“We’ll board the _Vagrant_. At the pace that spider-craft is going it won’t take long to lay alongside her,” decided Jack. Before many minutes had passed Jack, Tom Jesson and Ned were on board the _Vagrant_. Jupe, much against his wishes, was left behind on the _Sea King_. “Ah’d hev liked jes ter hev one good, big kick at dat Mexican tamale,” he argued; but it was decided to go without him. The _Vagrant’s_ engines, despite the recent strain placed on them, were found to be working perfectly. Amidst a shower of good wishes from those left on board the _Sea King_, she moved off into the darkness in pursuit of their recently vindictive enemy. As Jack had foretold, it did not take long to overhaul the craft with which Herrera had hoped to intimidate those on board Professor Chadwick’s yacht. It gave the boys a somewhat uncanny sensation as they stole silently alongside the slowly moving _Tarantula_, and then made fast by throwing a grappling iron on her decks. This feeling was not changed when, clambering on board, they gazed on the decks strewn with senseless forms, lying as they had fallen. They appeared to be wrapped in deep, dreamless slumber. The gas had operated on them much as if they had been patients in a hospital under the influence of an anæsthetic. Stopping only to make sure that all on board were dead to outward impressions for an hour at least,—after which time Jack calculated they would begin to stir,—the trio of lads made no more delay about seeking out the stern cabins, in which, they believed. Professor Chadwick and the rest were confined. Jack was the first to make the alarming discovery that the staterooms which had been the scene of their captivity were empty. It was a bitter pill to swallow indeed. The boys, perhaps despite their better judgment, had confidently calculated on finding and delivering their friends. Now, however, it appeared that they were as far from accomplishing this as ever. “There’s only one conclusion to draw,” said Jack at length. “Herrera, for reasons best known to himself, has left them some place ashore.” “Unless he——” began Ned, but Jack cut him short. “I guess even Herrera wouldn’t dare to go much further than that,” he declared stoutly, “the question now is,—where has he left them?” “Judging from the speed with which he overtook the _Sea King_ he could not have proceeded far from the spot where we first encountered the _Tarantula_,” decided Ned, “according to my ideas then, our friends have most probably been set ashore on his plantation.” “Cracky! I believe you are right, Ned,” cried Tom in a jubilant tone. His voice became more sober the next minute, though. “In that case they will be under a strong guard,” he added despondently.