THE
MOTOR BOAT CLUB OFF LONG ISLAND. Ab Perkins and Dick Davis were two of
the most valued of the early members of the Club.

All in a twinkling, Tom Halstead was seized by an idea. He looked
about for Powell Seaton, saw that gentleman talking with Captain
Rawley, and caught the charter-man's eye.

"See here, Mr. Seaton," whispered Halstead, as soon as he had gotten
his employer aside, "there's no great need for me to go to Rio."

"No?"

"Of course not. Give the papers to Dick Davis, with exact instructions
as to who is to receive them at Rio Janeiro, and those papers will get
into exactly the hands for which you intend them."

"You feel certain of that, Halstead?" demanded Powell Seaton, his
voice tremulous with anxiety.

"Absolutely sure, sir. Dick Davis can be trusted as long the world
holds together. There isn't the faintest yellow streak in him, either.
Square, straight, keen, brave--that's Dick Davis. And Ab Perkins would
go through the jaws of anything with Davis! Why, Mr. Seaton, they're
Motor Boat Club boys! You can trust them to the same degree as you're
willing to trust me. Moreover, they're going down to Rio on a mission
to the Government. They've got a better chance to get ashore,
unmolested and unwatched, than any other stranger would have."

"Get your friends together, then, somewhere where we can have a
private corner," begged Powell Seaton. "We'll talk this matter
over--we've got to talk like lightning, at that."

While Mr. Seaton sought Captain Rawley, Tom shot back along the deck
to where Joe, Hank and the two Rio-bound members of the Motor Boat
Club stood talking.

"Hank," said Tom, in a low voice, "Hepton is all alone down on the
'Restless,' except for our prisoner aft. Hepton may be all right, and
I think he is--but one of our own crowd ought to be on board our
boat."

"I'll be the one, then," half-sighed Hank Butts, turning to descend
the side gangway.

Captain Rawley promptly agreed to turn his own cabin over to the
friends who wanted a private chat.

"But only for five minutes, mind you," he insisted. "Then I must be on
my way."

Behind the closed door of the captain's room Powell Seaton and Tom
Halstead swiftly explained what was wanted.

"Will we do it?" said Dick Davis, repeating the question that had been
asked him. "Why, of course we will. There's only one answer possible.
Tom Halstead is fleet captain of the Motor Boat Club, and a request
from Captain Tom is the same th