ht sight of a cloud of smoke in the moonlight, and
saw dancing flames near the surface of the water. Then Frank uttered a
cry of alarm:

"It's our boat--the _Gull_--she's on fire!" he yelled.

CHAPTER XII

THE STRANGER AGAIN

Frank and Andy ran as they had never run before. Out on the long pier
they speeded, their eyes turned toward their boat which they could now
hardly see on account of the haze of smoke.

"How do you think it happened?" panted Andy.

"Don't know. We've got to get the fire out first, and think afterward.
Come on, leg it faster!"

Once more they heard the cries of fire.

"That's Bob Trent!" called Frank. "There he goes out in his boat!
We'll have to get some sort of a pump."

"That's--right!" gasped Andy.

The brothers were now at the gangway leading down to the float.
Several men and boys who had been fishing off the end of the pier were
gathered there, and it was they who had been shouting.

"Guess your boat's a goner," observed Captain Trent. "Bob has gone out
to her."

There was now more smoke than fire aboard the _Gull_, but it seemed to
the boys only a matter of a few seconds when the flames would again
break out.

"Is there a pump? Has anyone a pump?" begged Frank.

"Here's a small one they use to get the bilge water out of their motor
boats," said the dock master, for the pier was a station for a yacht
club, and the dock-keeper lived in a small house on the pier. "It
doesn't throw much of a stream, though."

"Better use pails," cried Captain Trent. "Here are a couple I use for
clams. Take 'em along. The fire started sudden-like, when we were all
standing here talking about the whale."

Andy and Frank did not stay to hear more. Quickly they shoved off in
their skiff and were soon approaching the _Gull_, at the side of which
Bob Trent now was.

"It's a lot of hay smoldering!" he shouted. "Maybe I can get it
overboard with my boathook. Come on, fellows."

"Row! Row!" cried Frank, for Andy had the only available pair of oars.

"I am rowing as hard as I can. Hay on fire! We had no hay on our
boat. Someone must have put it there and tried to burn it!"

"I guess so. But don't talk--save your breath for rowing."

A minute later Frank and Andy were beside Bob in his boat. Dense smoke
was pouring from the _Gull_, and Frank, dipping up a pailful of water,
dashed it into the cockpit. There was a hiss, showing that fire was
present.

"Wait!" cried Bob.