here you are bound to lose a week and your board
anyhow."

"I'd like to go first rate, but I don't know anything about
sponging."

"You'll learn fast enough. Can you scull?"

"A little. I can row better."

"Have to scull in sponging, but you'll pick that up. Can you come
aboard now? I want to be off."

"I need some clothes and would like to say 'good-bye' to some
friends on the steamer."

"I can fit you out on board with all the clothes you will need on
the cruise, so hurry up and see your friends. I'll wait here for
you."

But Molly and her father had left the steamer and Dick went with
Captain Wilson aboard his sloop, which sailed at once.

The captain hunted up some clothes for Dick to wear while sponging
and as the boy came on deck after putting them on, his first glance
fell on the white sails of a schooner yacht which had just passed
them, but was then two hundred yards away. The beauty of the boat
appealed to Dick and his eyes rested lingeringly upon her. How much
greater would have been his interest had he known that the two
forms which he could see on the deck of the yacht, near the
companionway, were the Molly of whom he was thinking at that moment,
and her father, and that they were talking of him. What a pity that
he couldn't have known that Key West had been searched for him and
that Molly's father had offered a reward for his name and address!
Had Dick come on deck two minutes sooner the bow of the yacht
_Gypsey_ would have been thrown up in the wind and that tiny launch
lowered from the boat's davits in less time than it takes to tell of
it. And then, had Molly's father known Dick's name, he would have
taken the boy to his yacht, if he had had to tie him to do it, but
if Dick had once heard the name of Molly's father it would not have
been necessary to tie him. However, if either had known the name of
the other this story would not have been written.

CHAPTER III

LIFE ON A SPONGER

The yacht sailed on and Dick, walking up to Captain Wilson, who
stood at the wheel, said, as he lifted his cap:

"I beg to report for duty, sir." The captain grinned, as he replied:

"I hope you'll always be as polite. You'll sure be a curiosity on
this coast. I'll put you in with Pedro. He doesn't know much
English, but you can talk enough for both. There he is, that
black-mustached fellow, with little rings in his ears. He will let
you know what your duties are."

A string of four dingies traile