. Then he crept back to his place and gave Tom a
nudge. Forthwith they began talking in rather loud tones.

"Say Tom, do you know I rather like this ship. These fellows are rough
in their way but that is to be expected."

"Of course," said Tom, in an equally loud voice, "but we might as well
make the best of it. There is no chance for the boys to find us."

"You're right there, Tom."

Then in a short time they appeared to fall into a deep and sonorous
sleep. This was no fake on the part of Tom who was actually and
thoroughly tired. But Juarez was more of a veteran and he kept his eyes
open and he was rewarded in a few minutes by seeing a man's feet hanging
over the edge of their bunk house and then he saw the figure of the mate
slouch aft.

"You sly old rascal, you," remarked Juarez. "We will 'larn' you to try
and be too smart with the Frontier Boys. We may be young but we are not
fools."

Nothing happened for a while and the gentle plunge of the Sea Eagle into
the long rolling swell soon lulled the tired Juarez into a sound sleep,
so that neither he nor Tom were aware that the ship had suddenly changed
her course.

By and by however, Juarez waked with a start. Something had happened, he
knew not what. He sat up and struck his head upon the planking overhead.
Fortunately however he did not hit the place where the Mexican had
struck him but at the best his head was a tender place with him and the
blow stunned him, but as he was now more his rugged self, he soon
recovered.

He found what had wakened him was the stopping of the ship. He saw
several dark forms moving aft and he crept out to see what was afoot. He
had to move very carefully but managed to reach the hood of the
forecastle, where he crouched looking and listening.

He saw that they were lying to, close in to shore and could see the
white splash of the breakers as they rolled towards the shore and could
hear their monotonous thunder upon the beach. Here perhaps was their
chance. Just then he heard the heavy voice of the Captain from the
bridge.

"Lower away there." Then the starboard boat slid noiselessly down from
the davits into the water.

Juarez got up and glided back into the cubby hole to tell Tom the good
news. It was their opportunity to escape and seemingly a good one. The
sea was smooth and the night was dark. They could slip over the side of
the vessel and pull for the shore, and not a soul on the Sea Eagle would
be the wiser until the