ruck
by a sudden idea.

"You had better come up, and then you can talk it over in the cabin,"
said Sack Todd, and whispered something to his companion the Rovers
could not hear.

"Not yet," said Dick, firmly.

"All right, suit yourself. But if you won't come up, you can stay
there. Throw over the hatch, fellows."

There was a hatch to fit over the opening to the engine room and
without further words this was thrown into place and secured from
the deck.

"Dick, we are prisoners!" cried Tom.

"It certainly looks like it," answered the eldest Rover, soberly.

"There is another door,--but it is locked from the other side, I think."

They listened and heard the men and Baxter walk away from the hatchway.
Then all became quiet, for Tom had stopped the engine.

For over half an hour the two Rover boys remained in the engine room
of the _Mermaid_ doing little but walk around. With the hatch closed
it was very hot down there, and Dick, who had his coat on, was glad
to discard that garment. They could get little or no fresh air, and
both wondered how long they could stand the confinement.

"I wouldn't care so much, if only I knew Sam and Hans were safe,"
remarked Dick. "But for all we know, they may have been killed."

"Oh, I don't think that," answered his brother. "I don't think Dan
Baxter is quite so wicked."

Presently there came a noise above and the hatch was raised. The next
instant Sam came tumbling down the iron ladder, followed by Hans.

"Now you fellows can talk it over as long as you like," said Gasper
Pold. "When you come to terms let us know by blowing the steam whistle."

And then the hatch was put down and fastened as before.

"Sam, are you all right?" asked Dick and Tom, in a breath.

"Oh, yes, after a fashion," answered the youngest Rover. "But they
handled me pretty roughly."

"And you, Hans?"

"I dink I vos peen putty vell hammered alretty. Py chimanatics! I
vish I could drow dem all oferpoard, ain't it!"

"We are in a box, in more ways than one," said Tom.

"What did they do to you?" questioned Dick, and then Sam and Hans
told their stories, adding that they had been taken from the staterooms
but a few minutes before, brought on deck, unbound and ungagged, and
sent down the iron ladder as already mentioned.

"I was afraid first they were going to throw us overboard," said Sam.
"I think Sack Todd is equal to it, and that Gasper Pold is about as bad."

The four youths talked the situ