upon Gaston.

"Yes," shivered the fellow, looking yellow with fright.

"Then turn our shipmates loose. Not too much delay about it, either,"
ordered Hickey.

Gaston obeyed as meekly as a lamb. There was a look in Hickey's steady
eyes which would lead one to suppose that the big sailor might be able
to use his strength in tearing a worthless human being apart.

"I hope you can understand all the thanks I feel like giving," remarked
the young submarine captain, as he rose to his feet, then offered his
hand to the big sailor.

"Oh, stow the thanks, anyway," laughed Hickey. "But Jerry and me ain't
in for what we thought might be coming to us."

"What was that?" asked Jack, with interest, turning back as he held out
his hand to Jerry.

"Why, ye see," nodded Hickey, after glancing down at the Frenchman, who
was now unlocking Hal's handcuffs, "I've got a home, a little plantation
about two miles back here, that I'm going to settle on for good one of
these days. The wife and kids live there. I'd been telling Jerry about
the craft and crew, and, as soon as we got shore leave, I took Jerry
in tow. We've seen up there two days, and to-night we started back
through the woods, 'cause our leave is up at six in the morning.

"Well, while we was coming through the woods we happened to stop a