come into the inner channel and spot us, they’ll put a crew onto the deserted _Senorita_, and keep some on their cutter—and then—we’ll spring a little surprise!"

There was little sleep for the excited chums during that night. It was quiet enough, and uneventful; but they were so excited and "worked up" that they could not stop discussing the situation long enough to fall asleep. They made good progress and when the sound of running feet and low orders came, they all rose from their bunks and ran on deck. "You’re sure you know the channel?" Tew was asking, as they came up to him and Captain Ortiga.

"The first faint dawn light was visible in the East. Ahead were dim blotches on the water; to the right lay many other gloomy shapes. There seemed to be a wider space off the bow at one point. The order was given, the vessel swung her course toward the break and, still at good speed, bore on. The dim islets closed in on each side. "Starboard a point," called the captain from the bows, his eyes probing the dark, just faintly glimmering water, "starboard a point!"

"Starboard a point!" relayed Tew. "Starboard a point it is!" the helmsman, at his little wheel, drew down the spokes to the side. "Port—port two points!" "Port—two points!" "Port two it is!" "Hard a-port! Hard a-port—quick!" "Hard a-port—quick!" There came a shout of dismay, a call from the pilot. "Tiller rope’s broken!"

"Stop the engines—hard a-starboard—hard over—reverse her!" There were shouts, cries, dismayed questions, a jangle of a bell. The whole fabric of the vessel seemed to shudder as if in the grip of an earthquake. The engines had not been stopped and reversed in time. The captain shouted and at the same instant there was a rasping rending sound—a sickening sound—a tearing, grinding, splintering as the ship tore her side on coral—and stopped, settling gently on her side!

CHAPTER XVI

CAPTAIN NICKY TAKES COMMAND

There was every kind of excitement on the _Senorita_! Men rushed this way and that; they came together in excited groups, spoke quickly together, separated. "The cutter’ll be on us any minute!" said a deckhand. "This is no place to stand ’em off!" grunted another. "Great captain, dat Don!" grumbled the cook. "Know de channel! Huh! Look whah we’s at!" "Lower the tender!" called Tew. "We’ll get away. Grab what you can!"

"Bettah we do dat!" agreed the cook. "Ashore we gits tuh hide; heah dey kin shell us out-a de 

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