," I tried to laugh. "Maybe you and she are
wrecked on a desert island at this blissful moment."

"I wish we were," he murmured, without looking around. "And you and
Sylvia, too!"

"Cut it," I growled. "She's a princess, Tommy, and that puts the kibosh
on my dreams."

"Nell's a princess, too," he said gently, "and I still hang on. Tilt up
your chin, Jack, and things'll squeeze through for us! We'll ship the
old counterfeiter to prison, or kill him, and then----"

"And then," I said bitterly, turning to go below, "Princess Sylvia goes
to the arms of some popinjay prince!"

But I had taken only a step when his hand fell on my shoulder like a
piece of steel and whirled me around. There was nothing gentle in his
voice this time as he sharply commanded:

"Look at me, you damn slacker, and let's see if I'm talking to the man I
fought the Boche with!"

I must have appeared rather well indignant with him, for he gave a low,
reassured laugh, adding:

"That's better. Now I want to say, once and for all--and I swear it on
each of these stars, both for myself and Nell--that if we catch up with
Princess Sylvia, and you let her be taken away, I'll punch your face
into a jolly good pulp, so help me old Kentucky! Good _night_!"

"If you're man enough to do it," I yelled after him.

Fine old Tommy! I believe I loved him then better than ever before.

CHAPTER VIII

THE CHASE BEGINS

I slept like a log and was awake, anxious to turn out, at the peep of
dawn. But Gates was ahead of me when I reached the deck. Our anchor had
just been hoisted, and every sail was set, though nearly limp with a
negligible breeze.

"What news?" I asked.

"Nothing, sir; leastwise nothing of the _Orchid_. She's gone."

"We expected that. Any idea which way?"

"I talked to a sponge fisher who came by a while back, sir, and he said
a schooner yacht sailed about midnight, or maybe later; north, he said.
But she carn't have got far, as there hasn't been hardly any air
stirring all night till this little one now. If it wasn't so heavy off
there we might see her, I farncy. The mate's aloft, sir."

I looked up and saw him steadily sweeping the distance with his
binoculars; but, as Gates had said, the horizon in all directions was
heavy, and in such weather our search, indeed, seemed next to useless.
With the world a playground, how could we find this vagrant yacht.

Then I let my eyes rest on the tinted east, marvelling at what a
curiou