return, and I will pay you five hundred dollars, and all expenses.
What do you say?"

"That sounds good to me," replied Bob.

"Suppose we got the vessel, made fast to her, and started to tow her
in and had to abandon her because of a storm?" asked Jerry.

"Well, of course that might happen, though it's not likely, for we
seldom have bad storms an this coast this time of year. Still if you
couldn't bring the derelict in, you couldn't that's all. But if you
found her, you could get the papers and gold, and if you had to
abandon her, you could go back after the storm was over. I think you
boys could do what I want, and, as I say, I'm willing to pay well. I'd
go with you, of course. What do you say?"

Mr. Blowitz seemed quite anxious. In fact he was so anxious that Jerry
was suspicious.

"I wonder why he doesn't hire some larger boat, or a small steam tug
to go for that derelict?" thought Jerry. "He could get men, who are
regularly engaged in the business of saving vessels, to go out for
that price. Why should he prefer us, when we have had no experience in
that line, and hardly know him? There is something back of all this,
that he is not telling us. I wonder what we had better do?"

"Well?" asked Mr. Blowitz, as none of the boys spoke. Ned and Bob were
waiting for Jerry to reply and the latter was turning it over in his
mind, seeking to find a reason for the strange request.