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Rh "Wonder if the young fool saw what I was up to?" he muttered. "If he did I'd better go slow. I don't want to get caught. They might treat me pretty roughly."

The watch on deck was changed and Wingate went below. Asa Carey was in command of the yacht and he, too, wanted to know why Sam was up at such a late hour. The boy told him, but said nothing to the mate of Wingate's strange actions.

When Sam turned in, Dick wanted to know if he was sick.

"No, only restless, Dick," he replied. "By the way, I saw something strange," he continued, and he related the occurrence.

"We must look into this, Sam. It may mean nothing and it may mean a great deal," was the eldest Rover boy's comment.

The boys did not go on deck until after breakfast. Then they walked to the starboard rail and stopped at the spot where Sam had first discovered the deck hand.

"I don't see anything," said Dick, gazing over the rail. "Perhaps he was fishing, after all. He may have thought—Hullo!"

"What is it, Dick?"

"Some kind of a line down here—a wire, fastened to a hook!"

"Can you reach it?"