THE MYSTERY O' THE SEA
As around the stern of the Seamew came a prau, Ah Sing shrieked aloud in delight and the boys gave a hearty cheer at sight of Captain Hollinger and Swanson standing in the prow of the craft. Beside them stood the two engineers, while the Kanaka crew of the yacht were at the sweeps.
"By golly, they got away!" gasped Mart, managing to scramble to his feet. The sight of the motionless figure of Jerry Smith sobered both boys, however, and while Bob stepped forward to meet his father, Mart kneeled down beside Jerry with feeble efforts to revive him. His own strength was not yet fully returned.
"What's all this?" demanded the captain, as he leaped from the prau to the landing. "Where are those mutineers, Bob?"
"Ashore, all but Jerry," returned Bob promptly, pointing to the quartermaster's figure. Captain Hollinger waved back his men and joined Mart. After a cursory examination he rose to his feet and pulled Mart up also.
"No use, boys," he said softly. "Jerry has found the mystery of the sea at last. Now come along. Tell me what's been going on here."
Mart was unable to speak for a moment, but startled as Bob was, he replied with another question, as Captain Hollinger drew them both up the ladder to the deck.
"Tell us how you got away, first. We thought the Malays had you!"
"So they did," grimaced the captain, "until that assistant engineer came ashore with the Kanakas. Before they got him into the river he had impelled the Kanakas to capture the prau. Then he got his irons cut off and led the Kanakas straight up to the village. I was just starting for the hunt, in blissful security, when he broke in on us and told us what was up. As the Kanakas were armed, the Malays had to give in gracefully—and here we are. Now come across, you boys!"
Naturally, his wonder was great at finding Mart and Jerry in diver's dress, the old quartermaster dead, and Bob looking pretty shaky. Bit by bit the boys told their tale, and only by an effort could they realize that so many things had happened in this one day, for it was not yet sunset.