Frank was placed in a sitting position, and then Flynn stood up before him, showing his hatred by the look on his face. “You don’t seem tickled to be on board the _White Wings_ again,” he sneered. “Don’t suppose you expected to come aboard in this fashion.” “Hardly,” admitted Frank, quietly. “But still it’s better than not coming aboard at all.” “You will not think so before I am done with you,” came threateningly from Flynn’s lips. “You’ll curse the day you ever saw this boat.” “Don’t talk that way! You frighten me!” “Oh, you can pretend to be awfully cool about it, but you won’t be so cool when you know what I am going to do with you.” “I need to be warmed up. Perhaps you had better tell me.” “You will find out soon enough. You thought me dead. Ha! ha! How I fooled you! But I did get a drop into the river. I was hiding under some bushes which hung over into the water while you were searching for me. As soon as you were gone I crawled out and took to the woods. “I left the bicycle, for I wanted you to think I was drowned. The trick worked all right, and you left the yacht unguarded. Under any circumstances you did not suppose I would return to Belfast, even though I was not dead; but I came back there, and I didn’t lose any time in getting possession of my property.” “Excuse me; you mean my property.” “No! This boat belongs to me. I swore I would have her, and I have kept the oath. You did not know what sort of man you were dealing with when you tried to bluff Parker Flynn.” “That’s a fact! Had I known, I should have stopped in Boston long enough to put you behind iron bars for attempted fraud. That would have saved me no end of trouble and annoyance on this trip. But you are sure to land behind the bars in time.” “You will not have the satisfaction of seeing me there.” “I may.” “Not much. To-night you will be put where you will trouble no one in the future.” Having uttered those ominous words, Flynn went on deck, followed by the others. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XV TOWARD THE OPEN SEA. Being left alone, Frank tried to devise some method of securing his freedom. From the sounds he could hear, it became evident that the anchor was being raised, the sails run up and the yacht gotten under way. This told that Flynn had carried the day in persuading the man he called Steve to run out from the island that night. At last Merry understood just what sort of ruffian Flynn was, and he could not help feeling uneasiness over the final words of the man as he left the cabin. Flynn had told Steve that he did not intend to do any killing, but his words had made it evident that he had a plan of disposing of his captive in a manner that would put that captive forever out of the way. The wind was rising, and the _White Wings_ heeled as soon as she was out of the cove into open water.