on of his ship.

"The _Mariella_, Boston for San Juan, Porto Rico; general merchandise
and three passengers returning from school."

"That's us," whispered Mason. "Look important now. This is as good as
playing charades. Can you guess the word, Hal?"

For a few minutes those on the deck of the gunboat seemed to be
discussing the reply. The little man on the bridge gesticulated
violently as he apparently argued with a subordinate officer. Finally he
put his marine glasses to his eyes again and for fully a minute Harry
felt that he was studying them and Captain Dynamite, who stood facing
him, his big form looming up to its full height, while a smile played
around the corner of his mouth.

Suddenly the little man danced up and down like a jumping jack, shot his
arms in the air and waved them wildly. Then he seized the megaphone and
aimed it at the captain's head. This time the boys could understand the
words that he poured out, for he spoke in broken English.

"Ah, ah," he shouted, "I know you now, you el Capitaine Dynamite, el
filibust, el buccaneer, el pirate. Surrend--surrend in Queen's name."

The little man's words had an electrical effect on the captain. The
smile faded away and his mouth became a set, straight line. In a moment
he was all action.

"Go ahead full speed, Suarez," he shouted. "All hands to quarters."

In a moment his orders were transmitted from mouth to mouth and as
quickly the quiet decks became transformed. Men in a seemingly endless
stream rushed up through the forward hatch from below and scattered
about the decks with soldier-like regularity, each taking, without the
least confusion, a station to which he had apparently been assigned.
Every man was armed with sword, pistol, and rifle, and almost before the
boys had recovered from the first gasp of astonishment, the bulwarks
were lined with rows of fully armed, determined looking men, who stood
silently at their posts awaiting further orders.

George Washington Jenks stepped out of his galley, his black, shining
face as usual on a broad grin. He looked aft at the boys, pointed to the
gunboat and chuckled.

"George Wash Jenks is not such a bad guesser after all," said Harry.
"Mix-up has arrived all right."

"Say, but Hal, do you think there is going to be any real fighting?"
asked Bert. All of the boys were intensely excited and nervous from
their unusual surroundings.

"It looks a heap like it."

"And here we are right in the middl