w; and, when the
watches were set, Denman himself went down. He descended as he had come
up, by the captain's companion, reported his safety to Florrie through
the partly opened stateroom door, and also requested that, each night as
she retired, she should toss the hat, cloak, and skirt into the
wardroom. To this she agreed, and he discarded the uncomfortable rig and
went to his room, locking the captain's door behind him, also his own.

His plan had not progressed. He had only found a way to see things from
the deck instead of through a deadlight; and he went to sleep with the
troubled thought that, even though he should master them all, as he had
once nearly succeeded in doing, he would need to release them in order
that they should "work ship." To put them on parole was out of the
question.

The sudden stopping of the turbines woke him in the morning, and the
sun shining into his deadlight apprised him that he had slept late. He
looked out and ahead, and saw a large, white steam yacht resting quietly
on the rolling ground swell, apparently waiting for the destroyer to
creep up to her.

"Another holdup," he said; "and for grub and water this time, I
suppose."

Wishing to see this from the deck, he rushed aft to the captain's room
and tapped on the door, meanwhile fumbling for his keys. There was no
answer, and, tapping again, he opened the door and entered.

"Florrie," he called, in a whisper, "are you awake?"

She did not reply, but he heard Sampson's voice from the deck.

"This is your chance, miss," he said. "We're going to get stores from
that yacht; but no doubt she'll take you on board."

"Is she bound to New York, or some port where I may reach friends?"
asked the girl.

"No; bound to the Mediterranean."

"Will you release Mr. Denman as well?"

"No. I'm pretty sure the boys will not. He knows our plans, and is a
naval officer, you see, with a strong interest in landing us. Once on
shore, he would have every warship in the world after us."

"Then I stay here with Mr. Denman. He is wounded, and is my friend."

Denman was on the point of calling up--to insist that she leave the
yacht; but he thought, in time, that it would reveal his position, and
leave him more helpless, while, perhaps, she might still refuse to go.
He heard Sampson's footsteps going forward, and called to her softly;
but she, too, had moved forward, and he went back to his deadlight.

It was a repetition of the scene with the oi