head sea, he glanced at the
after binnacle compass.

"Northwest by north, half north," he said. "Whatever their plan is,
Jenkins has been won over. Florrie, better turn in. I'm going to. Lock
your door and keep that gun handy."

But they were not menaced--not even roused for dinner; for Daniels had
gone below, and Billings, on watch for the morning, could not wake
Denman, and would not approach Miss Florrie's door. So it was late in
the afternoon when they again appeared on deck.

The weather had cleared, the sea was smoothing, and the boat surging
along under the cruising turbines; while Hawkes had the wheel, and
Forsythe, still in officer's uniform, paced back and forth.

Evidently Jenkins, in the light of his physical and mental limitations,
had seen the need of an assistant. Old Kelly, the gunner's mate, was
fussing around a twelve-pounder; the rest were out of sight.

Denman concluded that some kind of sea discipline had been established
while he slept, and that Kelly had been put in charge of the gunnery
department and been relieved from standing watch; otherwise, by the
former arrangement, Kelly would have been below while Forsythe and
Hawkes were on deck.

The horizon was dotted with specks, some showing smoke, others, under
the glass, showing canvas. Denman examined each by the captain's
binoculars, but saw no signs of a government craft--all were peaceably
going their way.

"Why is it," asked Florrie, as she took the glass from Denman, "that we
see so many vessels now, when we lay for days without seeing any?"

"We were in a pocket, I suppose," answered Denman. "Lane routes, trade
routes, for high and low-powered craft, as well as for sailing craft,
are so well established these days that, if you get between them, you
can wait for weeks without seeing anything."

"Do you think there is any chance of our being rescued soon?"

"I don't know, Florrie; though we can't go much nearer the coast without
being recognized. In fact, I haven't thought much about it lately--the
truth is, I'm getting interested in these fellows. This is the most
daring and desperate game I ever saw played, and how they'll come out is
a puzzle. Hello! Eight bells."

The bell was struck on the bridge, and the watches changed, except that
Jenkins, after a short talk with Forsythe, did not relieve him, but came
aft to the engine-room hatch, where he held another short talk with
Sampson and Riley, who, instead of going below, had w