the original work."

"When are you going to begin?"

"Now," answered Jim. "Only one can work at a time, so you may as well go
on deck. I will start the job. I will take one of the panels near the
floor. After I have started, we can take turns at the work. When we
begin, we want to finish as soon as possible."

"All right," returned Jo. "Let it go."

When the others had gone, Jim secured from the engineer such tools as he
needed, and returning to his room, closed the door. He selected a panel,
and was about to take off the molding when he heard some one moving in
the cabin. Whistling carelessly he opened the door of his room, but
there was no one near. The steward Pedro, was busily employed at the far
end of the room, and the mate was just entering the cabin.

"Strange," mused Jim. "There doesn't seem to be anyone acting
suspiciously. I was sure, though, that there was some one near the door
just now." He then called to Jo, and arranged that he should stay in the
cabin on guard.

Jim returned to his task, and with infinite care removed the molding
from the panel. Then he called Tom below, and working alternately, in a
short time they had made the secret opening to the compartment. As it
was between the wall of the stateroom and the planking of the vessel,
and being inaccessible from any other point, it seemed absolutely safe.
The work under Jim's direction had been so deftly done that it could not
be detected. It was opened by pressing a spring made of wire and placed
in an adjoining panel.

Fastening the box containing the chart with a strong cord, it was
lowered into the aperture and the cord fastened to a hook at one side of
the opening.

"There," said Jo, when the box had been lowered, and the place closed.
"It will take more than a wizard to find that."

"It looks that way," agreed Tom, "but--"

"Oh, you're a regular goat with your buts," cried Jo. "What is the
matter with it?"

"Nothing," said Tom. "It is all right, but some people can see through a
stone wall."

"Of course they can if it has holes in it, but there ain't any holes in
this."

This task ended, they went on deck, where they found the professor and
the captain intently watching the Sea Eagle, which had steam up and
seemed to be about to get under way.

"I was just going to call you," said the professor. "I think that the
next act is about to begin."

"Good!" cried Jim. "Let's hope they will find something doing that is
not down on