"There's some good reason," Ned replied.
In a moment a searchlight shot out from the gunboat and prowled over the sea. The boys could see it moving about, but could not see that it picked up the ships which had previously shown the lights. One of the vessels, it appeared, was too far to the south and the other too far to the north to be reached by the traveling rays from the gunboat.
"She's slowing down!" Pat cried, in a moment. "She's going to search the islands. Glory be!"
"You may not want to meet her people, after you find out what they want," said Ned. "Remember that battle with the Filipinos back there."
"I'm willing to take chances with them," was the reply.
The boys now hastened back to camp and Ned passed on to the creek where the Manhattan lay in hiding.
"Jimmie," he said, turning to face that young gentleman, "do you remember whether those rockets we bought at Manila were put on board?"
"Sure they were!" was the reply. "Want 'em?"
Ned replied that he did, and the boy went prospecting in the lockers of the boat.
"Got 'em!" he cried presently.