ll. "The ship is on a straight course now, and we'll
hold it for an hour or two. Now, Nat, come on, and we'll see if we
can't solve this puzzle."

It did not take long to demonstrate that Nat was right, and the mate
wrong. The ten boxes were found in the afterhold, where they had been
put by mistake, which accounted for the mate not being able to find
them.

"What have you to say now?" asked the pilot of Mr. Bumstead, when the
search was so successfully ended.

"What have I to say? Nothing, except that I think you did a mean thing
when you got this boy in here, and kept my nephew out of the place,
which he needs so much. But I'll get even with him yet for coming
here." It appeared the mate's protest to Captain Marshall, about
employing Nat, had been of no effect.

"I guess Nat needed a place to work as much as did your nephew,"
replied Mr. Weatherby, when his _protege_ had gone back to the
purser's cabin. "His father is dead, and you ought to be glad that the
orphan son of an old lake sailor has a chance to earn his living,
instead of making it hard for him."

"Was his father a lake sailor?" asked the mate quickly.

"Yes. Nat's father was James Morton, who was employed on a lumber
barge."

"James Morton! On a lumber barge!" exclaimed the mate, turning pale.
"Are you sure of that?"

"Certainly. But what of it? Did you know Mr. Morton?"

"Jim Morton," murmured the mate. "I might have recognized the name. So
his son is aboard this vessel! I must do something, or----"

"What was that you said?" asked the pilot, who had not caught the
mate's words.

"Nothing--I--er--I thought I used to know his father--but--but it must
be another man."

The mate was clearly very much excited over something.

"Now look here!" exclaimed Mr. Weatherby sternly. "Nat is not to blame
for coming here. I got him the place, and I'll look out for him, too.
If you try any of your tricks I'll take a hand in the game myself.
Now, I've given you your course, and I want you to keep on it. If you
run afoul of me you'll be sorry for it."

The mate turned aside, muttering to himself, but the pilot thought it
was because he had made a mistake about the boxes.

"Look out for him, Nat," said Mr. Weatherby, a little later, after the
pilot had reported to the captain the result of the search for the
missing boxes. "He seems to have some grudge against you, and he'll do
you an injury if he can."

"I believe that," replied Nat, "though I can't