n, and he had
failed to notice the ragged hole through the Maud's deck-house at the
location of the galley.

He had expected to find the Fatime near the little steamer; but though
he had swept the bay with his spy-glass, he could not find her, for she
was no longer visible. Probably she had fallen over on the rocky and
irregular bottom, and that had carried even her short masts under water.
As soon as the party rose from the table, Louis and Morris detached
themselves from their mothers, and hastened to the commander's room,
where they found Captain Scott and Felix.

"I don't see anything of the Fatime in this bay," said Captain Ringgold,
when he had closed and locked his doors.

"But she is there, sir," replied Scott mysteriously to the commander.

"Where? I looked the bay over with my glass, and I think if she were
here I should have seen her," added Captain Ringgold.

"You could not see her where she is, Captain," replied Scott.

"Where is she, then?" demanded the commander.

"On the bottom, Captain Ringgold," said Captain Scott impressively.

CHAPTER XVI

THE REPORT OF THE BATTLE OF KHRYSOKO

Captain Ringgold looked from one to another of the "Big Four," and a
smile passed over his dignified face. It was evident to him from the
expression of all of them that something of importance had occurred in
Khrysoko Bay, and that Captain Scott, who was, by his position, the
spokesman of the party, proposed to tell his story in his own way, to
which he did not object.

He believed the young men were honest, truthful, and straightforward,
and he had no suspicions of any kind. As the bearer of heavy and
disagreeable intelligence is inclined to approach his topic by degrees,
the young captain did not like to tell the worst of his report in the
beginning.

The commander was not disposed to have the news "broken" to him, and
considered himself able to bear the whole of it in a mass without being
overwhelmed. But he had no idea of the seriousness of the event which
had occurred, and he thought it probable that the boys were making a
great deal more of it than the occasion required. They had all been to
the table at dinner, and were as lively and as full of fun as usual. As
none of them had been killed or injured, nothing very terrible could
have happened.

"When did you reach this bay, Captain Scott?" he asked, after he had
measured the visages of his audience.

"About eight o'clock this morning, sir," repl