l know
it."

In the next hour all three of the boys, though they did not talk much
about it, were wondering about this tragedy of the deep sea that had
called them into action. Though they could not as yet guess it, this
present affair of theirs was but the start of a series of adventures
more amazing than any they had ever dreamed of. Now, at the most, they
were curious. Soon they were to know what it meant to be astounded;
they were soon to know what it felt like to feel haunted, to find
themselves assailed by dread after dread. Undoubtedly it was merciful
for them that they could not, at this moment, peer behind the curtain
of the immediate future.

So, ignorant of what fate and destiny held in store for them, they
were mainly intent, now, upon intercepting at the right point the big
liner cruising swiftly southward.

In another hour they made out smoke on the horizon where Skipper Tom
judged the "Constant" to be. Later the spars of the steamship were
visible through the marine glasses. Then the hull appeared. A few
minutes later Captain Tom ran the "Restless" dashingly in alongside
the great black hull of the liner, along whose starboard rail a
hundred or more passengers had gathered.

Turning the wheel over to Hank, Captain Tom Halstead snatched up the
megaphone as the larger vessel slowed down.

"'Constant,' ahoy!" bellowed the young skipper. "This is the yacht
'Restless,' sent to receive your injured passenger, Clodis."

"'Restless' ahoy!" came the response from the liner's bridge. "We'll
lower our starboard side gangway, if you can come alongside safely."

The Motor Boat Club boys were at the threshold of their strangest,
wildest succession of adventures!

CHAPTER II

SOME OF THE MYSTERY UNRAVELED

"IF we can come alongside safely," echoed Hank, disgustedly. "I'll
show 'em--and in a smooth swell of sea like this, too!"

As the big steamship lay to, Hank steered in until Captain Tom,
boathook in hand, made fast temporarily. Then Hank hurried up with a
line with which he took a fast hitch.

"Hey, there, you'll pull away our side gangway," roared down a mate,
whose head and uniform cap showed over the rail above.

"You don't know us," grinned Joe Dawson, quietly.

By this time Tom Halstead was running lightly up the steps of the
gangway. He reached the small platform above, then passed to the
deck.

He was met by Captain Hampton, who inquired:

"Where's your sailing master, young man?"