ay we'll never even find his body?" said John, almost
unnerved by the sudden catastrophe.

"We're going to look, anyway," said Grant decidedly.

"Suppose we row around in a circle for a while," Fred suggested.

"We can try at least," said Grant, and fitting the oars into the
oarlocks the four boys rowed slowly about, all the time keeping a sharp
lookout in all directions. Meanwhile Sam lay motionless on the bottom of
the boat. For at least half an hour the search was continued, but not
one glimpse of the missing Petersen did they secure.

"I'm afraid it's no use," exclaimed Grant at last.

"I guess not," agreed John. "It wouldn't do us any good if we did find
him now. He's surely drowned by this time."

"No doubt of it," said Grant.

"And there's the fellow who did it," exclaimed George, pointing to Sam,
who still lay huddled in a heap in the stern. No one had paid the
slightest attention to the negro since he had been hauled aboard. He was
exhausted, but in no danger, as could be plainly seen from his regular
and heavy breathing.

"We ought to throw him overboard, too," said John.

"He's not entirely to blame," said Grant. "He's ignorant and
superstitious and doesn't know any better, but we do, and we must act
accordingly."

"He committed a crime, though," said John, "and we ought to hand him
over to the authorities."

"What authorities?" said Grant with a grim smile. "Just look around you.
There isn't even a boat or a bit of land in sight, let alone
authorities."

"Then we ought to punish him ourselves," insisted John.

"Who are we to do a thing like that!" said George. "We've no right to
take the law into our own hands."

At this moment Sam stirred and finally sat up. He was soaking wet still
and very weak. He blinked at the sun, which was now shining brightly,
and looked dazedly about him. The four boys watched him in silence.

"Where is I?" demanded Sam at length.

"Where do you think you are?" exclaimed John. "You're in a boat."

"De _Josephine_," muttered Sam. "Where am de _Josephine_?"

"As though you didn't know," said John scornfully. "You needn't try to
bluff us."

"What dat?" said Sam in a puzzled way. "What dat you say?"

"I said you knew just as well as we do where the _Josephine_ is,"
said John, "and that you needn't try to bluff us, either."

The black man looked straight at John as though he did not understand a
word that was said to him. His face was an absolute blank and if h