ied Seaton. "They might afterwards
claim that it was an accidental discharge. Unless they make it very
plain that they're playing the part of pirates, we'd better take the
best of care not to put ourselves wrong before the law."

"That's all right, sir," admitted Hepton. "But, while I'm willing to
take any chances that go with my job, it doesn't seem just fair to ask
me to be exposed to bullets from that other boat without the right to
answer their fire."

"You can get down before the forward deck-house, Hepton," nodded
Halstead, pleasantly. "You can't be hit through the deck-house."

"But you can be hit, fine," objected Hepton.

"Like Mr. Seaton," answered the young skipper, "I'd rather take the
chance than do anything to put us in the wrong."

Grumbling a bit, though under his breath, Hepton seated himself where
the forward deck-house would protect him. Joe remained leaning
nonchalantly over the edge of the house.

"I wonder if they _will_ dare to keep up a fusillade?" he presently
said, watching the deck of the drab boat in the glare of light that
Halstead now held steadily on it.

"If they fire another shot at us," replied Powell Seaton, "then Hepton
and I will crouch over the forward deck-house, rifles ready, and fire
at the flash of the third shot. We'll keep within the law, but we
won't stand for any determined piracy that we have the power to
resist."

"Take the wheel, Hank," called Tom, presently. Then the young skipper
signed to his employer that he wanted to speak with him aft.

"Mr. Seaton," began Tom, "I want to ask you a few questions, with a
view to making a suggestion that may be worth while."

"Go ahead, Halstead."

"You trust me now, fully? Have you gotten wholly over your suspicions
of early this afternoon?"

"Halstead," replied the charter-man, in a tone uneasy with emotion,
"I'm wholly ashamed of anything that I may have said or thought.
You've shown me, since, how perfectly brave you are. I don't believe a
young man with your cool, resolute grit, and your clear head, _could_
be anything but absolutely honest."

"Thank you," acknowledged the young motor boat captain. "Now, Mr.
Seaton, though the two sets of papers describing and locating your
diamond field are out of your hands, don't you remember the contents
of the papers well enough to sit down at a desk and duplicate them?"

"Yes; surely," nodded Mr. Seaton, slowly.

"You feel certain that you can seat yourself and write out a