h, you're not very badly poisoned," laughed Doctor McCrea. "About the
most that you need, now, is to get into your clothes and take a few
turns up and down the deck with a marine. The fresh air will brace you
up all right. I shan't be surprised if the ippecac leaves you with
an appetite after a while."

"You infernal cheat, you!" roared Truax, starting to get out of the
berth. But the hospital man thrust him back.

"In view of what you've just been telling us, my man, you had better be
just a bit modest about sprinkling bad names around." said the naval
surgeon, turning on his heel.

He was followed by Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, Jack Benson and Hal
Hastings. On the faces of all three were rather pronounced grins.
The fellow had been caught easily enough.

"Mr. Benson," cried Doctor McCrea, grasping Jack's hand when the party
had returned to the cabin, "I hope you are my friend?"

"I certainly am, sir," cried Jack, warmly.

"Thank you," replied the surgeon, making a comical face. "With your
head for doing things, Mr. Benson, I can't help feeling a lot safer with
your friendship than I would if I had your enmity."

"How easily the fellow threw everything to the winds!" muttered Mr.
Mayhew, in some disgust.

While they were still chatting in the cabin of the gunboat a shot
sounded on the deck. It was quickly followed by another. Then a
corporal of marines rushed in, saluting.

"The prisoner, Truax, sir, escaped while taking a walk on deck under
guard of a marine. He took to the water headlong, sir. The marine
fired after him through the darkness, sir, and a second shot was fired.
The officer of the deck sends his compliments, sir, and wants to know
if Truax is to be pursued by men in a small boat?"

"At once, and with all diligence," nodded the lieutenant commander.

Though a very thorough search was made, Sam Truax was not found. It
was thought, at the time, that the fellow must have been drowned.
Months, afterward, however, it was learned that he was skulking in
Europe with Tip Gaynor, who had received word in time to make his
escape also.

It may be said, in passing, that neither Mr. Farnum nor Mr. Pollard
felt it necessary to go to the trouble of trying to have the scoundrels
arrested and extradited to this country, and in this Jack Benson agreed.
Both rascals were rather certain, thereafter, to give the United
States a wide berth.

For some time David Pollard had been holding aloof and kee