where he was.

Dick remembered that he had a match safe in his pocket, and soon he
made a light. By this he caught sight of a lantern in the brig and
lit it. Then he bent over old Jerry, and saw that the sailor was
still alive, but suffering from his treatment.

"He must have been attacked, too," murmured Dick. The bucket of water
was at hand, And he took a drink and bathed Captain Jerry's forehead.

It was fully half an hour before the old sailor felt at all like
himself. Both sat down to review the situation.

"The cowards!" said Dick. "What do you suppose they attacked us for?"

"Can't say as to that," replied old Jerry. "Perhaps Lesher wanted to
show us he was master."

"He'll settle with me if I ever get out of this hole, Jerry. What
place is this?"

"The lock-up of the _Golden Wave_. I think it used to be an oil room."

They gazed around them, and soon discovered the can of ship's biscuits
and also the beans.

"They evidently meant to keep us prisoners for some time," said Dick.
"Hark, what is that?"

Both listened, and made out the sounds of distant thunder and heard
the patter of rain on the deck.

"A storm is brewing," said old Jerry. "It sounds as if it was putty
heavy, too."

They tried the door to the brig, but found it locked and bolted. In
vain Dick kicked against it, and shoved with his shoulder. It refused
to budge.

"This looks as if we'd have to stay here--at least for the present,"
said Dick, with a sigh. "I must say I don't like the prospect."

"How long do ye calculate we've been here, lad?"

"There is no telling, unless by my watch." But when he looked at the
timepiece, he found that it had stopped.

They ate some of the biscuits and drank some water and rested for a
while longer. Outside the wind blew furiously and they heard the rain
and the waves dash in all directions. Then some water came trickling
in slowly, at one corner.

"It seems to me as if the wreck was shifting," cried Dick presently.

"It won't shift very far in this bed o' sand, lad. But she may break
up and go to pieces," added old Jerry.

"If she goes down, we'll be drowned like rats in a trap," said Dick.
"We must get out somehow."

They talked the matter over and began a systematic examination of
their prison. The four walls were solid and so was the ceiling above
them.

"The flooring has a couple of loose planks in it," announced. Dick.
"If we can get them up, where will the opening lead to?"

"The