r bay occupied the central part of
the sheet. Two long promontories jutting from east and west nearly
closed the seaward or southern end. The single word "Watter" was written
beside a dot high up on the paper and a little northeast of the bay. An
anchor, roughly drawn near the northern shore and a small cross between
two parallel lines a short distance inland, completed the information
given, except for a crossed arrow and letters indicating the cardinal
points of the compass.

[Illustration]

It required no great time for the two lads to examine every line and
mark. They looked up and faced each other disappointed. Jeremy voiced
the thought which both had. "How are we to know where the thing is?" he
asked. Bob shook his head and looked glum. Then he seized the paper
feverishly and turned it over. Its soiled yellow back gave no clue. Not
even the latitude and longitude were printed. "Well," said Jeremy,
finally, "one thing we can do, and that's remember exactly how it
looks." He measured the length of the bay with the middle joint of his
forefinger. "Three--four--and a bit over," he counted. "Anchorage in
that round cove to the northwest." Then, measuring again, "And the cross
is two finger-joints northwest of the anchorage. What those lines each
side of it are I don't know, but I'll remember them. And that dot marked
"Watter" is one and a half northeast of the mitten-shaped cove. There--I
guess we've got it all by heart now." He had just finished speaking and
both of them were still looking intently at the map when a fresh
outburst of cheers and the beginning of a sharp musketry fire were heard
above. Jeremy replaced the paper where he had found it and they hurried
up to look out of the hatchway.

The two ships were now only half a cable's length apart, running side by
side. Few shots were being returned by the merchantman and all her crew
were keeping out of sight behind the solid rail.

"All hands to board her," Bonnet sang out and answering her tiller the
_Royal James_ swung over till the two sloops' sides met with a jar. They
were fast in an instant and a score of whooping buccaneers swept over
the rail. From a place of vantage the boys watched the short, bloody
conflict that followed. It seemed that several of the enemy's crew, few
as they were at the beginning, had been killed by the explosion of the
gun. Only a half-dozen rose to meet the pirate onslaught. Not one asked
for mercy, even after Herriot had shot