o of the Kanakas were on watch, but Mart passed direct to the
wireless house, with the wondering Bob close behind.

"Now, look at that," exclaimed Mart, standing by the table and waving
his hand toward the wireless outfit. "Look at it real close, Holly."

Bob advanced, puzzled. The silence cabinet in which was enclosed the
transmitting apparatus, had been forced open, and even the unmechanical
Bob could see at a glance that something had been disarranged, or worse.

"Look at her!" exclaimed Mart bitterly. "Wires out and gone, and
everything busted that would bust--why, they must have gone through her
with an axe! Holly, this wireless was busted a-purpose, and someone
aboard the _Seamew_ did it!"

"Is she badly smashed?" queried Bob, who was startled by the news
without quite comprehending what it meant.

"I haven't had a chance to look yet. But say, Holly! Don't you see what
it means? There's someone aboard here who wants to cut us off from
connection with everything--and he didn't know much about wireless,
either. The aerials ain't touched. Let's see--"

Mart began to investigate feverishly, but Bob stood transfixed as he
finally realized what this destruction portended. Then, as he gazed down
at the kneeling figure of his chum, his face flooded with anger and he
turned and went out to the forward end of the bridge. The Kanakas were
lolling below in the sun, and Bob woke them sharply.

"Call all hands and send Mr. Smith here."

At the unwonted note of authority in his voice, the Kanakas jumped. Five
minutes later the whole crew poured up, thronging the foredeck, while
old Jerry came up to the bridge in mild astonishment.

"Come back here," ordered Bob briefly, in reply to his queries, and led
the old quartermaster hack to the wireless house.

"Now, Jerry," he said, "last night someone broke in there and went
through the wireless outfit with an axe. How about it, Mart! Much
damaged?"

"Clean smashed up, Holly," groaned Mart from his position beside the
cabinet, where he was investigating the helix. "Everything's busted.
She's ruined."

"Get to work, Jerry," commanded Bob curtly. "You're responsible. Now
find out who did it--"

"How do you know it was done last night, lads?" inquired Jerry softly.
"When was you up here last, if I may ask?"

Bob glanced at Mart, who was rising. They found that neither of them had
been up since early the previous morning when Mart had sent a message
through the Nederland b