some careful manoeuvering. As he
touched, one of the marines leaped back to the platform deck, then
passed a line to Mr. Terrell. The two craft were held together until
Jack and Hal had been passed, still unconscious, over the side. The
naval party quickly followed, then cast loose from the sloop.

"This whole proceeding is high-handed," growled Curtis, as soon as he
saw that he was not to be molested.

"Oh, you shut up, and keep your tongue padlocked," retorted Midshipman
Terrell, in high disgust. "You're lucky as it is. Now, Mr. Somers,
are you going back to the bay, sir?"

"Aren't you going to take those two--body snatchers?" demanded Eph,
glaring venomously at the pair on the sloop.

"My instructions don't cover that, sir," replied the cadet midshipman.

"Then hang your orders!" muttered young Somers, but he kept the words
behind his teeth. Eph veered off, next headed about, while the two
seamen bore Jack and Hal below to their berths.

"Will you take the wheel, Mr. Terrell?" asked Eph, edging away, with
one hand on the spokes.

"Yes, sir."

Eph hurried below to the port stateroom. Jack lay in the lower berth,
Hal in the upper. The two seamen, after feeling for pulse, stood by
looking at the unconscious submarine boys.

"What's been done to them?" demanded Eph.

"The same old knockout drops, sir, that sailors in all parts of the
world know so well, sir, I think," answered one of the men, with a
quiet grin.

"Humph!" gritted Eph, bending over Jack's face. "Smell his breath."

"Yes, sir," said the sailor, obeying.

"There's no smell of liquor, there, is there?"

"No, sir," admitted the sailor, looking up, rather puzzled.

"There is some infernally mean trick in all this," growled Eph. "I am
mighty sorry we didn't bring those rascals back with us."

When he went on deck again the submarine boy relieved Mr. Terrell at
the wheel, completing the run in to moorings.

"Did you find your comrades aboard the sloop, Mr. Somers?" hailed the
lieutenant commander, from the gunboat.

"Yes, sir."

"Are they all right?"

"Drugged, sir."

"Hm! Mr. Terrell and his detachment will return to this vessel."

The boat took them away. It was five minutes later when the boat
returned, bringing the lieutenant commander, Doctor McCrea, the surgeon,
and a sailor belonging to the hospital detachment aboard the "Hudson."
Eph conducted them below.

"Drugged," announced the medical officer, after a brief e