ldn't stand much chance with her," laughed Captain
Simms.

They watched the black boat for a time, but she appeared to slacken
speed as she drew closer, as if those in charge of her had no desire to
come any nearer to the _Skipjack_ than they were.

"That's odd," remarked Jack. "There is evidently nothing the matter with
her engine, but for all that they don't seem to want to pass us. That's
the first fast boat I ever saw act that way."

"It does seem queer," said Captain Simms, and suddenly his brow clouded.

"Could it be possible----" he exclaimed, and stopped short.

Jack looked at him in a questioning way.

"Could what be possible, sir?" he asked.

"Why, that Judson and the others are on board that black craft?"

"Ginger! That never occurred to me!" cried Jack; "and yet, if they were
following us to find out where you are located that would be just the
sort of way in which they would behave."

"So I was thinking," said Captain Simms thoughtfully. "However, we can
soon find out."

He opened a locker and took out his binoculars. Then he focused them on
the black craft.

"Well?" questioned Jack, as the captain laid them down again.

"There's a man at the wheel, but he isn't the least like your
descriptions of your men," said the captain.

"What does he look like?" questioned Billy.

"He's rather tall and has a full black beard," was the answer.

"Then it's not one of Judson's crowd," said Jack with conviction.

"I guess we are all the victims of nerves to-day," smiled the captain.

They swung round a point and threaded the channel that led among the
shoaly waters of Musky Bay. The point shut out any rearward view of the
black motor boat and they saw no more of it. Captain Simms invited them
up to the house he occupied, which was isolated from the half dozen or
so small habitations that made up the settlement. It was plainly
furnished and the living room was littered with papers and documents.

"What made you select Musky Bay as a retreat?" asked Jack.

"I come from up in this part of the country," rejoined Captain Simms,
"and I thought this would be a good quiet place to hide myself till my
work was complete. But it seems," he added, with a smile, "that I may
have been mistaken."

"Oh, I don't know," replied Jack. "Those fellows would never think of
trailing you here. I guess they think you are still in Clayton."

"Let us hope so, anyway," said the captain, and here the discussion
ended.

Soo