m.

"Maybe only a matter of days," returned the captain. "They will signal
to the other ship, put it in a keg, drop it over and the others will
pick it up."

"A keg," queried Jo. "I saw a keg floating in the wake of our ship just
a little while ago."

CHAPTER XV.

THE CHART.

"Indeed! Then you had better investigate your hiding place and see if
your chart is secure."

Jo acted immediately upon the suggestion, and went below. Closing the
door of his room, he pressed the spring that should open the adjoining
panel. It did not respond readily to the pressure of his hand. Evidently
it had been tampered with. With feverish haste he tried again and again,
and finally his efforts were rewarded with success. The door flew open.
The box was raised, but the chart was not within.

Jo had so long been detained that the others had meantime descended to
the cabin.

"The chart is gone," cried Jo.

Unobserved by all but Jim, the steward had entered the cabin from the
aft companionway. There were exclamations of astonishment, but the
steward gave not the slightest heed, going about his duties without
apparent interest.

The captain now noticed his presence, and questioned him closely, but
with no result. Meantime, Jim took the professor aside, and together
they went to the deck above, and then climbed quite away up into the
ship's rigging.

When they were absolutely alone, Jim said, "Whom do you suspect,
professor?"

"I can think of only one person," was the answer. "Beside you boys and
myself, only four people have access to the cabin. I do not suspect the
captain or the steward. Berwick you have confidence in. May it not be
the mate?"

"I know who it was that took the chart," said Jim, "and I called you up
here where no one could possibly overhear, to tell you."

"Then it is not lost beyond recovery?"

"On the contrary, it is safe, and you and I will be the only ones
knowing where it is."

"I am all anxiety."

"It is here in my pocket."

"You certainly surprise me. What prompted this move on your part?"

"I felt that someone was after the chart, and I thought of a way to
mislead them."

"Go on. I am all interest."

"I made a copy of your chart and substituted it for the original, then
I put the copy in the hiding place."

"And the copy was stolen?" the professor inquired ruefully. "What about
that? Won't it disclose our secret?"

"The copy, if you may call it such, that I made," laughed Jim, "