"Can you make out what they're saying?" asked Steve of the rest.
"Just nonsense, I guess," answered Phil, tugging at his oar.
"Stop rowing a minute and listen," Steve directed. "Now then!"
"Something about the boat," murmured Han. "I can't make it out, though."
"By Jove, I can!" exclaimed Steve. "The _Follow Me's_ gone! She must
have slipped her anchor or dragged or something. Row hard, fellows!"
CHAPTER XI
PURSUIT
Whatever had happened, one fact was plain, and that was that the smaller
of the two cruisers was not swinging at anchor where they had left her.
Nor could they see her anywhere. That she had dragged her anchor was
impossible, since the harbour was almost land-locked and the night was
still, with hardly enough breeze to stir the water. After the first few
minutes of stunned surprise the twelve boys, gathered on the
_Adventurer_, held council. It was Phil who eventually summed up the
situation quietly and tersely as follows:
"The boat's gone. She isn't in the harbour, because if she were we could
see her. Either she's been taken off as a joke or stolen. I can't
imagine anyone doing it as a joke. In any case it's up to us to find
her. We went ashore about eight, and it's now ten to eleven.
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