Captain Hooper tried to get at the bottom of the affair, but failed.
"You must have been dreaming, Ummer," he said at last, and sent all of the boys off to bed.
During the following week Nautical Hall was closed up, and the schoolboy cadets marched to the head of the bay.
Here they went into camp for a month, part of the time being spent on the bay and the ocean beyond in learning how to sail both large and small boats.
The sailing of the boats particularly interested Mont and Carl Barnaby. Link did not care very much for the water, for when the sea was rough he was inclined to grow seasick.
One day Mont and Carl obtained permission to hire a sloop at the town, and go out for an all-day cruise over the bay and back.
They took with them a young fellow from Nautical Hall named John Stumpton, a handy lad who generally went by the name of Stump. Since Mont had arrived at the Hall, Stump had taken to him greatly, and would do almost anything that Mont asked of him. Stump was also a great friend to Carl.
They sailed out of sight of the camp, and gradually crept up to a large excursion boat which was just leaving one of the docks of the town.
The steamboat was overcrowded, every deck being full of humanity bent on having a good time.
Some musicians were playing on the forward deck, and they drew quite close to hear what was going on.