been
temporarily deposited.

CHAPTER VII.

THE STORM KING.

It was still lacking a few minutes of the hour named when Jim, Juarez,
and Berwick, who did not intend to be left out of the venture, arrived
with their handbags at the wharf at the foot of Market street. The
professor had not yet arrived. The sun had risen above the hills, and
the place was in heavy shadow. Putting down their bags upon the wharf,
the boys walked to the water edge and began a discussion of the merits
of the boats at anchor in the harbor. They were soon joined by Jo and
Tom.

Unobserved, a dwarfish figure stole noiselessly from the shadow, and
seizing upon the nearest bag--it was Jim's--he ran swiftly down the
wharf. Not quickly, however, as to escape the watchfulness of Juarez,
who, to make up for the dereliction of the previous evening, was
especially alert. With a shout of alarm to the others, Juarez set off at
once in pursuit of the flying figure, which had already disappeared
around a corner. Jim and Tom followed more leisurely, depending upon
Juarez to run down the culprit. Berwick and Jo remained as a guard over
the rest of their baggage.

"What happened?" cried Jo.

"That villain, Manuel," replied Berwick. "He has made off with Jim's
handbag. He seems to be everywhere at once."

"Juarez will catch him," said Jo, confidently.

"I hope so," returned Berwick, "but an eel has nothing on him for
slipperyness."

And so it proved, for the others came straggling back, one by one,
without having found any trace of the Mexican or the bag.

"That's rather an unauspicious beginning to our trip," commented
Berwick. "Did you have anything of importance in your bag, Jim?"

"Nothing but my clothes," replied Jim, ruefully. "But it's bad enough
having him carry them off right in front of us. That's another score I
have to settle with him."

"He will be carrying some of us away, if we aren't careful," put in Jo.

"Hallo, look there! What in the name of goodness is that coming?" cried
Juarez, indicating a strange object which was advancing down the wharf.

Seen in the half-light of the morning, it seemed to consist principally
of arms and legs which were wildly waving in the air.

"Looks like a big devil fish," cried Tom. "Better look out, boys."

But as it came nearer it resolved itself into two figures, one of which,
the larger, was carrying the smaller, which latter was squirming and
struggling in an effort to escape.

"It