yo’ little book. But I mean ter get away first chance, you bet. Are you wid me?”

“I certainly am. This schooner is little better than a floating inferno.”

“All right. Tip us yer mitt. When de time comes dat smoke ull be de guy ter help us. He ain’t got no more use fer Terrer Carson dan I have, so fur as I’ve bin able to figger it out.”

The two allies shook hands, but further conversation was barred just then for Pompey reentered the galley.

CHAPTER X: PLANS TO ESCAPE.

Raynor found that his duties, besides his kitchen work, included waiting on the table in the cabin. He managed to acquit himself at this without getting into serious trouble, although Terror Carson gave him several gruff reproofs during the evening. When supper was over the duty of washing the dishes fell to the two boys. Pompey retired forward for a smoke and they had the galley to themselves.

The breeze, which had been steady all the afternoon, was beginning to increase. The schooner began to leap and strain as the waves grew bigger. Raynor found some difficulty in keeping his feet.

“Say, it’s coming on to blow,” observed Raynor.

“Yes, and that’s too bad,” rejoined Noddy. “I’d got it framed up fer a getaway ter night.”

“To-night?” gasped Raynor.

“Yep, Pompey is to have the wheel to-night. He has that duty every two weeks. At midnight he’ll be alone on deck and if we fix up like ghosts it would be dead easy to scare him and get at the boat on the stern davits and make our fare-you-well.”

The boldness of the plan almost overcame Raynor.

“Here’s de proposition,” went on Noddy. “If we don’t do it to-night we won’t have a show ter take a crack at it fer annudder two weeks—see. By dat time de men say we’ll be up among der ice where der seals are, an’ it wouldn’t do us no good if we did escape, fer deres mighty few craft up dere.”

“Well, I’m game,” said Raynor.

“Good for you,” and Noddy dropped his voice and began whispering the details of his plan. By the time they had finished their work the schooner was pitching and tossing wildly and they knew that the storm was on the increase. “But dat don’t make no never mind,” declared the 

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