dvancing boat.

"Glory be!" murmured the amazed Jimmie, "we're in a nice pickle, now,
Jack. Sure there's half a dozen of the gossoons, if there's one. And
by the powers, look at 'em heading this way, too! What will we do,
Jack? Lit me have the gun, if so be ye don't want to shoot!"

"Wait!" replied Jack, sternly. "We'll see if we can hold them back
first. Perhaps, when they see that we mean business and are armed,
they may haul off."

Nearer came the boat. It could now be seen that those who handled the
oars were trying to make less noise, as though desirous of not arousing
the sleepers they expected to take by surprise.

Suddenly Jack called out as sternly as he could:

"Stop there! or it will be the worse for you!"

He also waved the gun that the starlight might glint from its barrel,
and show the men in the boat they were not unarmed.

A man stood up in the bow of the advancing craft, and a heavy voice
shouted:

"It's all up with you, men. You are known, and we demand you to
surrender in the name of the law!"

CHAPTER VIII.

LEFT IN THE LURCH.

The two young cruisers in the motor boat
could not say a single word when these
astounding words reached their ears.

Meanwhile the other craft had drawn
quickly nearer, and Jack could even make out
the fact that the men crowded in her seemed to
be in some sort of uniform, for he certainly
discovered brass buttons.

Then it was not a joke, nor yet some sort of
trick being played by cunning river vagrants
in order to catch the boys off their guard.

Jimmie was rubbing his eyes, and muttering
to himself, as though he began to believe he
might be dreaming.

"Don't think of offering any resistance,
you rascals!" continued the gruff voice in the
nearby boat; "because we're ready to give you
a volley. Take hold there, Grogan. Now
aboard with you!"

A couple of burly men came sliding into the
natty little motor boat. Then lights flashed in
the faces of the two astonished occupants.

"Say, they're a couple of boys, Cap!"
exclaimed the man who had grasped hold of Jack,
as the glow of his lantern illuminated the face
of the skipper of the _Tramp_.

"Guess you've made a little mistake,
mister," remarked the boy, as calmly as he could,
for he was naturally more or less excited.

"Hold on there!" bellowed the leader of the
expedition, as he started to clamber aboard;
"don't let up on 'em a minute, men! Just
remember the account said some