d a friend
of his. But they were rescued afterward by the sailors who had quit the
yacht, and Jack raced into Wellbourne, and got most of them arrested.
But Broom got away, in some fashion, after they had taken him to jail.
So we don't know what's become of him."

"How about the Burtons, Pete? Have you found out yet whether they're
really Jack's long-lost relatives or not?"

"No, not yet. Mr. Burton was terribly ill after the wreck of his yacht.
He was exposed to the sea and the wind for a long time that night, you
see, and as soon as he could be moved, he was sent to Europe by his
doctor. Until they get back we sha'n't be able to tell for certain."

"I'm glad they're over there, anyhow," said Jack, breaking in. "I think
they're safe from Broom over there."

"I'll tell you someone that isn't glad, though," said red-headed Pete
Stubbs, mischievously. "That's Dick Crawford!"

The Assistant Scout-Master, who hadn't heard the conversation that had
preceded Pete's mischievous remark, came up just then.

"What is it that doesn't make me glad like everyone else?" asked Dick,
unsuspiciously, and everyone laughed.

"Discovered, Dick!" cried Jim Burroughs, laughing. "I hear that a
certain beautiful young lady has charmed you--the one man I knew that I
thought was proof against the ladies!"

Dick flushed furiously, but he saw that there was no use in attempting
to deny the charge. He seized Pete Stubbs, jestingly, by the neck,
however, and shook him hard.

"I've a good mind to give you the licking of your young life, you
red-headed rascal!" he cried, but there was no malice in his tone, and
Pete knew that the threat would never be carried out.

"I didn't do anything but tell the truth," protested Pete. "Let go of
me, Dick! If it wasn't true, you wouldn't be so mad!"

"He's right, Dick, my boy," said Burroughs, much amused. "We've caught
you with the goods. It's nothing to be ashamed of--we all do it, sooner
or later, you know. You've done well to escape the charms of the other
sex so long, it seems to me."

Then the Scouts began to drift away, and Dick and Jim Burroughs were
left alone.

"Did they tell you of the way Jack's been pursued by this fellow Broom?"
asked Dick.

"They told me enough to worry me, Dick. We mustn't let anything happen
to that boy."

"I'd a good deal rather have something happen to me, Jim. But he's shown
that he's pretty well able to take care of himself. Down at the beach
there we all h