It proved to be
a clear night, and though there was no moon the stars shone brightly
in the heavens.

A full hour went by, during which time the party from the _Dogstar_
made themselves at home aboard the _Mermaid_. They feasted on the
best the steam yacht afforded and several of the men drank a good-deal
of liquor.

"This is like falling into the softest kind of a snap," declared Sack
Todd, after he and Gasper Pold had been talking in a corner for some
time. "They don't own this steam yacht any more than we do."

"Right you are," answered the other.

"And if they calculate to take us to Tampa and hand us over to the
officers of the law, why--"

"Not much, Todd! I am not going to prison just yet."

"Can you trust Jeffers? You seem to know him pretty well."

"I think I can. Jeffers is close--he likes money--and he sees big
money in this steam yacht."

"That's an idea! Now what of the two sailors?"

"I think Guirk and the other fellow will do what the first mate tells
them to--especially if he promises them good wages for the job."

"And what of Baxter? Remember, he used to go to school with the Rovers."

"I don't know what to make of him. Sometimes I think he is all right,
and then again I don't feel like trusting him."

"That's my way of it, too. We don't want anybody we can't trust in this."

"Oh, he'll have to do as we say."

"Hello, what's up there?" shouted Sid Jeffers, from the bench where
he was sitting, finishing some liquor before him.

"We want to talk certain things over," said Gasper Pold. "Come here."

In a cautious manner Sack Todd and Gasper Pold "sounded" the first
mate of the ill-fated _Dogstar_. They said, if they could get control
of the steam yacht, it might mean big money to all concerned.

"But what will you do with those Rover boys and the Dutch lad?" asked
Jeffers.

"Oh, we can either cast them adrift somewhere or else put them off
on a deserted shore," answered Sack Todd. "Then I can turn this steam
yacht over to a friend of mine--an utter stranger to them--and he
can get the salvage on the craft for us and we can divide up."

This plan to make money appealed strongly to the first mate, and he
finally agreed to aid the others in gaining possession of the craft.
Then the two sailors were instructed by Jeffers and they agreed to
do as ordered, leaving the consequences on the mate's shoulders.
Finally Dan Baxter was consulted.

"I don't care what you do, so long as we can g