"Yes, sir; there are two."
"The harbor police ought to be somewhere about. I'll rouse them if I can."
The young man went to the port-hole which served to light the cabin and fired a pistol.
"Confusion! There's some one on the yacht!" exclaimed the sallow-faced man. "We must get off."
Dipping his oars in the water, he rowed quickly away, leaving Jed to his fate. But the shot had been heard on another boat not fifty rods distant, and the piratical craft was pursued and eventually overhauled. Meanwhile Jed remained on board the yacht, whether as a prisoner or not he did not know.
"Your companions have taken alarm," said the young man. "I hear them rowing away. They have deserted you."
"I am glad of it," said Jed. "I don't want anything more to do with them. Will you tell me if that box contains anything valuable?"
"Probably the contents are worth five thousand dollars."
"Is it possible!" ejaculated Jed in amazement.