he eccentric old man, still running his
words together in the same odd way.

"Yes," replied Jack, "can we have her by to-morrow?"

"Haveterseehowbadlyshesbusted," muttered the old man.

"He'll have to see how badly she's busted," translated Jack. "Suppose
you take a look at her," he added to the boatman.

"Maybeagoodidee," agreed old Hansen, and he scrambled down into the
boat.

"I'llfixherbyto-morrow," he said at last.

The charges, it appeared, would not be more than ten or twelve dollars,
which the boys thought reasonable.

"Especially as they won't come out of our pockets," commented Billy.

"Not if I can help it," promised Jack decisively.

"And now," said Captain Simms, "as I happen to have some business at the
Pine Island Hotel, I'll run you down there in the _Skipjack_, as I call
my boat."

"That's awfully good of you," said Jack gratefully. "I began to think
that we would have to stay ashore here all night."

Before many minutes had passed they were off, leaving old Hansen, with
working jaws, examining the hole in the _Curlew's_ side. The _Skipjack_
proved speedy and they made the run back to the hotel in good time,
arriving there before sundown. Captain Toby had met Captain Simms after
the latter had found the treasure party at the spot where they had
unearthed the rich trove. But he proved equally reticent as to the
object of his presence at Alexandria as he had been with the boys. He
was doing some "special work" for the government, was all that Captain
Toby could ascertain.

"There's considerable mystery to all this," said Captain Toby to the
boys after Captain Simms had left them to write some letters which, he
said, he wished to send ashore by the hotel motor boat that evening.

"It's some sort of secret work for Uncle Sam, I guess," hazarded Jack,
"but what it is I've no idea. Anyhow it's none of our business."

The boys little guessed, when Jack made that remark, how very much their
business Captain Simms' secret mission was to become in the near future.

CHAPTER V.

NIGHT SIGNALS.

After supper Captain Simms suddenly announced that he wished to make a
trip to the mainland to the town of Clayton. He wished to send an
important telegram to Washington, he explained.

"How are you going?" asked Jack. "The hotel boat has stopped running for
the day."

"I know that, but I'll go on the _Skipjack_. You lads want to come?"

"Do we? I should say we do."

"You lads must be full