ll
assembled on the deck above, and very near Jim's compartment.

The first exultant thought in Jim's mind was that the professor with the
Storm King had come to his rescue. The more logical reasoning determined
that it would have been quite impossible to have accomplished any such
result in so short a time. Furthermore such a move would have been
foolhardy and impractical. No, there must be some other explanation to
be sought.

The mysterious arrival was puzzling Captain Beauchamp and his company,
who, indeed, took the new arrival to be the Storm King. This Jim readily
determined by the talk of those leaning against the deck rail.

"Are you sure that no lights are showing below?" It was Beauchamp's soft
voice.

"There are no lights lit on board, sir. Your orders were that none
should show in this harbor."

"Then they can't locate us in the dark. Before dawn have all the guns
looked over and everything made in readiness for an attack."

"Is that young fellow worth fighting for?" asked the mate.

"I thought to keep him while we looked for the cave, and his party
don't know that we have got him."

"But they will soon find out. Any one of those Frontier Boys can follow
even a rabbit trail."

"So? I never thought of that. Well, we will make a dicker with them. If
they find the treasure, and divide fairly, we will----. Say, it's
beginning to rain. Let's get under cover. When it rains here it's a
deluge."

Jim had listened interestedly to the conversation, and was cognizant now
of the heavy downpour.

"It will make the atmosphere a little cooler," he mused, "but it will
also wash out the trail."

With the first gleam of light, the storm having ceased, the deck was
again peopled with interested spectators, and Jim, listening, was
treated to a surprise that, figuratively speaking, nearly took his
breath away.

"Say, it looks like--what do you make it out to be, Marion?"

"It looks like--it is, the Sea Eagle."

"The Sea Eagle," gasped Jim, in a barely suppressed voice. "Say, but
what queer things do happen," and once more a breath of exultant joy
possessed him. Then the misery of his situation reasserted itself. Here
was his own ship near at hand, and he a helpless prisoner, and he fairly
raged and struck the cabin door with impotent fury.

Later on, as the light increased, he was able to see his beloved ship
clearly outlined against the sky, and, closely observant of all that
transpired, he saw Broome hims