ad scrape."

But, it is needless to say, he never found Jack Smith.

CHAPTER IV.

A Midnight Alarm.

On the afternoon of the following day, as Frank and his cousin were
walking up and down the deck, talking over old times, Simpson hurriedly
approached them, exclaiming,

"Boys, do you want to leave this ship?"

"Yes," answered Frank; "we're tired of staying here."

"Well, it's all right, then. I volunteered to go, and I had both your
names put down. The executive officer says if you want to go, just get
your donnage and go for'ard."

"Where are we to go?" inquired Archie.

"On board of the Illinois," answered Simpson. "She is a magazine-ship, and
is lying half-way between here and Mound City. No work at all to do, I'm
going.'

"Then we'll go, of course," said Frank; "for we don't want to lose you."

They immediately got down their hammocks and bags, and went forward, where
they found the executive officer standing on the forecastle, waiting for
them.

"Well, lads, do you volunteer to go on the Illinois?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Jump down into that dingy, then," said the officer, pointing to a small
boat that lay alongside.

The boys did as they were ordered, and just as they had finished storing
away their bags and hammocks under the thwarts, a man dressed in the
uniform of a sailor sprang down into the boat, exclaiming:

"Man your oars, lads, and shove off--you've a long pull before you."

Archie took one of the oars, Frank the other; Simpson stowed himself away
in the bow of the boat, and the sailor took his seat at the helm.

The cousins were both good oarsmen, and they made the little boat dance
over the water like a duck. It was full five miles to the place where the
Illinois lay, and they soon found that it was indeed "a long, hard pull."
The current was very strong, and it reminded the boys of many a tough
struggle they had had around the head of Strawberry Island, in the
Kennebec River.

In about two hours they reached the Illinois, and, as they sprang on
board, their baggage was seized by willing hands, and carried to the
cabin, which had been stripped of nearly all its furniture, and presented,
altogether, a desolate appearance. After a few moments' conversation with
one of their new messmates, they learned that there were only fifteen men
on board the vessel, including one sergeant and two corporals. These were
the only officers; and they were, in fact, no officers at all, for