be enough water
for us if we can find it. I've about arrived at the conclusion that the
_Follow Me_ was mighty well named, Harry. We've been following her for
twelve hours, pretty near, and as things look now we'll be still
following her a week from Christmas!"

"I suppose," sighed the captain of the lost boat, "that what we should
have done was report it to the police and stayed right where we were.
Dad's going to be somewhat peeved if we lose that boat."

"I thought she belonged to you and Tom," said Wink Wheeler.

"So she does, but dad gave her to us and he's rather fond of her
himself."

"Well, it's too bad," Wink answered, "but I don't believe we'll ever
find her now. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, this sort of
thing. We don't even know for sure that she isn't down around New York
somewhere by this time!"

"Yes, we do," said Steve quietly.

"We do? How do we?"

"Because I'm looking at her," was the reply. Steve nodded ahead and
pushed back the throttle. "If that isn't the _Follow Me_ I'll--I'll eat
her!"

CHAPTER XIII

BULLETS FLY

A half-mile or so beyond a black cruiser lay at anchor at the mouth of a
cove on the island side of the sound. She was broadside-to and one look
at her was enough for Harry Corwin. "It is!" he cried. "We've got her,
fellows!"

"Not yet," warned Phil as the fellows clustered from all parts of the
boat. "That's her, but how are we going to get her back? Hadn't we
better stop here, Steve, and decide what to do? Those men aren't going
to give her up just for the asking, I guess."

"Right," agreed Steve. "Bow anchor, Han! Let her go as soon as you're
ready. Now then, fellows, let's think what's to be done." The
_Adventurer_ pulled at the anchor line with her nose, found further
progress stopped and slowly began to swing around with the tide. "There
are three of them at least, according to the gasoline chap back there,
and there are twelve of us, but if they have guns--"

"We've got two revolvers," said Perry eagerly. "Shall I get them,
Steve?"

"Yes, fetch them up here, but we don't want to use them unless in
self-defence. Don't forget the cartridges, Perry. Now suppose we mosey
up to where we can talk to them, fellows."

"That's the ticket," agreed Wink Wheeler. "If they get to acting ugly,
why, I guess there are enough of us to handle them. I think the best way
is to beat it right up there and tell them to hand the boat over."

"And if they dec