y looked into their nest in the morning to find it
empty.

Once they got to the shore it would be an easy matter to make their way
North until they met Jim and Jo.

The anticipation of the escape had already thrilled through every nerve
in Juarez's body. But he had just started to wake Tom, when something
made him look down the deck. There was the tall figure of one of the
sailors coming directly towards the bow.

Juarez lay down quickly as though asleep. Then the man reached down and
caught hold of Tom's foot and Juarez's and gave them a rough yank. "So
you are here, you young brats. You had better make a move or the Cap'n
will finish you."

Juarez was fairly sizzling with rage especially as Tom was really
frightened by being wakened in such rough fashion and after all Tom was
but a boy and it pained Juarez to see him so scared, but he was
helpless, and all he could do was to add one more black mark to the
score he was charging up to the free-booters.

Instead of moving away, the man sat on a capstan a few feet distant from
the boys' den, watching for the slightest move on their part, a marlin
spike dangling playfully in his hands. Juarez had not taken the crafty
and keen sighted Captain Broom into account.

From the Bridge, that worthy, although he was watching the launching of
the boat, had chanced to catch sight out of the tail of his eye of a
dark shadow flitting back to the forecastle. He was not sure it was one
of the boys, but he was taking no chances, for he had a real respect for
their prowess and audacity as he might well have.

So he had sent one of his crew to guard this young lions' den, while the
ship was so close in shore. He did not intend to stay longer than was
necessary right at this point, and he waited with some anxiety for the
return of the mate and Pete in the boat.

It was now two o'clock in the morning and Captain Broom wanted to be out
at sea a good safe distance before the light broke. The mate's boat had
now been gone over a half-hour, and the Captain stood at the end of the
Bridge looking towards the shore. There was not a light upon the vessel
to show her position. She lay silent and black upon the dark waters.

Then the Captain straightened up. He saw a moving body approaching the
ship and heard the slight dip of oars. Then the boat was alongside and
instead of two men, there were three in the boat. The Captain went down
to the main deck to meet them.

CHAPTER XIX

THE