"Oh--oh, I--I feel faint," gasped Amy. "It is so close in here----"

"Get her some water," ordered Betty, authoritatively.

"It's right here," said the old woman. "I thought you'd want a drink.
And you can have somethin' to eat as soon as you like. It sha'n't be
said we starved you."

"Eat! I couldn't bear the sight of food!" said Betty, with a shudder.
"Here, Amy, drink this. It seems to be--clean!" and Betty tried to
express the contempt she felt for the slovenly appearance of the old
woman.

Fortunately the water did seem to be drinkable, and it was quite cold,
as though it had been on ice. Both girls drank gratefully, for their
mouths were parched and dry.

"Are you better?" asked Betty, smoothing back the hair of her chum.

"Oh, yes, much. But, Betty dear, what does it all mean? Why are we here?
I--I seem to be in a sort of daze."

"I feel that way myself. I don't know what has happened, Amy, except
that we were kidnapped, and brought to this schooner."

"Kidnapped? Oh, no, my dear!" interrupted the old woman. "We only want
you to tell us something, and as soon as you do that you can go where
you please."

"Tell you? Tell you what?" demanded Betty, though she felt she could
answer that question herself.

"I don't rightly know what it is, my pretty!" protested the crone with
an evil glance. "My man will be here pretty soon and tell you. He has to
get the sails up, and all of that, first."

The creaking of pulleys on the deck told that the operation of getting
the schooner under way was not yet completed. There was a regular swing
to the vessel now, however, that told she was getting into more open
water. Fortunately both the outdoor girls were good sailors.

The old woman was putting back in a box the bottle of water and the tin
cup from which she had given Amy and Betty to drink. For a moment her
back was turned, and Betty decided on a bold move.

Quickly she darted over toward the door, and pulled with fierce strength
on the knob. It resisted her efforts. The old woman turned with a
mocking smile on her wrinkled face.

"I told you it was locked," she jeered. "It won't be opened until I
knock in a certain way. I'll do it soon, for we must be getting pretty
well out."

She peered through a dirty round window that gave light to the cabin,
which seemed to be located in the after part of the schooner, though
neither Betty nor Amy had noticed to which part they had been taken.

"I demand that you