It was very close quarters for a boy of his size; and, like the space under the captain’s berth, it was filled with old clothes. Wade raked them out, and then prepared the den for his reception when it should be necessary to use it. He put most of the garments in another place; but he left enough to form a barricade in front of the aperture, that would conceal him from the captain and others who might be looking for him. We do not like to cast reflections upon the good judgment of Wade and the steward; but the hiding-place was not well chosen. As Capt. Bendig had found him under one berth, he would be very likely to look under all the berths in the yacht when he wanted to find the stowaway. But Wade did not believe he should have any occasion to use the place, for the captain had promised not to flog him; and he did not believe he could do any thing with him except to carry him back to New York. He would be very glad to go there; for the liberality of the cashier had made him rich, and he could live a year at least on the vast sum of money in his possession. He did not care whether school kept, or not. He was no longer afraid of the captain, as long as the cabin party remained on board; for he was confident that the cashier would protect him for his own safety, if for no other reason. He had wanted to go on deck, and now he went. He had a place of retreat in case of trouble, and all he had to do was to crawl into it. It was nearly sunset when he went up the cabin steps. He saw the ship at least two miles ahead, for she had been under all sail from the time she had made out the yacht; and it is probable that she had seen the revenue-cutter, or she would have shortened sail, and waited for the “Moonlight” to come up. At sunset the wind all died out, while the “Housatonic” was still two miles distant. The cutter was a mile from either vessel. Nothing could be done; and the ship and the yacht lay where they were all night. CHAPTER XXIV. UNWELCOME PASSENGERS. We left Lon Trustleton and Matt Swikes at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. They had counted out and divided their ill-gotten treasure. The sudden appearance of Wade Brooks had disturbed them very much. He had been a stumbling-block to them, and they were afraid of him. As soon as he had departed, after he had refused to take any of the stolen money, Lon tried to put a bold face on the matter; but it was no use. “He will tell the clerks in the office that we are here,” said Matt, when the door had closed behind the intruder. “The clerks already know we are here, and he won’t tell them any news,” replied Lon. “Wade will tell them who you are, and they know your father,” continued Matt. “I think we had better get out of this house as soon as we can.” “The people here certainly know my father,” added Lon, musing. “I don’t know but the clerk would telegraph to my father if Wade told him that I was here, and that I had left home without his knowledge.”