weather.

"Motor boat 'John Duncan' on the port bow, two points off and
bearing this way, sir," reported the bow watch.

Darrin turned quickly, bending to glance under the boom, for the
mainsail was in his way.

What he saw made him dart quickly forward, to take up his stand
by the mast.

"Pass me the megaphone, Mr. Dalzell," he requested.

With this mouth-piece in hand, Dave watched the nearing craft.

The "Duncan" was a semi-speed boat, some forty-five feet over
all, without cabin, and carrying only a sprayhood forward to protect
its engine.

Two men appeared in the boat--Mr Salisbury, the owner, and his
engineer. The latter was steering at this time.

Chug-chug-chug! came the fast craft.

Dave waited, well knowing that his hail could not carry to either
engineer or owner over the noise that the "Duncan's" engine was
making.

Farley stood close to Dave watching. The tillerman also had his
eye on the approaching craft. The other midshipmen, telling stories
or staring out over the water, paid little heed. There could
be no danger from the motor boat. Both the owner and engineer
were well known, in these waters, as capable boat handlers and
as men of judgment.

Darrin, himself, did not believe that there was any danger.

"Throw her head a point and a half off to the starboard," called
Dave Darrin evenly.

"Aye, aye, sir," responded the midshipman tillerman, and the sailboat
responded slowly under the slight headway.

"Great Scott, don't those fellows know that a sailboat has the
right of way over a power craft?" demanded Darrin suddenly.

"Perhaps they're going to see how close they can come to us without
hitting us," remarked Farley.

Dave raised the megaphone to his lips, waiting until he judged that
there was a chance of his hail being heard.

"Duncan, 'ahoy!" bellowed Darrin. "Go to port of us!"

Still the motor boat came onward, at a speed something better than
fourteen miles.

"Hard-a-starboard!" Darrin roared back to his own tillerman.

Then he repeated his hail. He was almost frenzied now; for the
motor boat had not yet changed its course.

Suddenly, when the two craft were almost together, the engineer,
after throwing over his wheel, held up one hand.

Before Dave could guess what the gesture meant, the "Duncan" loomed
up on the sail-boat's port bow, coming on at unabated speed.

There was an instant scampering of midshipmen for safety. Then
bump! the motor boat's bow cra