or, as the two boy

ant. "That's only the tolling of the ship

tted Raynor. "Hullo, they are slowin

the Sea Gypsy's propeller r

onderous form of Mr. Jukes followed him. The mill

the boys heard him say to the captain,

fell on

er and try to find out something about h

he derelict. Close inspection showed the schooner's condition not to be as good as it had seemed at a distance. Her paint was blistered and the oakum calking was spewing out of her sun-dried seams like Spanish moss on an aged tree. H

one had once been inscribed there. But there was a yellow-painted figurehead; a

ded Captain Sparhawk. "We'll have to climb aboard from the ot

derelict. On it, in bold, raised letters, surrounded by a fanc

l. There was a sudden exclamation from Mr. Jukes, who had no

p and tense that the boys turned and stared at

d, self-possessed business man, who had never shown signs of possessing any

ily. But when he again raised his face, although it

ce that he rendered steady by an apparent effort. "Let us go on board, howev

Here they were glad to find some dilapidated ropes dangling which afforded a means of getting on board. Two sailors, after first testing their weight-bearing qualities, scrambled up them like monkeys, and, under the captai

of you," ordered the captain briskly. "

them to search the forecastle, anything to keep them bu

ny you, sir?" aske

seemed plunged in thought. Then he arrived

er I shall have something to say to all of you. You

arhawk nod

ome great end to serve in

r," said the millionaire solemnly. "But c