hat's the matter?" shouted a voice from the inside, and
presently the door opened and a head was thrust out.

"Can you take us to Port Arthur, to-night?"

"What?"

"Can you take us to Port Arthur, to-night?"

"No, I'll be hanged if I can."

"That's all right then. Sorry I disturbed you," said Hal, walking away.

"Hold hard, boss. Don't be in such a blooming hurry," called out the
skipper, appearing on the deck, buttoning up his garments.

"Now then, what's it you want?"

"I want to go to Port Arthur, to-night."

"Impossible, why it's ten o'clock now."

"Well, I want to start at once."

"Won't Norfolk Bay do you? It's only eight miles away: just a nice
walk."

"Why Norfolk Bay?"

"Why, because Port Arthur lies outside, and to go there you have to face
open sea, and it looks like blowing a bit. While if you go to Norfolk
Bay, you are under shelter."

"I see; the boat is hardly big enough for the open sea."

"What! this boat! Go along with yer. I'd cross the Atlantic in her.
She'd face--"

"All right. Eight miles is not much of a walk. Can you start at twelve
sharp? And if a fiver will squeeze matters so that we can return
to-morrow--"

"That'll do, sir. Twelve sharp it is. Now then boy, fire up like--"

"What's the name of your boat?" asked Hal.

"_Tarantula._"

"And her Captain?"

"Captain John White, R.N."

Having made all arrangements, Hal returned to the hotel, where he found
Goody quieted down and in quite an amiable mood, ready to cry for joy
when Hal told him he was sure he would be able to take his daughter back
with him. He bade Reg be ready by twelve sharp.

"Twelve sharp it is, my boy," said Reg. "And I hope I shall have a
chance of handling this toy"--and he touched the morocco case which held
the die.

CHAPTER XIII.

PORT ARTHUR.

"Good-bye, Mr. Goodchild. Be sure and carry out our instructions and,
above all things, wire if you hear anything of Wyckliffe," said Hal, as
he and Reg stepped on board the little steamer.

"You can depend on me, gentlemen. Good-bye, and God bless you," answered
he from the pier.

"Now then, skipper, full speed ahead."

"Ay, ay, sir. Let her go, boy."

Once more the boys were on the deep. As the little boat steamed ahead,
increasing the distance between them and the pier, they watched the
figure of Goody standing by the gas-lamp. He had resisted all their
endeavours to make him go to bed, and insisted on coming down to the
pier to