nd jammed fresh cartridges into it.
"Get busy there, Steve!"

For answer Steve's revolver spoke twice and the thud of the bullets came
to them. "Got the boat anyway," chuckled Wink. "We can scare 'em even if
we can't pot 'em! Better back up a little, Steve. I don't want to bust
our flag-pole."

Once more the _Adventurer_ increased the distance between her and the
adversary, and once more the engine beneath their feet relapsed into a
quiet purr as the load was taken off again.

"If it wasn't that we'd bust the _Follow Me_," exclaimed Steve savagely,
"I'd ram them! They're knocking our paint off and breaking our glass and
raising the dickens!"

Wink glanced across the deck. Steve, his revolver laid on the floor
beside him, was knotting a handkerchief about his hand with his teeth.
"Hello!" exclaimed Wink. "Did they get you!"

"No, it's only a piece of glass. It's bleeding a bit, that's all." Steve
gave a final tug at the knot and seized his revolver again. "I wish
they'd show themselves!"

"They probably wish the same of us," laughed Wink. "How long does this
keep up? I'm getting hungry!"

"It keeps up until they give in," responded Steve determinedly. "Below
there! Tell Ossie to start on the dinner."

"Dinner!" exclaimed Ossie from the aft companion. "Suppose they plugged
a bullet into the galley?"

"Don't be an idiot," begged Steve impatiently. "You've got four inches
of planking and a pile of rope and a refrigerator and a lot of other
stuff between you and the bullets. Get busy and do your bit!"

"All right, Steve. I'd forgotten about the refrigerator. But you can bet
I'm not going to leave the door open!" This jest was rewarded with a
laugh from the others as Ossie pushed his way past them and dived
hurriedly across the deck to the forward companion way. "Pistols and
coffee for twelve," he added as he disappeared.

For several minutes there was no further sound or movement aboard the
_Follow Me_. "They're probably fixing up the chap who got plugged,"
opined Wink cheerfully, as he watched the ports. "Wish we had a rifle,
Steve. We could get them right through the hull, I guess."

"Yes, and if we had a torpedo we could sink her," said Cas Temple from
the hatch. "Suppose they've run out of cartridges, Steve?"

"I don't believe so. I guess they don't think it's worth while wasting
what they've got."

A cheering aroma of coffee stole up from the galley and murmurs of
satisfaction were heard. Perry, his fo