The passengers on the upper deck were astir, spreading out wet clothing and bedding, to hang them from the awning and the rails to dry. Charley's father and Mr. Grigsby were talking earnestly together, but checked themselves when they saw Charley emerge, and land on deck. "Morning to you," greeted Mr. Grigsby. "Did you sleep well?" "Fine," said Charley. "Did you? What was the matter in the night?" "Yes; you can count on me to sleep in any kind of weather," answered Mr. Grigsby. And--"Shall we tell him?" he queried, of Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams, who looked a little worried, nodded. "Yes," he replied. "We might as well. He's one of us." "The truth is," resumed Mr. Grigsby, to Charley, "one of those three fellows tried to cut the boat down, in the night. But I caught him. Here's his knife." "Which one was it?" gasped Charley, cold at the thought. "Jacobs," said his father. "And lucky for us that he didn't do it. Mr. Grigsby has a sharp ear. Why, we wouldn't have lasted a minute in that sea. Now, wasn't that a cowardly thing even to think of?" "I'd feared it," admitted Mr. Grigsby. "But it didn't seem possible, in any human being. Last night was a good night for it--and I suppose the davits would have looked as though the boat had been torn loose by a sea. Whew! I ought to have shot the scoundrel without parleying." "What'll we do about it?" quavered Charley, sitting down hard on the bench. He felt weak. "It's all over with, so don't be scared, boy," encouraged his father. "A miss is as good as a mile, you know. We're safe, after this. Oh, Mr. Grigsby and I've decided there's little to be done. Of course, here's the knife for evidence, and we'll speak to the captain; but there's nothing else to do. We have to look out for ourselves." After breakfast Mr. Adams brought aft, not the captain, but the first mate. He was the same official who had objected to their using the boat at all. "So you think somebody was bent on cutting that boat down, do you?" he queried, brusquely, of Mr. Grigsby. "I don't think so; I know it," returned Mr. Grigsby. "How do you know it?" "Because I knocked him down and took his knife." "Do you know who it was?" "His name is Jacobs." "You can prove that, can you?" "To my own satisfaction; yes." "Well, I suppose you are aware that there are over a thousand passengers aboard this boat, and several hundred have knives just like that one. You can prove nothing. I told you in the beginning that you occupied this boat at your own risk. So don't bring your complaints forward. But if any damage is done to this boat you'll be held responsible." So speaking, the first mate turned on his heel and left. Charley saw his father flush angrily, but Mr. Grigsby only laughed. "Let him go," he said. "We can do our own fighting." A passenger standing near evidently had overheard the conversation, for he asked, quietly: "Do I understand somebody tried to cut your boat down, last night?" "Yes, sir."