ith a valuable
cargo."

As the "Grigsby" ranged up alongside, an officer stepped out from the
stranger's wheelhouse and came to the rail.

"What craft is that?" Dave demanded.

The skipper, if such he was, replied in broken English, naming a neutral
country, and adding that the vessel was the "Olga," bound for an English
port with a cargo of wood pulp.

"I knew she couldn't carry a costly cargo," Dave muttered, then
commanded, through a megaphone:

"Lie to and stand by to be inspected."

"Vat?" demanded the foreign skipper, in evident amazement.

Dave repeated the order.

"But ve all right are," insisted the skipper, "vot I told you iss our
cargo."

"Lie to, just the same," Dave commanded. "We'll be aboard at once."

That made the skipper angry, but he dared not resist. The muzzles of two
of the "Grigsby's" three-inch guns were pointed straight at him now, so
the clumsy craft stopped and lay tossing on the choppy sea.

Ensign Burton and a boarding crew were told off for one of the power
launches. At the last instant Dave decided to go with the party and took
his place in the launch. He was first aboard the stranger when the launch
had been made fast alongside.

It was now a younger officer who met him at the rail.

"Where is your skipper?" Darrin demanded.

"He me has given der papers to you show," replied the younger officer.
"Come mit me to der cabin, please."

"I must see this craft's master, and at once," Darrin insisted.

"He here cannot be at dis minute," replied the foreign mate. "To de cabin
mit me come, please."

"Your cargo is wood pulp, you say?" Dave continued.

"Yes, sir."

"Where is it?"

"In our hold, already, sir," answered the mate.

"Throw off that hatch," Dave directed, pointing. "I am going to inspect
your cargo."

The hatch was promptly uncovered. Leaving Burton and his men on deck,
Dave descended into the hold by a ladder, followed by the mate and two of
the "Olga's" seamen. A brief inspection proved that the hold was well
filled with a cargo of wood pulp.

"Now, you vill go to de after hold, please?" asked the mate, as Darrin
climbed up to the deck.

"Yes," Dave nodded, and went aft, followed by four of his men, while
Burton and the others remained forward. Here in the after hold the same
kind of cargo was found. The "Olga" looked like a straight enough craft,
but there was something in the manner of the mate that made Darrin
suspicious.

Calling two of his seame