“Hold on a minute, Growler!  I’ll just jump back into their old tub to see if we’ve left any vallybles behind!”

“All right, Prowler.”

It was then and only then that Rudolf and Ann remembered the two white mice!  The last time they had noticed them was at the moment of Peter’s ducking when in their excitement, the foolish creatures had hidden their faces on each other’s shoulders, rolled themselves into a kind of ball, and stowed themselves under a seat.  Prowler leaped into the little boat which the pirates had fastened by a tow-rope to their own, and during his search he kept his back turned to his companions.  He was gone but a moment, and when he returned his whiskers were very shiny, and he was looking extremely jolly as he hummed a snatch of a pirate song.

“Find anything?” asked Growler, eying him suspiciously.  “If you did, and don’t fork it out before the Chief, you’ll catch it.  ’Twill be as much as your nine lives are worth!”

“Oh, ’twas nothing—­nothing of any importance,” answered Prowler airily.

Rudolf and Ann looked at each other, but neither of them spoke.  Both the pirate cats now settled to the oars and the boat skimmed along the water in the direction of the Merry Mouser.  As they drew alongside, Growler muttered in a not unfriendly whisper: 

“Look here, youngsters, here’s a word of advice that may save you your skins.  Don’t show any cheek—­not to me or Prowler, we’re the mates—­and above all, not to the Chief!”

“What is your Chief’s name, Mr. Growler, dear sir?” asked Ann timidly.

Growler flashed his white teeth at her.  Then he looked at Prowler and both mates repeated together as if they were saying a lesson:  “The name of our illustrious Chief is Captain Mittens—­Mittens, the Pitiless Pirate—­Mittens, the Monster of the Main!”

“Why—­why—­my Aunt Jane had a tiger cat once with white paws—­” Ann began, but then she stopped suddenly, for Rudolf had given her a sharp pinch.  A terrible frown had spread over the faces of both Growler and Prowler.  “Above all,” whispered the mate in low and earnest tones, “none of that!  If you don’t want to be keel-hauled, don’t recall his shameful past!”

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VI

ABOARD THE MERRY MOUSER

When Rudolf and Ann and the False Hare, under guard of Growler and Prowler, reached the deck of the Merry Mouser, they found Peter, dressed in a dry suit of pirate clothing and looking none the worse for his wetting.  He was being closely watched by a big Maltese pirate whose strong paw with its sharp claws outspread rested on his shoulder, but as Rudolf and Ann were led past him, he managed to whisper, “Look out!  Mittens is awful cross at us!”

Foolish Ann paid no attention to this warning.  She was so glad to see her Aunt Jane’s pet again that she snatched her hand out of Prowler’s paw, and ran toward the Pirate Chief.  “Kitty, Kitty, don’t you know me?” she cried.  “Oh, Puss, Puss!”