Why have you killed two of our crew and hurt
others?"

"Drop that nonsense," Darrin retorted, sternly. "You know why we fired on
you. And your men slightly wounded two of mine."

"We had a right to," scowled the other.

"You'll know better, by the time you've reached a British prison," Dave
rejoined. "Men, place these three fellows under arrest. Search them."

Only the man who appeared to be the craft's master resisted being
searched. He swung at one of the sailors, but Darrin jumped in, knocking
him down and holding him to the floor.

"Put irons on this scoundrel," he ordered, sharply, a command so quickly
obeyed that almost instantly the defiant one found himself manacled. Then
Dave yanked the fellow to his feet.

"You are a bully," growled the prisoner.

"I am," mocked Dave, "when I have fellows of your stripe to handle. Men,
you'd better iron that pair, too. They belong to the same outfit."

None of the three proved to have any arms on his person.

"Now, where are the members of your crew?" Dave demanded of the manacled
skipper.

"Find them!" came the surly retort.

"In what business is this ship engaged?"

"Find out!"

"Bring these prisoners out on deck," Darrin commanded. Then, as the order
was obeyed, Darrin made his way to the bridge.

"Boatswain's mate, pipe all hands on deck," he directed.

Shrilly the whistle sounded at the lips of the petty officer. But no men
came to answer.

"We'll try other tactics, then," Darrin smiled.

Stepping to the wheel-house door he pulled it open. Inside was evidence
of the havoc that the machine gun fire had worked there. Everything had
been riddled, including the helmsman, who lay dead on the floor.

At this moment, however, Dave had no time to do more than glance at the
dead man. Reaching for the whistle he blew a long blast, and caused the
fire bell to be rung, the signal to stand by to abandon ship.

That brought seamen and stokers trooping to the deck, until more than
thirty had so appeared.

"Does any man among you understand English?" Darrin called down as he
leaned over the rail in front of the wheel-house.

"I do," came from one of the crew.

"Then inform your mates that this craft has been seized as lawful prize
of the United States Navy. Where is your boatswain?"

"That's me," said the same speaker, gruffly.

"Very good. Deliver my message to the crew. Then make sure that all hands
are on deck. If you deceive me you will be held sternly