tile. The marauder would disappear among the
innumerable islands of which he knew every cove and creek, and it was
impossible to come across him.

He maintained a perfect reign of terror. England, France, Germany,
Russia and America vainly dispatched warships in pursuit of the
phantom vessel which disappeared, no one knew whither, after robberies
and murders that could not be prevented or punished had been committed
by her crew.

One day this series of crimes came to an end, and no more was heard of
Ker Karraje. Had he abandoned the Pacific for other seas? Would this
pirate break out in a fresh place? It was argued that notwithstanding
what they must have spent in orgies and debauchery the pirate and his
companions must still have an enormous amount of wealth hidden in some
place known only to themselves, and that they were enjoying their
ill-gotten gains.

Where had the band hidden themselves since they had ceased their
depredations? This was a question which everybody asked and none was
able to answer. All attempts to run them to earth were vain. Terror
and uneasiness having ceased with the danger, Ker Karraje's exploits
soon began to be forgotten, even in the West Pacific.

This is what had happened--and what will never be known unless I
succeed in escaping from Back Cup:

These wretches were, as a matter of fact, possessed of great wealth
when they abandoned the Southern Seas. Having destroyed their ship
they dispersed in different directions after having arranged to meet
on the American continent.

Engineer Serko, who was well versed in his profession, and was a
clever mechanic to boot, and who had made a special study of submarine
craft, proposed to Ker Karraje that they should construct one of
these boats in order to continue their criminal exploits with greater
secrecy and effectiveness.

Ker Karraje at once saw the practical nature of the proposition, and
as they had no lack of money the idea was soon carried out.

While the so-called Count d'Artigas ordered the construction of the
schooner _Ebba_ at the shipyards of Gotteborg, in Sweden, he gave to
the Cramps of Philadelphia, in America, the plans of a submarine boat
whose construction excited no suspicion. Besides, as will be seen, it
soon disappeared and was never heard of again.

The boat was constructed from a model and under the personal
supervision of Engineer Serko, and fitted with all the known
appliances of nautical science. The screw was