had the
descriptions and instructions altered so that it will be misleading
rather than helpful."

"Good!" said the professor. "You are an assistant after my own heart.
Our chances of searching undisturbed are greatly improved."

"If we keep this secret to ourselves," continued Jim, "the others will
be constantly on the lookout, and we may yet run down the one guilty of
the theft."

"Yes, even if they only get a fictitious chart, we would like to know
who it is and for what purpose it was taken."

Their conference over they returned now to the deck.

The day passed without event worthy of record, and it was growing dark
when the captain again joined the others.

"Going to have a blow," he said, looking to the west where a mass of
dark clouds were piling up. "The barometer is falling. It is just the
time to try a little experiment."

"What is that?" asked Tom.

"I am going to try and give our friends the slip," replied the captain.
"There are no other ships in sight," sweeping the horizon with his
glass.

"How are you going to do it?" asked Tom.

"Wait and see," replied the captain.

In the west it was growing darker. The storm brewing clouds, as they
piled up blotted out the stars. There was scarcely a breath of air. The
sea rose and fell in long, slow undulations. Away in the distance the
roar of the storm was audible.

"Double reef the sails," the captain commanded at the same time changing
the course so as to steer directly toward the approaching storm.

The party at the captain's suggestion had donned their oilskins and were
now crouched in the shelter of the cabin top watching with fascinated
interest the coming of the storm.

"Better get a good strong hold," advised Tom, "It's going to blow great
guns."

Higher and higher rose the clouds until all of the west was of inky
blackness through which there ran, now and again, a streak of light that
was blinding in its intensity. The storm broke now with a flash as if
the whole firmament was aflame, and with a roar that drowned the thunder
a solid wall of blackness enveloped them, blotting out everything except
the ship's lights, and there came down apparently a deluge of water.

"Put out the lights," commanded the captain, in the first lull of the
storm. The vessel was still rolling and pitching, and the wind was
howling through the shrouds.

In total darkness, now, the ship plunged forward through the angry waves
that crashed against her bow with