“Yes. Lord Vinton and Mr. Drago are with me. We’ve got the yacht.” “That’s what I thought. I’ve been staring through a pair of strong night glasses, and from what I could see, it looked to me as if you had won. I saw some people tumble out of a boat, and I was bothered about it till a skiff that the hotel people had sent out came in just now with two half-drowned men. They are the first mate of the yacht and one of the crew, I’m told.” “Well?” “The sailor talked when he was questioned, and said you’d taken the yacht. He said some pirates had it, and he was going to see what could be done about it. The other man--the first mate--may not come around at all. So he couldn’t say anything.” “Come aboard as soon as you can, Chick. We’ve got two of the people who were kidnaped, as I told you. But we can’t find Mrs. van Dietrich.” “She’s on board, the sailor says. There’s a secret stateroom amidships. You get to it by way of the corridor past Mr. Jared Spanner’s room.” “Very well! We’ll look for her there. But, see here, Chick! You come aboard as quickly as you can, and bring half a dozen men with you. Ask Mr. Savage and Mr. Mallory, the hotel managers, to pick you out reliable fellows, who have nerve. I want to bring this yacht in, but I must have men to work her, as well as to keep our prisoners safe. You see----” That was as far as the detective got with his conversation. A tremendous uproar broke out at the head of the companionway, and the next moment seven husky sailors came rushing down and hurled themselves upon him. One big fellow pointed a revolver at his head and ordered him to surrender. The sailor made a strategical mistake here. He threatened the detective with the pistol before making sure that his man would stand where he was to be fired at. Nick Carter ducked almost before the demand for his surrender was out of the other man’s mouth. When he came up again--which he did like lightning--the top of his head struck the sailor’s chin and knocked him backward, stunned and gasping. At the same instant the detective wrenched the revolver from his hand and faced another man who was standing in the doorway. This second man had no gun. His weapon was an iron belaying pin, and if he could have swung it, he might have done serious damage. As it was, he retreated in disorder as he saw the steady eye of Carter running along the blue steel barrel of the big forty-four, and, as a natural consequence, he upset all those behind him. “Vinton! Drago!” shouted Nick. There was a quick response to his call. The two came running along the corridor, and Vinton fired off his automatic pistol on general principles. He did not hit anybody, but the report was tremendous in those confined quarters. It scared every sailor among them. Nick Carter could not help laughing heartily as he and his companions herded the men along the deck and into the forecastle again.