ward would have found him.

He dressed hurriedly in his room, and went on deck, spying a fleeing man
in brown mounting the steps ahead of him, and looked around. Astern was
a fog bank, and ahead the open sea, toward which the boat was charging
at full speed. As he looked, a man came aft and faced him. Denman
expected that he would step aside while he passed, but he did not;
instead he blocked his way.

"Are you an officer of this boat, sir?" asked the man, respectfully.

"I am. What do you want?"

"Only to tell you, sir, that she is not now under the control of the
Navy Department. My name is Jenkins, and with twelve others I escaped
from the prison to-night, and took charge of this boat for a while. We
did not know you were on board."

Denman started back and felt for his pocket pistol, but it was in his
room. However, Jenkins had noticed the movement, and immediately sprang
upon him, bearing him against the nearest ventilator, and pinioning his
arms to his side.

"None o' that, sir," said the giant, sternly. "Are there any others on
board besides yourself?"

"Not that I know of," answered Denman, with forced calmness. "The crew
had not joined when I went to sleep. What do you intend to do with me?"

He had seen man after man approach from forward, and now a listening
group surrounded him.

"That's for you to decide, sir. If you will renounce your official
position, we will put you on parole; if you will not, you will be
confined below decks until we are ready to leave this craft. All we want
is our liberty."

"How do you intend to get it? Every warship in the world will chase this
boat."

"There is not a craft in the world that can catch her," rejoined
Jenkins; "but that is beside the point. Will you go on parole, sir, or
in irons?"

"How many are there in this party?"

"Thirteen--all told; and that, too, is beside the point. Answer quickly,
sir. I am needed at the wheel."

"I accept your offer," said Denman, "because I want fresh air, and
nothing will be gained in honor and integrity in my resisting you.
However, I shall not assist you in any way. Even if I see you going to
destruction, I shall not warn you."

"That is enough, sir," answered Jenkins. "You give your word of honor,
do you, as an American naval officer, not to interfere with the working
of this boat or the movements of her crew until after we have left her?"

"I give you my word," said the young officer, not without some
misgivings