ldn't be more concerned than we are to see the affairs of
our charter parties come through all right."

"Oh, I believe that," nodded Powell Seaton. "You boys have been the
strongest sort of personal friends to me in my troubles. You couldn't
possibly have made my affairs, and my dangers, more thoroughly your
own troubles."

Two hours later a wireless message came back from the "Glide." It was
from Dick Davis, and couched in vague terms, but meant to inform those
aboard the "Restless" that the drab seventy-footer was still out of
sight. An hour after that a second message reached the motor boat.
Soon after the "Restless" found herself unable to answer, though still
able to receive.

"Hank, are you feeling particularly strong to-day?" inquired Mr.
Seaton.

"I'm always strong, sir," replied the young steward.

"Then why not rack your pantry stores in order to supply the biggest
thing in a meal for all hands this evening? I feel more like eating
than I have any day in a month."

"You'd have to go to a sure-enough number-one hotel to find a better
meal than I'll put up for this evening," retorted Hank, grinning
gleefully, as he started for the galley.

In such lazy weather Tom Halstead felt that he could go below for a
nap, especially as Joe was around. Hepton was left at the wheel. Tom
speedily closed his eyes in one of the soundest naps he had enjoyed in
many a day. He was awakened by Hank, who came into the stateroom and
shook him by the shoulder.

"Weather's all right, up to now," Butts informed the young captain.
"Still, we don't like the looks of the sky, and the barometer is
beginning to show signs of being eccentric. Won't you come up on deck
for a minute, anyway?"

Tom was out of his berth in a twinkling. There was enough of the
sea-captain in him for that. The instant he reached the deck his gaze
swept around anxiously, inquiringly, at the sky.

"The clouds up on the northeast horizon don't look exactly friendly,
do they?" he inquired of Joe.

"Don't know," replied Dawson. "Haven't seen enough of them yet."

"I'm thinking you will, soon," replied Halstead. "How's the wind
been?"

"From the east, sir," replied Hepton, who was at the wheel.

"It's working around to northeast, now," muttered Halstead. "And it
was almost from the south when I turned in."

Tom stood by the barometer, watching it.

"Trouble coming," he said, briefly.

Within half an hour his prediction began to be verified. The dar