the _Senorita_ rounded the western end of Cape Sable and was, for the time, out of sight of her pursuer, a man on the cutter sighted what he took to be her lights again. They were not, however. A coasting schooner, of the old type, blown somewhat off her course, had hove in sight. Naturally, not being aware of the true facts, and supposing that the quarry had doubled on her course to escape them, believing that her masthead light—which the schooner’s light, from the rear, closely duplicated, was that of the _Senorita_, the cutter changed her course.By dawn she overhauled the schooner, saw her mistake and lay to, her commander and Mr. Neale and the others completely baffled. Had they been pursing that schooner all the while? 
At the same time Nicky was delivering an oration, on the silent, stricken _Senorita_. 
“Now, fellows,” he said, “we have to organize. We’re the captain, and crew, and cook and cabin boy, all in three. Which is which? If the cutter doesn’t come, we have to make plans. Those men will come back. They may not be able to use this boat again but they will want to find out what we know about the treasure before they leave—and they may do something to us after we’ve told. We ‘signed on’ in a way as pirates—hi-jackers.” 
“And, sure enough, we are hi-jackers!” exclaimed Cliff. “We’ve taken a whole ship!” 
“That’s so!” said Tom. “Well, I move that the Mystery Boys nominate the acting chief for this year of their order as Captain in this emergency.” 
“Second the motion!” cried Cliff. 
“All in favor!” grinned Nicky. “But Tom has the cooler head and you, Cliff, know more than I do.” 
“Aye—just the same—you’re elected!” laughed Cliff. 
“I’ll volunteer to cook,” Tom offered. 
“Then I’m crew and cabin boy,” chuckled Cliff. 
“What are your orders, cap’n?” asked Tom with assumed deference, touching his forelock in approved nautical fashion. 
“Of course we all are captain, really,” Nicky stated. “But just while we’re in no danger, I’d say we ought to see what weapons the men left, and where the food is and how badly broken the hull is.” 
“That’s one job for each of us,” Cliff agreed. “I’ll round up the artillery. Tom will cook, so that leaves the captain the rightful duty of estimating damage to his ship!” 
“Then we may try to repair her,” grinned Nicky, “and sail, and sail the seven seas, and spread our sails to every breeze and take our captives as we please——” 
“Only we have no sails!” Cliff reminded him. 
“Well, then, we’ll gaily man our ocean rover and swiftly turn her engines over and if we’re chased—if we’re chased——” 
“We’ll run for cover!” suggested Tom, chuckling. 
‘Rover’ doesn’t rhyme with ‘cover’ but let it go at that!” 
Then, with the spirit of youth and daring alert in their strange situation, they departed for their several 

 Prev. P 62/143 next