me help I can, bind this man's
wounds until we get him over to the sick bay on the 'Sudbury.'"

"A fine idea," agreed Lieutenant Jack. "Go ahead."

First of all, the wounded prisoner was taken out into the passageway.
Jack and Eph had yet important work to do here. For a few minutes
they searched in vain. Then, in turning over the lower berth's mattress,
Eph's hand touched something hard.

"Wait until I get my pocket-knife out," he smiled.

Rip! r-r-r-r-rip! As Ensign Eph tore open the mattress and thrust his
hands inside, the grin on his face broadened.

"I reckon we've got the object of the whole expedition," he announced.

He drew out a package wrapped in heavy paper. Jack broke the string,
unwrapping, and pulling out to the light, a bundle of charts, layer
upon layer.

"Yes. Here we have what we're after," nodded Lieutenant Benson. "And
here are two books written chock-full of notes to go with the charts.
Gracious! That fellow. Millard must have stolen plans of every
important fortified harbor on the Atlantic coast. And here are charts
of some of the gulf ports as well."

Gray, his wounds bound, had been laid on the door of the stateroom,
which had been taken from its hinges. On this stretcher, the prisoner
was taken over the side into the launch.

"Who's going to pay for the damage done here, sir?" asked the skipper
of the Cobtown schooner, stepping forward.

"Hm!" muttered Jack. "It seems to me you are lucky, my man, that we
don't put a prize crew aboard this craft and take you back to Norfolk."

"I haven't done anything," protested the fellow, "except to stand for a
lot of damage on board because you're backed by sailors and marines."

"My man," retorted Jack, grimly, "if you think you have suffered any
unfair damage, then lay your case before the Navy Department. But my
private advice is for you not to attract the attention of the authorities
to you in case they seem likely to overlook you."

"Is my vessel at liberty to proceed?" inquired the man, sullenly.

"Yes; I have no orders to seize your craft. I'd like to, however,"
Lieutenant Jack Benson added, dryly.

CHAPTER XVII

THE LAST HOUR OF COMMAND

Through the night the "Sudbury" rolled lazily over the waves.

A wireless message had carried the news through space to Washington.
Orders had come to return to Norfolk, there turning Gray over to the
United States authorities.

Benson and his comrades were instructed to