atever they purposed
doing.

"I've a good mind to carry off their lantern," said Jack to himself; "if
they put it there to guide them that would leave them in a fine fix and
we could easily capture them."

Once more, half involuntarily, his feet appeared to draw him toward the
lantern. The next instant he had it in his grasp.

"Now to turn it out," he muttered, when he felt himself seized from
behind in a powerful grip and a harsh voice growled in his ear:

"Yer would, would yer, you precious young scallywag."

The lantern was wrested from his grasp, and Jack felt a noose slipped
over his head.

"Who are you?" he demanded indignantly of his unknown captor.

"Bill Smiggers, of the motor boat _Black Beauty_," was the gruff reply.
"They left me up here to watch by the light, and I guess they'll be glad
they did when they see who I've caught. I reckon you're one of those
snoopy kids I've heard them talking about."

"I don't know what you mean," replied Jack, "but you'd better let me go
at once."

"Huh, I'd be a fine softy to do that, wouldn't I? No, young man, here
you are, and here you stay. I'm getting well paid for this job, and I'm
going to do a good one."

Just then footsteps were heard coming up the hillside. Then a low,
cautious voice whispered out of the darkness:

"What's the matter, Bill? We saw the light waved, and came right back.
Is there any danger?"

"Not right now, I reckon," rejoined Bill, with grim humor. "Any of you
gents know this young bantam I've got triced up here?"

"Jack Ready, by all that's wonderful!" cried Judson, stepping forward.
He was followed by young Judson and Jarrow.

"Dear me, what an--er--what a pleasant encounter," grinned Jarrow.

"So you thought you'd spy on us, did you?" snarled Donald, vindictively;
"well, this is the time that we've got you and got you right."

Jack's heart, stout as it was, sank like lead within him. He was in the
hands of his enemies and that, largely, by his own foolishness.

"So this is that Ready kid I hearn you talkin' about?" asked Bill.

"That's the boy, confound him! He's always meddling in my schemes,"
growled Jarrow.

"Bright looking lad, ain't he?"

"Too bright for his own good. He's so sharp he'll cut himself."

"No, his brightness won't help him now," chuckled Donald maliciously.
"I'll bet you're scared to death," he went on, coming close to Jack.

"Not particularly. It takes more than a parcel of cowards and crooks to
fri