“Why didn’t you agree to it, Jerry?” asked Bob, when they were outside.  “That would be a swell cruise.  Just the thing!  And think of getting two thousand dollars!”

“That’s just it,” replied Jerry.  “We want time to think it over, and I guess we had better tell Mr. Seabury.  Boys, I believe there is something wrong back of all this, and we don’t want to run into danger.”

“Danger!” exclaimed Ned.  “Do you think there is danger?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to be on the safe side.  I don’t like Mr. Blowitz, but he may be all right.  If we find he is, and Mr. Seabury advises it, we’ll go on that cruise, and try to find the derelict.  I asked him to make out the papers so we could have a chance to consider it.”

“Well, maybe you’re right,” admitted Ned.  “But I do hope it’s all right.  It would be great, to take a voyage on the Pacific in the Ripper.”

The boys hurried back to the bungalow, intending to tell Mr. Seabury the result of their talk with Mr. Blowitz before mentioning it to the girls.

“Father has gone out,” said Rose.  “He has gone to dine with a friend, and he’ll not be back until late to-night.  We’ll have supper together, and go for a trip on the bay.  It’s going to be a nice moonlight night.”

“The very thing!” exclaimed Ned.  “But we must see to the Ripper.  She’s on the rocks yet.”

“That’s so,” exclaimed Jerry.  “I nearly forgot about her.  Bob and I will get her and take her to the dock.  She must be afloat by now.”

“It’s almost supper-time,” said Nellie, “hurry back.”

“Oh—­ it’s near supper-time, is it?” asked Bob, with a woe-begone look on his face.  “I—­ er—­”

“Come on, Ned,” called Jerry.  “Bob’s afraid he’ll get left on the eating proposition.  You come with me.”

Ned and Jerry rowed out to the motor boat.  They found her floated, and riding easily, and, after towing her to the dock, they returned to the house.  Partaking of a hasty supper the young folks, leaving Ponto and the servant in the bungalow, went down to the beach, and started for a moonlight ride in the Ripper.

CHAPTER XIX

 A cry for help

“Isn’t this perfectly delightful,” remarked Nellie, as she reclined on some cushions in the little cabin.  “I just love to be on the water!”

“Well, it’s better than being out in the fog,” admitted Jerry, as he adjusted the oil feed on the engine, and glanced over the moonlit waves.

“There don’t seem to be many boats out tonight,” observed Olivia.

“Maybe the owners are afraid of a storm,” suggested Rose.  “Sometimes a storm will follow a fog.  I wonder if it’s safe for us to go out?”

“We’re not going far, and we’ll keep near shore,” replied Jerry.  “It does act as if it was going to blow a bit, but I guess it will not amount to much.”