rom the wheel down onto the bridge deck.

"As soon as you like," was Joe's answer, as he threw more speed into
the twin motors.

Hank had the stern hawser in his hands by this time. Halstead threw
the wheel over slightly, warping the boat's graceful bow away from the
dock under just a touch of speed ahead.

"Come aboard, Hank!" called the young skipper. As soon as Butts had
obeyed with a flying leap, Tom rang for half speed ahead, moving
smoothly out of the little sand-bound harbor.

"Coil the hawsers, Hank," directed the young skipper. "Put the wheel
cover away. Then relieve Joe. I want to hear from him."

These three separate orders Hank had executed within less than two
minutes, and jumped down into the motor room. Joe came on deck,
holding the sheets of paper in his hand.

"Now, let's understand what the business is, anyway," suggested Tom
Halstead. "Who signaled us? Mr. Seaton?"

"Yes, but he wasn't the first one," Dawson answered. "The first hail
came from out of the sea, from the Black B liner, 'Constant,'
addressed to any wireless station and tagged 'urgent.' Here it is."

One hand on the wheel, the young skipper received the sheet held out
to him. It read:

Can you send fast boat instantly to take off badly injured
passenger for medical treatment? Passenger A. B. Clodis,
believed to be wealthy man from New York, discovered
unconscious, perhaps dying, from fall. Fractured skull.
Believe passenger or family to be able to pay handsomely
for services.

(Signed) Hampton, _captain_.

"Here's another sheet giving the ship's position at that moment," Joe
continued; "also her course and speed."

"And you answered?" demanded Halstead.

"Just as I started to, the wireless at Beaufort broke in. It seems
that Mr. Seaton is at Beaufort, and that he heard, at once, of the
trouble. Here is Mr. Seaton's order."

Joe Dawson held out another sheet, on which he had transcribed this
wireless message:

Halstead, Lonely Island: Clodis is my man on important
matter. Get him off ship, and with all speed. Take him
to Lonely Island, where I will arrive with surgeons and
nurses. Get all his baggage and papers off with him, and
take greatest care of same. Whole thing plotted by enemies.
If they succeed it spells ruin for me and more than one
tragedy. I depend on you boys; don't fail me! Act at
full speed.

(Signed) Powell Seaton.