ured bravos were badly used.
Then, thoroughly cowed, they were allowed to slip away.

"What happened to you, shipmate?" demanded one of the rescuers.

"Enough!" growled Runkle. "They got my money."

"Much?"

"All I had."

"Tough luck," declared one of the sailors.

"The chap who has your money surely got away before we could reach
him."

"I've got to get aboard the flagship as soon as I can," exclaimed Able
Seaman Runkle ruefully.

"The launch leaves in ten minutes, mate," volunteered another. "Those
of us who are going aboard will now do well to get back to the mole."

So Jack Runkle departed with his rescuers, but his eyes flashed the
vengeance he would take should he meet his despoiler again.

On the way out to the flagship Runkle sat silent and out of the run of
talk that was going on around him.

Going up over the side of the "Hudson," Runkle reported himself on
board, and then added to the officer of the watch, Lieutenant Totten:

"I've a message for the Captain, sir, and have orders to report to
him immediately on coming aboard."

"Orders from an officer of this ship?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll send an orderly to see if the Captain is still awake," replied
Lieutenant Totten.

"I beg your pardon, sir," Runkle persisted, "but I have orders to say
that Captain Allen, by his own request, is to be called, if necessary,
sir, in order to hear my message."

"Very good," nodded Lieutenant Totten, and turned to an orderly,
sending him to Captain Allen's quarters.

"The Captain will see Seaman Runkle at once," the orderly reported a
few moments later.

Saluting Lieutenant Totten, Runkle turned and hastily presented
himself before the door of the Captain's quarters.

"You have something to report, Runkle?" questioned Captain Allen,
seating himself at his desk.

"Yes, sir. Ensign Darrin gave me a letter to bring to you, sir. It may
interest you, sir, to know that on my way back to the ship I was
attacked near the mole by a mob of cut-throats. One of them held me up
with a revolver, but I got it away from him. Then they all attacked
me, and soon had me down, sir. One of the rascals took all my money
and a letter addressed to you."

"Took Ensign Darrin's letter away from you?" demanded Captain Allen,
looking, as he felt, a good deal disturbed.

"No, sir; not Ensign Darrin's letter, sir," replied Able Seaman
Runkle, with just a shadow of a grin. "It was a letter addressed to
you, but I have reason to be