fessor reluctantly directed the captain to slow down.

"It is no use," he said. "We cannot shake her off that way. We might as
well resume our regular course."

The following morning the same conditions were found to prevail. The
distance between the boats seemingly never changed.

"She is a good boat and jolly well sailed, don't you know," remarked the
mate, who was a typical English sailor.

"What is that flag for?" asked Tom suddenly.

"What flag is that?" asked the captain in return.

"Why, that one there," replied Tom, pointing to a square of red bunting
flying from a davit of their own ship.

"That," laughed the captain. "Well, you ought to know better than I do."

"Why?" asked Tom.

"Really," said the captain, "didn't some of you boys put it there?"

"Why, of course not," disclaimed Tom. "I thought maybe it was some kind
of a signal."

"Well, I'll be blowed," exploded the captain, "if I didn't think you did
it for a lark."

"There is one like it on the Marjorie," said Jim, who was using the
binocular.

"Well, what do you think of that!" burst out the captain.

"What does it mean?" asked Tom.

"It means that someone on board is exchanging signals with the
Marjorie," replied the professor.

"I wish I could catch them at it," muttered the captain, grimly.

"Let us take turns in watching," suggested Jim.

"I am going to do a little watching on my own account," growled the
captain, making a dash for the supposed signal.

"Don't pull it down," advised the professor, "perhaps we can see who
puts them up."

"I think you are right."

"They are doing some kind of signaling on the Marjorie now," went on
Jim. "I can see some one waving a flag."

"There isn't anyone here who could see it," said the captain, looking
over the deck. "Let me have a look," taking the glass. "There is some
kind of signaling going on, but who can it be to?" Jo walked quietly to
the stern of the boat, and leaning over the rail looked down. The stern
windows of the cabin afforded a view of the pursuing vessel, and where
the signals could be observed, but he could not see if anyone was there.

Something did attract his attention, however, though it only impressed
itself on his mind as an odd chance. A keg was floating in the wake of
the Storm King, but most unusual things are sometimes seen on the
surface of the ocean, hundreds of miles from land.

"Perhaps there is someone in the cabin," he suggested, as he came back
to