"By Jove, I can!" exclaimed Steve. "The _Follow Me's_ gone! She must
have slipped her anchor or dragged or something. Row hard, fellows!"

CHAPTER XI

PURSUIT

Whatever had happened, one fact was plain, and that was that the smaller
of the two cruisers was not swinging at anchor where they had left her.
Nor could they see her anywhere. That she had dragged her anchor was
impossible, since the harbour was almost land-locked and the night was
still, with hardly enough breeze to stir the water. After the first few
minutes of stunned surprise the twelve boys, gathered on the
_Adventurer_, held council. It was Phil who eventually summed up the
situation quietly and tersely as follows:

"The boat's gone. She isn't in the harbour, because if she were we could
see her. Either she's been taken off as a joke or stolen. I can't
imagine anyone doing it as a joke. In any case it's up to us to find
her. We went ashore about eight, and it's now ten to eleven. It's
probable that whoever swiped her waited until we were safely ashore and
out of the way. I mean, they probably allowed us at least half an hour."

"They were probably watching us," suggested Steve.

"Why didn't they take this one instead of the other?" asked Cas Temple.

"Perhaps," replied Steve, "because they found the control locked. All
they had to do on the _Follow Me_ was break the padlock on the companion
way doors. Still, that's just a guess. They may have preferred the
_Follow Me_ for some other reason."

"Never mind that," said Joe impatiently. "The question now is how we're
to find her. Go ahead, Phil."

"I was going to suggest that we inquire among the other boats between
here and the harbour entrance. Two or three still have lights aboard.
Maybe they saw the _Follow Me_ pass out."

"Somebody look after the tenders," said Steve briskly. "Haul ours out
and tie the other astern. Give her a short line, so she won't switch
around and fill with water. All ready, Joe?"

Five minutes later the _Adventurer_ slid through the still water toward
the mouth of the harbour. On her way she stopped twice to shout
inquiries, and the second time a sleepy mariner, leaning, in pajamas
across the rail of a small launch, supplied the information they sought.

"Yes, there was a cruising motor-boat went by about nine, or a little
after, headed toward the Pier Head. I didn't notice her much, but she
was painted dark. Come to think of it, it must have been pretty nea