here early day after to-morrow."

It meant to the boys a loss of only two days at the outside. That was a
little thing in comparison with what might have happened if the cutter
had not come.

"We'll start without waste of time," resumed the captain. "Lieutenant
Stevenson, you may bring the prisoners aboard."

Jim went ashore with the officer to notify his companions and prepare
for this unforeseen journey. Eleven o'clock found the _Pollux_ steaming
west with her thirty-one additional passengers. The passage was
uneventful and they were alongside the wharf in Portland early the next
forenoon.

Promptly at two came the hearing before the commissioner. It did not
take long. Brittler and his accomplices were held for trial at the next
term of court, and the Chinese were taken in charge by the immigration
inspector. Before six that night the boys were passing out by Portland
Head in the _Pollux_, bound east. The next morning they landed once more
in Sprowl's Cove, and a few hours later they had fallen back into their
customary routine, as if smugglers were a thing unknown. The leak in the
_Barracouta's_ bow was calked, making her as tight as before.

The following day dawned fiery red and it was evident that a fall storm
was brewing. Jim and Percy had to battle with a high sea when they set
and pulled their trawl; and they were glad enough to get back to
Tarpaulin with their catch. By noon a heavy surf was bombarding the
southern shore.

Five o'clock found the gale in full blast. A terrific wind whipped the
rain in level sheets over cove and beach and against the low cabin squat
on the sea-wall. Great, white-maned surges came rolling in from the
ocean to boom thunderously on the ledges round Brimstone. The flying
scud made it impossible to see far to windward. It was the worst storm
the boys had experienced since they came to the island.

At half past five, after everything had been made snug for the night,
they assembled for supper. On the table smoked a heaping platter of
fresh tongues and cheeks, rolled in meal and fried brown with slices of
salt pork. Another spiderful of the same viands sputtered on the stove.
Hot biscuits and canned peaches crowned the repast. Filippo had done
himself proud.

A long-drawn blast howled about the cabin.

"Gee!" exclaimed Percy, "but wasn't that a screamer! This is one of the
nights you read about. 'The midnight tempest was shrieking furiously
round the battlements of the old b