"Up the mainsail!" roared Dan Baxter, and Goss obeyed the order with alacrity. At the same time Dan Baxter and Mumps pulled up the anchor; and in less than two minutes the _Flyaway_ was standing out into the bay. CHAPTER XXIII DOWN THE STATEN ISLAND SHORE TO SANDY HOOK "Dick! Dick! What ails you?" "My head, Sam! Arnold Baxter struck me down," came with a groan. "Can you get up? We want to follow them," cried Tom, as he caught his brother by the arm. He had just reached the factory on a dead run, lantern in hand, to find Dick. "I guess I can stand, Tom. But I can't run yet." "Here, take the lantern and I'll carry you," came quickly, and in a moment more Tom Rover had Dick on his back and was running for the _Searchlight_ as rapidly as the nature of the meadow land permitted, Dick holding the light over his head so that both might see. The alarm had now become general, and by the time the yacht was gained two police officers, who had been on the hunt for harbor thieves, appeared. "What's the row about?" demanded one of the officers of the law, as he came into view. "Is that an officer?" questioned Dick feebly, "I am an officer--yes." "We are after some thieves and some parties who have abducted a girl. Will you help us?" "Certainly, if what you say is true. Where is the crowd?" "They ran off in that direction," came from Sam, as he loomed up out of the darkness. "They have a yacht out there somewhere." "Then we can't catch them--unless we get a boat," answered Sergeant Brown. "We have a boat, out this way," and Sam pointed with his hand. "But I guess we had better make certain that they go out first." "True for you, young man. Lead the way and we'll be with you." All ran on again, Tom bringing up in the rear with Dick. Soon the cove previously mentioned was gained. They were just in time to see the _Flyaway_ disappearing in the darkness. "Come back here!" cried Tom. "If you don't it will be the worse for you!" "Don't you attempt to follow us!" came savagely from Arnold Baxter. "If you do, somebody will get shot!" "By crickety, he's a bad one!" cried the second police officer. "Stop! I order you to stop, in the name of the law!" shouted Sergeant Brown. "It's the police!" howled Mumps in sudden terror. "Oh, dear! I knew we should catch it." "Shut up," muttered Dan Baxter. "Run up the jib, Goss, and be quick about it!" "You do it--I'll have to steer here," answered the sailor, and Dan Baxter leaped for the sheet mentioned. "Are you going to stop?" cried Sergeant Brown, after a few seconds' pause. To this there was no answer. The sergeant drew his pistol, but before he could use it, even if he so intended, the yacht was nothing but an uncertain shadow in the gloom of the night. "We had better get to your boat," said the police officer.