ation over for a good hour, but could
reach no satisfactory conclusion. They did not wish to submit to the
others and yet they realized that they were "in a box" as Tom said.

"I know one thing--I want a drink of water," said Sam. "I am as dry
as a salt fish."

"Yah, I vont me a trink, too," added Hans.

"Well, you'll have to go without," answered Tom. "I am dry myself.
I was going to get some fresh water just before the trouble began,
but I didn't have the chance."

"I know what they'll do--they'll starve us out," exclaimed Sam. "I
see their game plainly."

"I am going to whistle for water," said Tom, with something of his
usual grin. "Nothing like being stylish."

He pulled the cord and the whistle gave a loud toot. He repeated this
several times, when they heard footsteps and the hatch was raised
about a foot.

"Ready to submit?" asked Sack Todd, peering down on them.

"We want some drinking water," answered Tom.

"Oh, pshaw!" said the man, in disgust.

"Will you give us a bucket of fresh water or not?' asked Dick.

"Maybe--I'll see," said Todd, and dropped the hatch into place once more.

"I don't believe he'll give us a thing," was Sam's comment. "He knows
if he doesn't we'll have to give up sooner or later."

"Of ve only had apout two dozen policemans here!" sighed the German
youth.

In the meanwhile Sack Todd told the others about the water.

"Are you going to give it to them?" questioned Dan Baxter.

"Don't think I will," was the answer.

"You can't let them die of thirst," went on the former bully of Putnam
Hall, with some little show of feeling.

"I've got an idea," came from Gasper Pold. "Is there a medicine
cabinet on board? Generally such a vessel carries one."

"Yes, there is one in the cabin," answered Sid Jeffers. "What do you
want of it?"

"We might put some dope in the drinking water. That will fix 'em."

"What, you wouldn't poison them!" cried Dan Baxter, and gave a little
shiver.

"Oh, we'll only put them to sleep," answered Gasper Pold, but with
a look on his face that Baxter did not like.

The men went to the cabin and the former bully of Putnam Hall followed.
Here the medicine cabinet was found filled with various liquids and
powders and Gasper Pold looked them over with care.

"I worked in a drug store when I was a young man," he explained. "And
I took a good bit of interest in dopes and poisons."

Dan Baxter heard him say this, and to the credit of the bully it ma