobber had struck out for the nearest part of
the shore, about two hundred feet away.

"Here, catch hold of this and I'll pull you up," said Tom, reaching down
to Pike with a pole. The floundering man did as told willingly, and was
quickly hauled to the deck. Then the _Polly_ was turned toward the shore
and the jib was lowered.

It was no easy task to bring the sloop in, for they had to beware of the
rocks, and by the time this was accomplished Sid Merrick and Tad Sobber
had landed and were running for the woods with all possible speed. Dick
raised his shotgun and fired to scare them, but they kept o