eck of the lighter. But the
rail was too high.

"Shall we go to him?" asked Andy.

"Yes," spoke Frank reluctantly. "We can't let him die, and he seems to
be in trouble. Maybe we can find that mysterious man again;" and he
swung the tiller over. The _Gull_ headed about and moved toward the
lighter.

The man on the mast was frantically waving his cap and pointing at
something down on the deck. Andy gave one look in the direction of the
dory. The man was rowing more rapidly now. Perhaps he wanted to get
out of the zone of so much excitement.

"There's something lively going on aboard that lighter," declared
Frank, as they drew nearer.

"I should say so!" agreed Andy. "Hear those yells! They must be
killing one another! I'll bet it's a mutiny!"

"Mutiny aboard a lighter, with one man as captain and crew?" demanded
Frank. "Hardly. But we'll soon find out what it is. Aboard the
lighter!" he yelled. "What's the trouble?"

"Everything," was the quick answer. "Hurry up if you want to save me.
They're all over the deck."

"What is?" demanded Andy.

"Snakes and monkeys. They broke out of their cages and they're raising
hob! Come on! Come on! Never again will I lighter a cargo of live
stock of this kind! Hurry, boys! Hurry!"

"Snakes and monkeys!" murmured Andy. "I should say it was a lively
cargo! How in blazes are we going to save him? I don't want fifteen
feet of anaconda or boa constrictor aboard us!"

"We've got to do something for him," decided Frank with a grim
tightening of his lips. "Stand by, I'm going to head up in to the
wind. Then we'll lower the small boat and see what we can do."

CHAPTER VIII

ANDY IS CAUGHT

The lighter had been slowly moving ahead, but not under the influence
of her sail, for the main sheet was free and the piece of canvas was
idly flapping in the wind. Consequently the boys had no difficulty in
coming up to her in their boat. Now they were ready to lower the small
craft they carried slung on davits at the stern. This was a new
addition to the _Gull_, put in place since the rescue of Paul Gale, for
the brothers thought they might need it if they chanced to sight the
wreck of the motor boat. Now it was likely to come in useful.

"Lower your sail," called Andy to Frank. "Then we can leave the _Gull_
to drift while we pull over and see what's up."

The canvas came down on the run, and then Frank assisted his brother in
lowering the small boat