e of the clams while the man in gray was
present, was feeling very hungry, and that made him still more
miserable.

"Oxcuse me, poys," he said. "I must made a raid der ship's brovisions
ubon. I vill peen pack britty soon, if nod before."

Then he took the boat and rowed off to the yacht, where he lost no time
in satisfying the cravings of his "inner man."

As the Dutch lad appeared on deck to row ashore again, Browning
suddenly straightened up from his recumbent position. He had his watch
in his hand, and the Dutch lad heard him say:

"The hour is up, Hodge."

Immediately Bart turned toward the yacht and shouted to Hans:

"Bring two of those guns ashore, and plenty of cartridges for them. Be
lively about it! We are in a howling hurry."

"All righd!" shouted Hans, in return, as he plunged down the companion
way.

He was not long in getting the guns and placing them in the boat, but
when he reached the shore it was discovered that he had brought the
wrong cartridges.

Then Hodge leaped into the boat and rowed out to the yacht for what was
needed, returning in a few minutes.

Browning, however, usually careless and lazy, was fretting at the delay,
for the big fellow remembered how, but a short time before, he had saved
Frank's life by a hair's breadth. A delay of one minute in that case
would have been fatal.

Bruce had some imagination, and he was beginning to picture Frank in all
sorts of peril.

"Look here!" came fiercely from Diamond; "what are you chaps up to? Do
not think for a moment that you are going to leave me behind! I'm going
with you! I am going to help find Merriwell!"

"Of course, you can come if you insist," began Bruce.

"I do!" cut in Jack.

"But I scarcely think it advisable," the big fellow continued. "At least
two of our party should remain and watch the yacht."

"Hans is enough for that."

"Don't you pelief I vos goin' to stayed here alone!" squawked the Dutch
boy. "You don'd plaid dot tricks on me!"

Jack tried to argue with him--tried to convince him that there could be
no danger in remaining on board the yacht; but Hans was obstinate, and
the effort failed.

"You don'd fool me dot vay," he fiercely exclaimed. "I don'd stayed
alone here, dot vos all."

It became plain that one of the boys would have to remain with him.
Hodge had returned with the proper ammunition, and Jack was not supplied
with a gun.

"Well," he said, fiercely, "I was the first one who wanted to go af