boy, an impossible hiding place for lads the size of Jo or
Tom--and Pete's battered old sea-chest. This latter Pete opened, it
was not locked, and saw only a heap of old clothes.

"Not here, Skipper," he said, shutting down the lid with a snap.

"They must have got up on deck then," said Jim, puzzled.

So the party adjourned to the deck, Jim carrying the lantern to aid
him in the search.

"What did you find?" roared the captain.

"It was Tom and Jo, sir," yelled Jim, "but we can't locate them. Have
you seen them skulking aft, Captain?"

"Nobody has gone by me," cried the captain. "They must be for'ard."

Just then Juarez joined in the search.

"Look in the bow," he advised, when he found how matters stood.

So paying no attention to the water and spray that came over the bow,
they made their way forward, Jim in the lead with the lantern. He
swung the light in among the chains, but a deep shadow cast by the
lantern hid Jo, who laid low, making himself as small as possible,
his head buried close to the deck.

But Juarez's keen eyes saw a dark object crouching in the furthest
corner. He dived past Jim and caught hold of the cowering Jo and in
spite of his struggles pulled him to the surface. Jo appeared like a
much disheveled criminal when he was dragged out.

"Well," said Jim, "you are a pretty looking fellow. Where's your pal?"

"Tom?" questioned Jo grumpily. "He was in the forecastle when I saw
him last."

"You will have to pay for this night's rumpus," warned Jim.

"Near made me break my leg," growled Pete, "with your foolin'." In
spite of his present predicament Jo could not help laughing heartily
at the recollection of old Pete and the boy scrambling like a couple
of scared cats up the ladder of the forecastle.

"You won't feel so gay when we get through with you," said Jim. He
marched him with a heavy hand to the cabin which he occupied, shoved
the angry and resisting Joseph within and shut and locked the door.
Then they started out in a final search for Tom, the only one of this
desperate gang of night marauders that now remained uncaptured.

"I declare, I don't know what has become of that boy," said Jim.

"He couldn't have fallen overboard?" questioned Juarez. Jim negatived
that idea emphatically.

"Tom's too cautious for that," he said.

Where was he? The reader knows well enough, being an adept on solving
all these mysteries. He was in old Pete's sea-chest hidden down under
the clothes, a