ecked auxiliary steamer desired to get aboard the superdreadnaught
if there was to be any fresh excitement.

Whistler's chums urged him to waylay Ensign MacMasters for information.

"G'wan, Whistler!" begged Frenchy. "You and him's just like brothers.
Ask him if the old _Kennebunk_ is running away from us, or if it's all
bunk?" and he grinned at his pun.

"Of course she's not running away," Whistler returned.

"Just the same this cutter is sprinting like all get out," put in Torry.
"Be a good fellow, Whistler. Ask Mr. MacMasters what it means."

His chum did not feel that he could do this. There is, after all, a gulf
between the quarterdeck and the forecastle. But Whistler put himself in
the ensign's way and, saluting smartly, asked a question:

"Beg pardon, sir! Did you find anybody aboard who could translate that
torn letter I picked up in the old witch's cabin?"

"That letter addressed to Franz Linder? No, Morgan; there is nobody
aboard the cutter who is familiar with German. But the moment we reach
the _Kennebunk_ I will put it into Captain Trevor's hands--never fear."

"Shall we really catch the battleship, sir?" asked Whistler eagerly.

"We've got to, Morgan;" declared Mr. MacMasters. "As you boys say,
'there is something doing' and we must be in it."

"But the battleship has changed her course, has she not, sir?"

"She has received new orders; but we will meet her on this course,
I have no doubt. Cheer up, my boy," and the ensign laughed. "You may
yet help work the big guns in a real battle."

So it was actually a race. The cutter must reach a certain point in the
open ocean to meet the superdreadnaught; if they missed her, in all
probability the party from the _Kennebunk_ would have to be returned to
port and be assigned to some other duty for the time being.

"Oi, oi!" groaned Ikey when he heard Whistler's report. "I never did
have any luck. If they had delicatessen shops on board ships, I'd be
made to police the pickle barrels yet."

The day did not pass without some additional excitement. The cutter
passed and signaled several Government vessels; but toward evening the
lookout picked up the smoke of a small destroyer ahead which, within the
next half hour, acted very strangely, indeed.

She seemed to be steaming in circles, and as the cutter raced nearer
those circles narrowed. Then her guns began to pop.

The cutter's crew and their guests became much excited. Surely the gun
crews of the des