aid Jo. "They will be sure to hear
us."

"We will wear our moccasins," replied Tom, "and there isn't any
bric-a-brac to knock over."

"I tell you what!" cried Jo, exhilarated by a sudden and brilliant
idea. "Let's rub matches on our faces, when we go down."

"Same as Jim did when we were in the Hollow Mountain, and he surprised
those Hawaiian Priests!" exclaimed Tom. "Gee! but you have got a good
head on you, Jo. That's what we will do."

"Here's plenty of matches," said Jo. "We must be careful and not let
them get too damp. Another thing, we will have to look out and not let
the Captain see us, or Jim, either, or there will be something
brewing."

"What do you suppose the old gentleman would do to us if he saw us
snooping along?" inquired Tom apprehensively, for he stood in much awe
of the captain.

"You had better stay in your little crib if you are so alarmed,"
remarked Jo.

"I'm ready when you are," said Tom gruffly.

Then they started moving silently along the deck, though the fierce
wind that swept the ship gave them an excellent protection. Still they
proceeded very cautiously, keeping close to the galley and the wall
of the engine-room. Just then the shepherd's dog jumped up from the
shelter where he was waiting for his master to come up from below.

He barked furiously at first when he saw the two shadowy forms coming
towards him, then Jo spoke to him in a low voice, and the dog,
recognizing him, lay down in his dry shelter again. But the captain
was on the alert. He came to that side of the quarter deck and looked
over.

CHAPTER XII

THE GREEN GHOSTS

"I wonder what made that pup break loose like that?" he remarked.
"Must have seen something unusual."

He waited for a short time looking down to the deck below, and the
boys, Tom and Jo, directly beneath him, hugged as close to the wall as
they could. Then the _Sea Eagle_ gave a heavy lurch, and Tom lost his
grip, and much terrified, rolled to the bulwarks, in a dark bundle,
but fortunately the captain had made up his mind that it was a false
alarm and had gone back to the bridge.

Tom lay in the scuppers not daring to move, and imagining that the
captain's baleful eye was glaring down on him from the quarter deck.
As Jo would have said if he had dared open his mouth, there would not
have been any quarter in spite of the deck, but he was muzzled by
circumstances. Another heavy roll heaved the frightened Tom back
against Jo, who had a