with the Pullman berths in the cabins we don't often need the
room for anything but storage."

"Where is your gasoline?" asked Carlos displaying some interest.

"In tanks right up in the eyes of her," replied Arnold glad that he was
interesting his visitor. "Then you see the engines amidships here with a
berth on each side. The switchboard is in the center of the pilot house
so the stairways are on each side of the engines. In the next
compartment aft are more berths. Then still further aft, you see are the
kitchenette on one side and the wash room on the other. Abaft of that is
the after cabin that we use as a dining room. With the folding berths we
can accommodate twelve people easily. It makes a fine home, all right."

"Can I go to sleep?" inquired Carlos. "I'm right tired."

"Sure you may," declared Arnold. "Take the after cabin and make yourself
comfortable. I'll go up forward and let you sleep."

So saying he joined his companions in the pilot house and reported to
them the result of his effort to placate their visitor.

For half an hour the Fortuna breasted the waves plunging through the
thick fog. Anxiously the boys peered ahead ever alert.

Directly the vibrations of the motors grew fainter. The boys glanced at
each other wonderingly. Rowdy tugged at the rope that confined him and
growled savagely. Jack's face went white as he reached for the switch.
He looked at the other boys in wonder.

The Fortuna's engines came to a dead stop!

CHAPTER III

A MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE

"Pull off the hood over the engines," cried Jack to Harry who was
quickly down the companion-way, "and see if the wires from the magneto
are disconnected. I made a new clip while we were at Mobile and maybe it
has broken and cut off the current."

"Phew!" ejaculated Tom who was preparing to follow Harry below. "I'll
bet something's broke loose all right. Smell it?"

"Sure enough I smell gasoline strong!" declared Jack.

"Some odoriferous, whatever that means!" cried Arnold. "Smells like the
gas house up near Goose Island in the North Branch of the Chicago
River," he added holding his nose.

"Switch on the electric lights and see where the gasoline pipe has
broken loose," suggested Jack. "It seems to me the feed pipe must have
become broken. That's an awful smell!"

"I'll venture there are gallons of gasoline in the bilge right now!"
averred Harry. "Better open the windows a bit and let it air out in
here. Suppose you