This was done, and they brought up another wire, to the end of which were attached two small anchors and some pieces of scrap steel from the tool room.
"He put those overboard for drag anchors," explained the master of the steam yacht. "He did it to delay the Rainbow."
"Yes, and that was done so the Josephine could get ahead of us," added
Dick.
"In that case he must be in league with Sid Merrick," came from Sam.
"Perhaps he met Merrick at Nassau and was hired for this work," said
Dick.
"That is possible, Dick. I'll have the truth out of him, if I have to put him in irons and on bread and water to do it," added Captain Barforth.
He at once sent for Walt Wingate. The deck hand who went after the man came back five minutes later to report that the fellow could not be located.
"He must be found!" cried Captain Barforth. "He can't skulk out of this!"
A search was instituted, in which all of the boys, Mr. Rover and Aleck joined. But though the steam yacht was searched from stem to stern, the missing deck hand was not located. Some of the men even went down into the hold, but with no success.
"Do you think he jumped overboard?" asked Fred.