lly. Frank saw him handling some of the wires that ran to spark
plugs in the four cylinder heads.

"Better let things alone," cautioned the older Racer lad. "You might
get something out of order."

"I just thought of a little joke I can play on the fellow who owns
this," chuckled Andy, as he disconnected one of the high-tension cables.

"Oh you and your jokes!" objected Frank, somewhat sternly. "You'll get
more than you count on, some day."

"Oh, I'm only going to fix things so that when he turns on the
batteries and starts to turn over the fly wheel he'll get a shock,"
explained Andy. "I'll just cross these wires and----"

Andy Racer didn't finish what he was going to say. Instead he jumped
back as though he had been stung by a hornet, and let out a yell:

"Wow! Sufferin' cats!" he cried, holding one hand in the other and
prancing about.

"What's the matter?" asked Frank in some alarm.

"I got a fearful shock! The wires were short-circuited and I didn't
know it! Smoked mackerel! I got a big charge of electricity!" howled
Andy.

"Serves you right for meddling with other people's boats, and trying to
play jokes on them," declared Frank, as sternly as he could, though he
had to laugh at the wry face Andy was making as he danced about.

"Huh! Guess you wouldn't think it funny if you had about twenty-seven
hornets after you!" grumbled the younger lad.

"Well, maybe you'll get over playing jokes some day," predicted Frank.

"I didn't suppose it was going to turn out this way," was the dubious
answer.

"Well, come aboard now, and we'll get under way," said Frank, trying
not to laugh.

A little later, under a spanking breeze, the _Gull_ was standing out
for Cliff Island, while the boys peered eagerly forward for the first
sight of the bit of land in the big bay which might mean so much to
them.

"Are you going to sail straight up to it?" asked Andy after they had
covered several miles.

"Well, the best place to drop anchor is in that little inlet on the
east side. To get to that we have to sail half way around the island,
and I was thinking we might as well make a complete circuit."

"Why?"

"Oh, we might see something of the man, or the boat, and that would
give us a line on how to act. After we go around we can tie up in the
inlet and row ashore. Then we can begin our search."

"I guess that's a good plan," assented Andy; "Now I'll go get some grub
ready and by that time we may sight the