Part 39 (2/2)

”If they do, the starlight will help us a good deal.”

As the yacht tore along through the water, the two police officers listened with close attention to what the boys had to tell them.

”If they are the men who robbed Rush & Wilder it will make a fine haul to capture them,” said Sergeant Brown.

”We want to save Dora Stanhope as much as we want to catch those thieves,” returned d.i.c.k. ”I wonder if her disappearance has been reported to the police?”

”I can't say. You see, Carter and I have been out all day looking for a pair of harbor thieves who stole some clothing from a pleasure yacht lying off the Staten Island sh.o.r.e.”

”Did you see anything of your men?”

”We saw them; but they got away in a rowboat. Where they have gone to is hard telling. But I don't imagine the theft amounted to much--at least, it was nothing in comparison to the crimes you are trying to run down.”

On and on went the _Searchlight_ through the night, and slowly but surely the clouds in the heavens cleared away, letting the stars s.h.i.+ne down once more on the silent waters.

Suddenly Martin Harris gave a murmur of satisfaction. ”There she is.”

”The _Flyaway_!” came from several of the others.

”Yes. Just as I thought; she is heading down the Staten Island sh.o.r.e straight for Sandy Hook.”

”They are bound for Searock!” cried d.i.c.k suddenly. ”Mr. Baxter mentioned the place just before they discovered that I was spying on them.”

”That's a good way down the New Jersey coast,” said Sergeant Brown. ”Can this boat stand such a sail?”

”Can she?” snorted Harris. ”She's strong enough to go to Europe if you want to make the trip.”

”Thank you; when I go to Europe I'll go in a steamer,” laughed the police officer. ”I don't think you'd do much in a heavy blow.”

”The _Searchlight_ would hold her own,” answered the old sailor confidently.

The breeze was increasing, and they rounded the Narrows at a lively rate. The swell from the ocean now struck them, and the yacht occasionally dipped her nose a little deeper into it than was expected.

”Here, I don't want, to get wet!” cried Carter. ”I'm no sailor, you know.”

”You won't get much,” laughed Harris. ”This roll is just enough to be pleasant.”

”Perhaps--to some people,” came from the policeman, who had never cared for the rolling deep and who was beginning to feel a trifle seasick. Fortunately for him, however, the sickness proved mild and of short duration.

The _Flyaway_ was now in plain sight but too far off to be spoken.

She had every sail set to its fullest, and for the time being it seemed impossible for the _Searchlight_ to gain upon her. Thus mile after mile was covered, until Sandy Hook lighthouse could be plainly seen but a short distance away.

”We are out in the ocean now,” remarked d.i.c.k an hour later.

”Gracious, when I left Cedarville I didn't think that this was going to develop into such a long chase!”

”Never mind how far we go, if only the chase proves a success,”

answered Tom. ”If we succeed in not only rescuing Dora, but also in bringing those thieves to justice, it will be a big feather in our caps.”

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