“She’ll run as smoothly as a sewing machine,” he declared, looking up. “We can start any time.” “Your father let you have the boat, all right.” “You bet. I told him it was to help find your father, and he was almost going to quit work and come along with us.” The boys got into the motorboat, which was a rangy, powerful craft with graceful lines, and the engine was soon roaring. The boat, which was called the _Napoli_ in honor of Mr. Prito’s birthplace in Italy, moved slowly out into the waters of the bay and then gathered speed as it headed toward the gloomy cliffs at the northern extremity of Barmet Bay. It was already late in the afternoon. The sky was overcast and the bay was rough. The salt spray dashed over the bows of the _Napoli_ as it plunged on through the breakers. Bayport soon became a smoky haze on the hillside. The boys could see the white line of the shore road rising and falling on the coast to the north and at last they came within sight of the Kane farm, nestled among the trees. The cliff upon which the Polucca place stood was stark and sheer against the background of ocean and sky, and at the top they could see the grove of trees and the roof and chimneys of the haunted house. “Lonely looking place,” remarked Joe. “Pretty steep cliff,” Tony observed. “I can’t see how any one could make his way up and down that slope to get to the house.” “That’s just why nobody has thought of the possibility of the place as a smuggling base,” said Frank, “It doesn’t look possible. But perhaps when we look around we’ll find that things are different.” Tony steered the boat closer in toward the shore so that it would not be visible from the Polucca place. Then he slackened speed so that the roar of the engine would not be so noticeable, and the craft made its way along toward the bottom of the cliff. There were currents here that demanded skilful navigation, but Tony brought the _Napoli_ through them easily and at last the boat was surging along close to the face of the cliff. The boys scanned the formidable wall of rock eagerly. It was scarred and seamed and at the base had been eaten away by the battering of the waves. Time passed, and there was no indication of a path and the lads were disappointed. The cliff jutted up out of very deep water and rose to a great height. From the boat they were unable to see the Polucca place, for it was set in a short distance from the edge of the cliff. The face of the steep rock was uncompromising. There seemed to be no foothold for man or beast. It was just an unscalable, craggy wall. Suddenly Tony bore down on the wheel. The _Napoli_ swerved swiftly to one side and at the same time the engine roared as the craft leaped ahead. Frank and Joe looked quickly around. “What’s the matter?” they asked, in alarm. But Tony was gazing fixedly ahead. He was tense and alert. Another shift of the wheel and the _Napoli_ swerved again. Then the Hardy boys saw the danger.