night, and though there was no moon the stars shone brightly in the heavens.
A full hour went by, during which time the party from the Dogstar made themselves at home aboard the Mermaid. They feasted on the best the steam yacht afforded and several of the men drank a good deal of liquor.
"This is like falling into the softest kind of a snap," declared Sack Todd, after he and Gasper Pold had been talking in a corner for some time. "They don't own this steam yacht any more than we do."
"Right you are," answered the other.
"And if they calculate to take us to Tampa and hand us over to the officers of the law, why"
"Not much, Todd! I am not going to prison just yet."
"Can you trust Jeffers? You seem to knew him pretty well."
"I think I can. Jeffers is close—he likes money—and he sees big money in this steam yacht."
"That's an idea! Now what of the two sailors?"
"I think Guirk and the other fellow will do what the first mate tells them to—especially if he promises them good wages for the job."
"And what of Baxter? Remember, he used to go to school with the Rovers."
