d to reach
shore, under cover of the semi-darkness, and was far enough away by
this time.

Meanwhile, the policeman got into a boat and rowed about, but all to
no purpose. The mate had disappeared as completely as if he was at the
bottom of the lake.

"Well," said Nat, much disappointed, "that's done with. It's a
failure. I guess I'd have done better if I'd gone alone, and not taken
the policeman with me, though he meant well enough. Now I'd better get
some breakfast and then arrange to have some one row me out to meet
the _Mermaid_."

He told the officer that he would have to leave.

"Very well," replied the policeman. "You may go, but I'll never give
up hunting for my prisoner. It's the first time one ever got away from
me, and I'm not going to stand it. I'll keep hunting until I find him,
if it takes all day or a whole year. You had better leave me your
address, and as soon as I arrest him, I'll let you know."

"I don't believe that would do any good. I travel about so, on the
boat, that I can't tell just what my address will be. You had better
give me the warrant; I may run across him at some other port."

Rather reluctantly the policeman gave up the legal document.

"I wish I had handcuffed him at first," he said. "Then he couldn't
have gotten away, and if he jumped in the water he would have been
drowned."

"I wouldn't care about having that happen," said Nat.

"Me either, though I hate to let a prisoner get away. But I'll catch
him yet, you see."

And when Nat had gone ashore, eaten his breakfast in a little
restaurant, and was being rowed out to be picked up by the _Mermaid_,
the policeman was still searching about the dock and adjacent shore
for the missing mate.

Captain Turton and the pilot sympathized with Nat over the failure of
his mission, but they said Bumstead was sure to be arrested sooner or
later.

"He'll probably transfer to some other boat, now," said Nat.

"Very likely," answered Mr. Weatherby. "He knows you are after him,
and it's going to be harder to arrest him."

The _Mermaid_ proceeded on her way, and for some time Nat was so
occupied with his work, for there was a great increase in passenger
traffic, that he almost forgot about the rascally mate and the stolen
money.

Meanwhile, as my young readers have probably surmised, Bumstead had
safely reached shore and had arranged to keep out of the way of
officers of the law. The sudden appearance of the policeman in his
cabin