It was finally decided by the commodore that all the Beech Hill barges should proceed to the head of the bay, and if the ruffians landed with their prisoner, or did not put him in the boat, they should follow them on shore and rescue Paul at all hazards. Oscar Chester gave the word, and the Gildrock dashed off, with the other two barges following her. The crews were not spared, and the boats appeared to leap over the water, which was tolerably smooth under the lee of the land. The Chesterfield barges still lay near the shore, above the wharf, and in order to avoid them the commodore headed the Gildrock across the bay. In the absence of the spare hand and Dory, the Marian was one oarsman short, and Dick Short missed the stroke very much. The Silver Moon was not more than a quarter of a mile from the wharf, for Dory was showing off the sloop in various points of sailing. Very likely he desired to keep the Beech Hill barges in sight as long as the Chesterfields were near. Dick Short waved his handkerchief in the direction of the sloop. Dory saw the signal, and headed the Silver Moon to the head of the bay. Before the commodore changed the course of the fleet, he ran across the stern of the Marian. "The Chesterfields have made Paul a prisoner!" shouted Dick Short. Dory heard the announcement, and then the sloop passed out of speaking distance. He was not a little astonished at the information, and fully realized the peril of the son of toil. Glancing at the Chesterfield barges, he saw Major Billcord seated in the stern-sheets of the Dasher, and it did not need a very vivid imagination to comprehend the programme of the enemy. "I must ask you to excuse me to-day, and I will come over some other time when the wind blows, and put the Silver Moon through her paces," said Dory to the owner of the sloop. "What's the trouble here?" asked Bissell. The acting skipper explained the situation to him, including enough of the proceedings at Sandy Point the day before to enable him to understand it. "Major Billcord is as savage as a wild hyena when he gets mad," added Bissell. "He is bound to have his own way against everybody else. He tries to rule the town, though most of the people hate him." Dory tacked and stood back to the Marian. He hailed the coxswain and asked to be taken on board. Dick told him to come alongside as quick as he could, and he would be ready for him. "I wonder if I can't do something to help you," said Bissell. "You fellows have done me a good turn to-day, and I shouldn't mind helping you out if I could." "You will only offend Major Billcord, and I think we can manage the affair," replied Dory. "No matter whom I offend; Paul worked well in the sloop, and he seems to be the bottom dog in this business, and if I see a chance to do anything for him I shall do it, if the major bu'sts over it."