seemed reasonably safe without danger of being sighted under

full sail by the oncoming vessel, then her head was brought

into the wind, and one by one her sails were lowered and

furled, as the keen eyes of Second Officer Theriere announced

that there was no question but that the white hull in the

distance was that of the steam pleasure yacht Lotus.

Upon the deck of the unsuspecting vessel a merry party

laughed and chatted in happy ignorance of the plotters in

their path. It was nearly half an hour after the Halfmoon had

come to rest, drifting idly under bare poles, that the lookout

upon the Lotus sighted her.

"Sailin' vessel lyin' to, west half south," he shouted, "flyin'

distress signals."

In an instant guests and crew had hurried to points of

vantage where they might obtain unobstructed view of the

stranger, and take advantage of this break in the monotony of

a long sea voyage.

Anthony Harding was on the bridge with the captain, and

both men had leveled their glasses upon the distant ship.

"Can you make her out?" asked the owner.

"She's a brigantine," replied the officer, "and all that I can

make out from here would indicate that everything was shipshape

about her. Her canvas is neatly furled, and she is

evidently well manned, for I can see a number of figures

above deck apparently engaged in watching us. I'll alter our

course and speak to her--we'll see what's wrong, and give

her a hand if we can."

"That's right," replied Harding; "do anything you can for

them."

A moment later he joined his daughter and their guests to

report the meager information he had.

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