aying
aboard if it were possible to get word ashore. We do not know what
interesting adventures may be in store for us aboard this strange
craft."

"Well, anyway, let's frame a message."

"It's got to be short, for we cannot use any more flags than is
absolutely necessary, as we may be discovered before we can get them up.
How's this: 'Report Hamilton, Mason, and Wilson picked up from wrecked
yacht off Cottage City by steamer _Mariella_. All well.'"

"Fine," said Mason. "Hal, your massive intellect astonishes me more and
more each day."

After some discussion, the boys selected the proper flags and laid them
to one side. The problem of getting them aloft then presented itself.

"There must be halliards already bent for the use of signals," said
Harry. "I will go out on deck and have a quiet look for them."

He returned shortly from his inspection.

"Everything is ready for instant use," he reported, "but we must have
the flags bent onto a separate piece of rope so that all we shall have
to do is to fasten the rope to the halliards and send the flags aloft.
And then we must also stow the flags somewhere where we can get at them
easily as soon as we see another vessel."

"Leave that to me, captain," said Mason, saluting with a grin. "Right
under my bunk is a place. All you fellows watch where I put them, so
that if I am not with you when the ship comes along you can do the
trick. No telling when a man of my fiery temper may be put in irons on a
ship like this."

The boys carefully stowed away the flags after they had bent them in
their proper order to a spare piece of rope which Mason picked up on
deck. They now felt that they had done as much as lay within their power
to relieve the anxiety of the folks at home, and all that remained was
to keep a sharp lookout for a passing ship. They arranged watches so
that one of them should be on deck during all of the daylight hours, and
all hands were to keep their eyes open through the port holes and from
such other points of vantage as they could take at all times when it was
light enough to see a passing ship.

This satisfactorily off their minds, the boys took more interest in a
survey of their prison ship, for so they had begun to look upon her,
although each one of them had made up his mind that he would like to see
the adventure out.

That night before dinner they met the captain again in the cabin. The
maps were still lying on the table.

"Do you see this b