took the Rover boys and
the German youth a full hour to comprehend it. During that time they
explored the steam yacht from end to end and then sat down to eat
such a meal as they could fix up hastily. They had canned meat and
vegetables, coffee and biscuits, and some canned fruit.

"Dick, how do you solve this mystery?" asked Tom, while they were eating.

"I can't solve it at all," answered his brother. "It is beyond me."

"By the papers we found downstairs I should say the yacht might belong
to a man named Roger Leland," put in Sam. "But that doesn't help us
out any, for none of us ever heard of that individual."

"If there had been a storm we might think the persons on board had
been swept away," went on Dick. "But we haven't had a heavy storm
for some time."

"And the yacht hasn't run into anything, for she isn't damaged in
the least."

"If we take her into port we can claim salvage," said Sam.

"Certainly, Sam, and heavy salvage too," came from Tom. "But I must
say I'd let a dollar or two of that salvage slip right now just to
know the explanation of this mystery. Why, it's like a romance!"

"It's a grand good thing for us," said Dick. "If we hadn't found this
steam yacht we might have died of hunger and thirst."

"Yah, dot's so," answered Hans. "Of you blease, Dom, I takes me
anudder cub of coffee, hey?"

"Hans, that makes four you've had already!"

"Vell, I vos alful try," answered the German youth, complacently.

"The best of it is, the yacht seems to be fairly well stocked with
food and water," was Dick's comment, after a pause. "We'll not starve
to death, even if it takes a week to reach port."

"Why, we ought to reach port in a couple of days!" cried Sam. "Some
of these steam yachts can run very fast."

"So they can--with a competent engineer. But who is going to be the
engineer? and who the pilot?"

"Oh, we can pilot her," declared Tom, loftily. "It's as easy as
licking cream, as the cat said."

"Maype you vos run us on der rocks," put in Hans.

"I don't think there are many rocks out here--but we'll have to
consult the chart," said Dick. "Oh, I think we can pilot her to some
port. But I must confess I don't know much about running an engine."

"We'll make her go somehow," answered Tom. "Even if I have to shove
the piston rod myself," and at this remark both of his brothers had
to laugh.

The more they thought of it the more wonderful did the situation
appear to be. It was so wonderful