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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/16476.txt b/16476.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..db85a40 --- /dev/null +++ b/16476.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7592 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Rover Boys on Land and Sea, by Arthur M. Winfield + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Rover Boys on Land and Sea + The Crusoes of Seven Islands + +Author: Arthur M. Winfield + +Release Date: August 8, 2005 [EBook #16476] +Last updated: January 21, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA *** + + + + +Produced by William R Marvin + + + + + +THE ROVER BOYS ONLAND AND SEA + or +The Crusoes of the Seven Islands + + by +Arthur M Winfield + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. The Rover Boys on San Francisco + II. The Turning up of Dan Baxter + III. A Discovery and What Followed + IV. Good Times at Santa Barbara + V. On Board the Yacht + VI. Adrift on the Pacific Ocean + VII. Dismaying News + VIII. From One Ship to Another + IX. In Which the Enemy Is Cornered + X. A Blow in the Darkness + XI. A Call from the Stern + XII. Another Accident at Sea + XIII. The Crusoes of Seven Islands + XIV. Settling Down on the Island + XV. Another Castaway Brought to Light + XVI. Sam and the Shark + XVII. Exploring the Seven Islands + XVIII. Unexpected Visitors + XIX. Hot Words and Blows + XX. The Mate Tries to Take Command + XXI. The Attack on the Wreck + XXII. A Heavy Tropical Storm + XXIII. What Happened on the Bay + XXIV. In Close Quarters + XXV. Trying to Come to Terms + XXVI. The Cave on the Island + XXVII. A fight with a Wild Beast +XXVIII. The Burning of the Wreck + XXX. The Defense of the Cave--Saved! + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +MY DEAR BOYS: "The Rover Boys on Land and Sea," is a complete story +in itself, but forms the seventh volume of the "Rover Boys Series +for Young Americans." + +As I mentioned in a previous volume of this series, when I began this +set of books I had in mind to write no more than three volumes, +relating the adventures of Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover, at home, at +school, and elsewhere. But the publication of "The Rover Boys at +School," "The Rover Boys on the Ocean," and "The Rover Boys in the +Jungle," immediately called for more stories of the same sort, so +year after year I have followed with "The Rover Boys out West," "The +Rover Boys on the Great Lakes," "The Rover Boys in the Mountains," +and now the volume before you, which relates the adventures of the +three brothers, and some of their friends and enemies, on the sea +and on a number of far away islands, where, for a time, all lead a +sort of Robinson Crusoe life. + +In writing this tale I had in mind not alone to please my young +readers, but also to give them a fair picture of life on the ocean +as it is to-day, in distinction to what it was years ago, and also +to acquaint the boys and girls with some of the beauties of those +mid-ocean lands which are generally, so strange to all of us. The +boys see much that is new, novel, and pleasing--new fruits, new +flowers, new animals--and have often to use their wits to the utmost, +to get themselves out of serious difficulty and also to make +themselves, and those under their protection, comfortable. + +Once again I thank my young friends for the interest they have shown +in my previous stories. I trust that all who peruse this volume will +find it equally to their liking. + +Affectionately and sincerely yours, ARTHUR M. WINFIELD. + + + + + +THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE ROVER BOYS IN SAN FRANCISCO + + +"Well, Dick, here we are in San Francisco at last." + +"Yes, Tom, and what a fine large city it is." + +"We'll have to take care, or we'll get lost," came from a third boy, +the youngest of the party. + +"Just listen to Sam!" cried Tom Rover. "Get lost! As if we weren't +in the habit of taking care of ourselves." + +"Sam is joking," came from Dick Rover. "Still we might get lost here +as well as in New York or any other large city." + +"Boston is the place to get lost in," said Tom Rover. "Got streets +that curve in all directions. But let us go on. Where is the hotel?" + +"I'm sure I don't know," came from Sam Rover. + +"Cab! carriage! coupe!" bawled a cabman standing near. "Take you +anywhere you want to go, gents." + +"How much to take the three of us to the Oakland House?" + +"Take you there for a dollar, trunks and all." + +"I'll go you," answered Dick Rover. "Come on, I'll see that you get +the right trunks." + +"I think we are going to have some good times while we are on the +Pacific coast," observed Tom Rover, while he and Sam were waiting +for Dick and the cabman to return. + +"I shan't object to a good time," replied Sam. "That is what we came +for." + +"Before we go back I am going to have a sail up and down the coast." + +"To be sure, Tom. Perhaps we can sail down to Santa Barbara. That is +a sort of Asbury Park and Coney Island combined, so I have been told." + +Dick Rover and the cabman soon returned. The trunks were piled on +the carriage and the boys got in, and away they bowled from the +station in the direction of the Oakland House. + +It was about ten o'clock of a clear day in early spring. The boys +had reached San Francisco a few minutes before, taking in the sights +on the way. Now they sat up in the carriage taking in more sights, +as the turnout moved along first one street and then another. + +As old readers of this series know, the Rover boys were three in +number, Dick being the oldest, fun-loving Tom next, and sturdy-hearted +Sam the youngest. They were the only offspring of Anderson Rover, +a former traveler and mine-owner, who, at present, was living with +his brother Randolph and his sister-in-law Martha, on their beautiful +farm at Valley Brook, in the heart of New York State. + +During the past few years the Rover boys had had numerous adventures, +so many, in fact, that they can scarcely be hinted at here. While +their father was in the heart of Africa, their Uncle Randolph had +sent them off to Putnam Hall Academy. Here they had made many friends +among the boys and also among some folks living in the vicinity, +including Mrs. Stanhope and her daughter Dora, a girl who, according +to Dick Rover's idea, was the sweetest creature in the whole world. +They had also made some enemies, the worst of the number being Dan +Baxter, a fellow who had been the bully of the school, but who was +now a homeless wanderer on the face of the earth. Baxter came from +a disreputable family, his father having at one time tried to swindle +Mr. Rover out of a rich gold mine in the West. The elder Baxter was +now in prison suffering the penalty for various crimes. + +A term at school had been followed by an exciting chase on the ocean, +and then by a trip through the jungle of Africa, whence the Rover +boys had gone to find their long-lost father. After this the boys +made a trip West to establish their parent's claim to the gold mine +just mentioned, and this was followed by a grand trip on the Great +Lakes in which the boys suffered not a little at the hands of the +Baxters. On an island on one of the lakes the Rover boys found a +curious casket and this, on being opened, proved to contain some +directions for locating a treasure secreted in the heart of the +Adirondack Mountains. + +"We must locate that treasure," said Tom Rover, and off they started +for the mountains, and did locate it at last, but not before Dan +Baxter had done everything in his power to locate it ahead of them. +When they finally outwitted their enemy, Dan Baxter had disappeared, +and that was the last they had seen of him for some time. + +The Rover boys had expected to return to Putnam Hall and their studies +immediately after the winter outing in the Adirondacks, but an +unexpected happening at the institution of learning made them change +their plans. Three pupils were taken down with scarlet fever, and +rather than run the risk of having more taken sick, Captain Victor +Putnam had closed up the Academy for the time being, and sent the +pupils to their homes. + +"The boys will have to go to some other school," their Aunt Martha +had said, but one and another had murmured at this, for they loved +Captain Putnam too well to desert him so quickly. + +"Let us wait a few months," had been Dick's suggestion. + +"Let us study at home," had come from Sam. + +"Let us travel," Tom had put in. "Travel broadens the mind." He loved +to be "on the go" all the time. + +The matter was talked over for several days, and Tom begged that they +might take a trip across the continent and back, using some of the +money derived from the old treasure. At last Anderson Rover consented; +and two days later the three boys were off, going by way of New York +City, on the Chicago Limited. They had spent two days in the great +city by the lakes, and then come direct to the Golden Gate city. + +"I wonder if we will meet anybody we know while we are out here," +said Tom, as the carriage continued on its way. + +"If we get down to Santa Barbara I think we'll meet somebody," answered +Dick, and he blushed just a trifle. "I got a letter in Chicago, as +you know. It was from Dora Stanhope, and she said that she and her +mother were traveling again and expected to go either to Santa Barbara +or Los Angeles. Her mother is not well again, and the doctor thought +the air on the Pacific coast might benefit her." + +"Oh, my, but won't Dick have an elegant time, if he falls in with +Dora!" cried Sam. "Tom, we won't be in it." + +"Now don't you start to tease me," returned Dick, his face redder +than ever. "I guess Dora always gave you a good time, too." + +"That's right, she did," said Tom. And then he added: "Did she say +anything about the Lanings?" For the Laning girls, Nellie and Grace, +were cousins to Dora Stanhope, and Tom and Sam thought almost as much +of them as Dick did of Dora. + +"To be sure she did," replied Dick. "But I guess it's--well, it's a +secret." + +"A secret!" shouted Sam. "Not much, Dick! Let us in on it at once!" + +"Yes, do!" put in Tom. + +"But it may prove a disappointment." + +"We'll chance it," returned Tom. + +"Well then, Dora wrote that if she and her mother could find a nice +cottage at Los Angeles or Santa Barbara they were going to invite +Nellie and Grace to come out and keep house with them for six months +or so." + +"Hurrah!" cried Sam enthusiastically. "I hope they come. If they do, +won't the six of us just have boss times!" And his face glowed with +anticipation. + +"We can certainly have good times if Mrs. Stanhope's health will +permit," said Dick. "Here we are at the hotel." + +He uttered the last words as the carriage came to a stop at the curb. +He leaped out and so did the others; and a few minutes later found +them safe and sound in the hotel. They were assigned to a large room +on the third floor, and hither they made their way, followed by their +trunks, and then began to wash and dress up, preparatory to going +down to the dining room, for the journeying around since breakfast +had made them hungry. + +"I think I am going to like San Francisco," said Tom, as he was +adjusting a fresh collar and gazing out of the window at the same +time. "Everything looks so bright and clean." + +"They have some pretty tall buildings here, the same as in Chicago +and New York," came from Dick, as he, too, gazed out of the window. + +"Oh, all the big cities are a good deal alike," put in Sam, who was +drying his face on a towel. + +"San Francisco is a mighty rich place," continued Tom. "They are too +rich even to use pennies. It's five cents here, or a bit there, or +two bits for this and two bits for that. I never heard a quarter +called two bits in New York." + +"I've been told that is a Southern expression, and one used in the +West Indies," said Dick. "The early Californians--My gracious!" + +Dick broke off short and leaned far out of the window, which they +had opened to let in the fresh spring air. + +"What's up?" queried Tom. "Don't fall out." And he caught his elder +brother by the arm. + +"I must have been mistaken. But it did look like him," said Dick slowly. + +"Look like whom?" asked Sam, joining the pair. + +"Dan Baxter." + +"Dan Baxter! Here?" shouted the others. + +"I am pretty sure it was Dan Baxter." + +"Where is he?" asked Tom. + +"He is gone now--he just disappeared around the hotel corner." + +"Well, if it really was Dan Baxter, we want to keep our eyes open," +was Sam's comment. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE TURNING UP OF DAN BAXTER + + +The boys were very curious concerning their old enemy, and on going +below took a walk around several squares in the vicinity, in the hope +of meeting the individual who had attracted Dick's attention. + +But the search proved unsuccessful, and they returned to the hotel +and went to dinner, with a larger appetite than ever. + +"It would be queer if we met Dan Baxter out here," said Tom, while +they were eating. "He seems to get on our heels, no matter where we go. + +"If he came to San Francisco first, he'll think we have been following +him up," said Sam. + +"He must have come here before we did," said Dick. "Our arrival +dates back but three hours," and he grinned. + +The meal over the boys took it easy for a couple of hours, and then +prepared to go out and visit half a dozen points of interest and also +purchase tickets for a performance at one of the leading theaters in +the evening. + +As they crossed the lobby of the hotel they almost ran into a big, +burly young fellow who was coming in the opposite direction. + +"Dan Baxter!" ejaculated Dick. "Then I was right after all." + +The burly young fellow stared first at Dick and then the others in +blank amazement. He carried a dress-suit case, and this dropped from +his hand to the floor. + +"Whe--where did yo--you come from?" he stammered at last. + +"I guess we can ask the same question," said Tom coldly. + +"Been following me, have you?" sneered Dan Baxter, making an effort +to recover his self-possession. + +"No, we haven't been following you," said Sam. + +"Supposing you tell us how it happens that you are here?" + +"Suppose you tell us how it happens that you are here," came from Dick. + +"That is my business." + +"Our business is our own, too, Dan Baxter." + +"You followed me," growled the big bully, his face darkening. "I know +you and don't you forget it." + +"Why should we follow you?" said Tom. "We got the best of you over +that treasure in the Adirondacks." + +"Oh, you needn't blow. Remember the old saying, 'He laughs best who +laughs last.' I aint done with you yet--not by a long shot." + +"Well, let me warn you to keep your distance," said Dick sternly. +"If you don't, you'll regret it. We have been very easy with you in +the past, but if you go too far, I, for one, will be for putting you +where your father is, in prison." + +"And I say the same," said Tom. + +"Ditto here," came from Sam. + +At these words a look of bitter hatred crossed Dan Baxter's face. He +clenched his fists and breathed hard. + +"You can brag when you are three to one," he cried fiercely. "But +wait, that's all. My father would be a free man if it wasn't for you. +Wait, and see what I do!" + +And so speaking he caught up his dress-suit case, swung around on +his heel, and left the hotel before anybody could stop him. + +"He's the same old Baxter," said Tom, with a long sigh. "Always going +to square up." + +"I think he is more vindictive than he used to be," observed Sam. +"When Dick spoke about his father being in prison he looked as if he +would like to strangle the lot of us." + +"Well, I admit it would be rough on any ordinary boy to mention the +fact that his father was in prison," said Dick. "But we all know, +and Dan Baxter himself knows, that one is about as wicked as the +other. The only thing that makes Arnold Baxter's case worse is that +he is old enough to know better." + +"So is Dan old enough to know better," was Tom's comment. + +"I believe he was coming here to get accommodations," said Dick. + +"If he was, that would tend to prove that he had just arrived in San +Francisco, Dick." + +"True. But he may have been in this vicinity, perhaps in Oakland, +Alameda, or some other nearby town." + +"What do you suppose could have brought him here?" + +"That's a conundrum. Maybe he thought the East was getting too hot +to hold him." + +"I wish we knew where he was going." + +"Let us see if we can follow him up." + +But to follow Dan Baxter up was out of the question, as they speedily +discovered when they stepped out on the sidewalk. People were hurrying +in all directions, and the bully had been completely swallowed up in +the crowd. + +"We must watch out," said Dick. "Now he knows we are here he will +try to do us harm, mark my words." + +The walk that afternoon proved full of interest, and in the evening +they went to see a performance of a light opera at the Columbia +Theater. The performance gave them a good deal of pleasure. + +"Quarter past eleven!" exclaimed Dick, when they were coming away. +"That's the time we got our money's worth." + +"I thought it must be late," said Tom. "I was getting hungry. Let us +get a bite of something before we go back to the hotel." + +The others were willing, and they entered a nearby restaurant and +seated themselves at one of the tables. As they did this, a person +who had been following them stopped at the door to peer in after +them. The person was Dan Baxter. + +"They are going to dine before retiring," he muttered to himself. +"The Old Nick take the luck! They have all the good times, while I +have only the bad!" + +Dan Baxter had followed the boys from the hotel to the theater and +had also waited around for them to come out. He wanted to "square +up" with them, but had no definite plan of action, and was trusting +to luck for something to turn up in his favor. + +He had drifted to the West for a double reason. The one was, as the +boys had surmised, because the East seemed to be getting too hot to +hold him. His second reason was that he hoped to get passage on some +vessel bound for Sydney, Australia. He had a distant relative in +Australia, and thought that if he could only see that relative +personally he might be able to get some money. He was nearly out of +funds, and so far the relative, although rich, had refused to send +any money by mail or express. + +"They have everything they want, while I have nothing," he went on +savagely. "And they don't deserve it, either. Oh, how I wish I could +wring their necks for 'em!" + +Suddenly an idea struck him and without waiting for the boys to come +out of the restaurant he hopped on board of a street car running in +the direction of the Oakland House. Entering the hotel office he +asked to look at the register. + +"Room 324," he said to himself. "That is on the third floor, I suppose, +since they generally start a new hundred for every floor. Wonder if +I can get up without being noticed?" + +He watched his chance, and slipping past the bell boys, made his way +up the stairs, which, on account of the elevators, were but little +used. In a few minutes he was in front of the door to Room 324. He +tried it cautiously, to find it locked. + +"Now if only the keys will work," he muttered, breathing hard, and +taking a bunch of keys from his pocket he tried them, one after another. + +He had tried four keys without success, when he saw a waiter approaching +with a trayful of good things for a late supper in a nearby apartment. +At once he moved away down the hallway and did not return until the +servant had disappeared from view. + +He had five other keys and the third fitted the lock, although rather +crudely; so crudely in fact that once the lock bolt was turned the +key could not be withdrawn. + +"That's bad," he thought. "But as it cannot be helped I'll have to +make the best of it. I mustn't stay here too long," and going into +the room he closed the door after him. + +There was a faint light burning at one of the gas jets and this he +turned up, and pulled down the shades of the windows. Then he gazed +swiftly around the large room, noting the boys' trunks and traveling +bags and several articles of wearing apparel scattered about. + +"Oh, if only I can find what I am after," he muttered. "But more than +likely they carry their money with them, or else they left it at the +hotel office." + +All of the trunks and traveling bags were locked, and to force the +trunks open seemed at first impossible. One of the traveling bags +was slit open with a sharp pocket-knife the bully carried and the +contents emptied on one of the beds. + +"Not much that I want," muttered Dan Baxter, as he gazed at the +collection. Then a jewel case caught his eye and he opened it. "A +diamond stud and a diamond scarf pin! Not so bad, after all!" And he +transferred the jewelry to his pocket. + +A second later he came upon a bunch of keys. They proved to belong +to the trunks and bags, and soon he had the trunks open and the +contents scattered in all directions. Then he went down on his knees, +examining everything brought to light. + +It must be confessed that he was in a fever of excitement. The Rover +boys might return at any moment, and he knew full well that to be +caught would mean a term in prison. He kept his ears on the alert +while his heart thumped loudly within his bosom. + +"A pocketbook at last!" he cried softly, and snatched it up. One look +showed him a, small pile of five and ten-dollar bills, exactly two +hundred and seventy-five dollars in all. Then he found another jewel +case, and from it extracted a second diamond stud and a pair of very +fine cuff buttons. + +"That is all I guess I can get," he muttered, as he stood up. "But +I might as well take a new outfit while I am at it," he added, and +picked up several articles of wearing apparel. These he stuffed in +one of the bags which had not been cut, and around it put a small strap. + +Tiptoeing his way to the door, he opened it and listened. Nobody was +within hearing or sight. But as he stepped out, the waiter he had +before seen came once more into view, this time carrying a tray with +some bottles and a box of cigars. The waiter eyed him curiously again, +but said nothing. + +"Too bad he saw me, but it can't be helped," thought Dan Baxter, and +made his way downstairs with all possible speed. Once in the lower +hall he lost no time in gaining the street. In another moment he was +swallowed up in the darkness of the night. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A DISCOVERY AND WHAT FOLLOWED + + +"Hullo, what does this mean? Here is a key in the door." + +It was Dick Rover who spoke. He stood in the hallway of the hotel, +and beside him were Tom and Sam. They had eaten rather heartily at +the restaurant and taken more time than they had anticipated. + +"I didn't leave the key there," came from Tom. "Here it is," and he +brought it out of his pocket. "I meant to leave it at the desk, but +it slipped my mind." + +Dick found the door open and walked into the room, followed by his +brothers. Baxter had extinguished the gas and they stood in the dark +until Sam found a match and lit up. Then a cry went up from all three: + +"We have been robbed!" + +"This is some sneak thief's work," came from Dick. "Run down and tell +the hotel clerk at once." + +Tom bolted from the room and went down the stairs three steps at a +time. The clerk sat dozing in his chair and was roused up with +difficulty. But as soon as he realized that something was wrong he +was wide-awake. + +"A robbery, eh?" he queried. "What have you lost?" + +"We've got to find that out," answered Tom. + +In less than a quarter of an hour they knew the extent of their +loss--three diamonds and a pair of cuff buttons, in all worth over +two hundred dollars, and two hundred and seventy-five dollars in +cash--not to mention a ruined valise and one missing, and the loss +of a light overcoat, some silk handkerchiefs and some underwear. + +"A total loss of over five hundred dollars," said Tom. + +At this the hotel clerk gave a long whistle. "As much as that?" + +"Yes," said Dick. + +"We must get on the track of the thief, and without delay." + +"I reckon I know the thief," said Sam. + +"You think it was Dan Baxter?" questioned his elder brother. + +"I do." + +"Perhaps you are right. But there is no proof that he did it." + +The hotel clerk found the windows closed and locked. + +"The thief came in and went out by the door," he said. "The hall boys +or somebody else must have seen him. This key is stuck in the lock, +which proves that it is not a regular hotel key." + +Without delay the story of the robbery was telephoned to the nearest +police station, and soon two detectives appeared. By this time some +of the servants noticed that something was wrong, and the waiter who +had seen Dan Baxter come in and go out told his story, to which the +boys, the hotel clerk, and the detectives listened with interest. + +"Tell us just how that fellow looked," said Dick, and the waiter gave +a very good description of the person he had seen. + +"I imagine Sam is right," said Dick. "If it wasn't Dan Baxter it was +his double." + +Upon hearing this the hotel clerk and the detectives insisted upon +knowing who Dan Baxter was, and the boys told as much of the bully +as they deemed necessary. + +"Of course, if he is guilty the chances are that he will leave San +Francisco as soon as possible," said one of the detectives. "The best +we can do is to try to head him off." + +"And we'll do our best to find him, too," added Tom. + +"I think the hotel ought to be responsible for this robbery," said Dick. + +"You didn't leave your key at the desk when you went out," cried the +hotel clerk, struck by a sudden idea. + +"What of that?" asked Tom. + +"That makes the guest responsible." + +"What!" cried Tom, aghast. + +"We are responsible only when the key is left at the desk. And jewels +must be left for keeping in one of our safes," went on the clerk. +"There are our rules," and he pointed to the printed form tacked on +the inside of the door. + +"Don't let us talk about that just now," said one of the detectives. +"I think we can get hold of this thief, and if we are quick about it +we'll get everything he took, too." + +The matter was talked over for a quarter of an hour longer and then +the detectives went off to make their report and to follow on the +trail of Dan Baxter, if such a thing was possible. + +It must be confessed that the three Rover boys slept but little that +night. The loss of the cash was something of a serious matter to +them, even though they still possessed a hundred odd dollars in cash +between them, and could easily telegraph home for more. More than +this, the diamonds and cuff buttons had been gifts of which they were +very proud. + +"And to think that Dan Baxter should get them," said Tom. "I wouldn't +feel half so bitter if it had been just some ordinary sneak thief." +And the others said the same. + +Two days went by and nothing was learned concerning Dan Baxter further +than that he had put up at the Montgomery Hotel for one night and +had left early in the morning. + +"He is hundreds of miles away from here by this time," said Dick sadly. + +"He said he would get square, and I guess he has done it," returned Tom. + +But Dan Baxter had not gotten as far as they supposed. He was in +hiding in Oakland, across the bay, having pawned the diamonds at a +pawn-broker's of shady reputation for seventy-five dollars. This gave +him three hundred and fifty dollars in cash, which made him, for the +time being, feel quite rich. + +But he was afraid to take a train to some other town, and so remained +in the boarding house for nearly a week, under the assumed name of +Robert Brown. + +At the end of the fifth day Dan Baxter became acquainted with a +seafaring man named Jack Lesher. Lesher was a rough fellow, who had +sailed to many ports on the Pacific Ocean. He had now obtained the +position of first mate on a large schooner which was to sail in a +few days from San Francisco to several ports in Australia. + +"I'd like to go on that trip to Australia," said Baxter, thinking of +his distant relative. "Do you want a passenger?" + +"I'll see about it, my hearty," replied Jack Lesher, and on the +following day said that Captain Blossom would take him for an even +hundred dollars. A bargain was struck at once, and Dan Baxter went +on board of the schooner _Golden Wave_ that afternoon. + +"I'm glad I am out of it," he told himself, when snug on board of +the craft. "I'll get to Australia after all, and I'm considerably +richer than I thought I would be. More than that, I've got in on +those Rover boys in a way they won't forget in a hurry." + +While the detectives looked for the thief, the boys had small heart +to go sight-seeing. Every time they, went out they looked for Dan Baxter. + +"If only I could meet him!" cried Tom. "Oh, but wouldn't I just punch +him good before I passed him over to a policeman." + +During those days the lads received several letters from home, and +also three communications from the Stanhopes and the Lanings. + +"The Stanhopes have gone to Santa Barbara," announced Dick, after +perusing an epistle from Dora. "And she says her mother is slightly +better." + +"Nellie Laning is coming out, and so is Grace," said Tom. + +"When?" questioned Dick. + +"They have already started, according to the letter I have," put in +Sam. "Boys, I think we can have just the jolliest time ever was when +the girls are all together." + +"Right you are," came from Tom. "What a pity we had to have that +robbery to darken our fun." + +"I am not going to let it darken my fun," said Dick. "Don't worry +but what some day we'll get the best of Dan Baxter. That stolen stuff +will never do him much good." + +The very next morning came word from the detectives. One of them +called at the hotel. + +"I am afraid the case is queered," said he. "We tracked the rascal +to Oakland, and now it looks as if he had given us the slip for good." + +"Can't you find any trace of him?" questioned Sam. + +"Oh, yes! but he has shipped on a vessel which is bound for Australia, +and as she is already two days out of port he is out of our reach." + +"You are certain he went on that vessel?" cried Tom. + +"Yes. He went as a passenger, under the name of Robert Brown." + +"And did he take the jewels and money with him?" + +"More than likely. At any rate, we can find no trace of the jewels." + +"Then that chase is done for," said Dick, "and we shall have to pocket +our loss." + +The detective was chagrined to think that he had tracked Dan Baxter +only to lose him, and promised to see if anything more could be done +in the matter. + +But nothing could be done, as there was no telling when the Golden +Wave would arrive at Australia, and what port the craft would first make. + +"We have seen the last of Dan Baxter," said Sam. + +But the youngest Rover was mistaken. They were to meet the bully +again, and under circumstances as astonishing as they were perilous. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +GOOD TIMES AT SANTA BARBARA + + +"What a land of plenty!" + +It was Tom who made the remark. + +The Rover boys were on their way to Santa Barbara, after having spent +three weeks at San Francisco and vicinity. They had received word +that Dora Stanhope and her mother and the two Laning girls were at +the fashionable watering place, and they were anxious to meet their +old friends. + +On sped the luxurious train, over hills and through the valleys, past +heavy woodlands and by rich fruit farms. It was a scene which interested +them greatly, and they never tired of sitting at the windows, gazing out. + +Presently the car door opened and a tall young fellow, carrying a +valise, stepped inside and walked down the aisle. As he came closer +Dick Rover leaped up. + +"Bob Sutter!" he cried, with a smile of pleasure. "Who would ever +dream of meeting you out here?" + +"Is it really Dick Rover?" questioned the newcomer, as he shook hands. +"And Tom and Sam, too! I must be dreaming. Is Putnam Hall on its +travels?" + +"We are on our travels," replied Tom, also shaking hands, followed +by Sam. "But what are you doing here?" + +Bob Sutter, a former scholar at Putnam Hall, smiled broadly. + +"I live in California now. My father is interested in real estate in +Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. Our home is in Santa Barbara." + +"That is where we are going," came from Sam. + +"What are you doing just traveling around?" + +"Yes; we thought we'd put in time until the Hall opens again." + +"I heard it had been closed. Too bad! If you are going to Santa +Barbara, you must call and see me by all means," went on Bob Sutter. + +"To be sure we will," said Tom, and his brothers nodded. + +"We were going down there now to call on the Stanhopes," said Dick. +"They have come here for the benefit of Mrs. Stanhope's health, +and Nellie and Grace Laning are with them. I guess you know them all." + +"I know the Laning girls, and I think I did meet Miss Stanhope once--at +a football game. I'll be glad to meet them again. But tell me about +yourselves." + +Bob Sutter sat down, and soon all were talking at a lively rate. The +newcomer was astonished to hear of the doings of Dan Baxter. + +"The Baxters always were a hard crowd," he said. "I hope you'll get +back your stuff some time." + +It was late at night when Santa Barbara was reached, yet many of the +hotels were a blaze of light from top to bottom. At the depot the +Rover boys parted with Bob Sutter, but promised to call upon him in +a day or two. + +"I've got a fine yacht," said Bob Sutter. "Some time I want to take +you for a trip." + +"Just what we were wishing for!" cried Tom. "Just name your time, +that's all." + +"How will next Monday suit?" + +"Will your yacht hold us?" asked Sam. + +"The Old Glory will hold ten passengers on a pinch," answered Bob Sutter. + +"Then you don't sail the craft alone." + +"I can sail her in fair weather. But father makes me take an old +sailor named Jerry Tolman along with me. Jerry is a character--a +regular old salt, and I love to have his company. And that makes me +think! Why can't we make up a party and go out? You can bring the +three girls you are going to visit, and I can bring my cousin, Mary +Parloe." + +"Now you are talking!" shouted Sam. "What a jolly trip it will be!" + +The proposal met with immediate approval, and it was decided that +the boys should meet not later than Saturday afternoon to complete +arrangements. + +The Rover boys had received word that Mrs. Stanhope had rented a +furnished cottage not far from one of the leading hotels. The lady +was very nervous, and did not like too much noise and confusion about +her. Meals were brought in from the hotel, which made it very pleasant. + +When the three boys drove up in a carriage from the depot, three +girls came rushing out to greet them. The three were Dora Stanhope +and her two cousins, Nellie and Grace Laning. + +"So here you are at last!" cried Dora Stanhope, as she gave Dick's +hand a tight squeeze. + +"We almost made up our mind you had missed the train," said Nellie +Laning to Tom, giving him a bright smile as she spoke. + +"How fine you are looking," said Grace to Sam. "Traveling must agree +with you." + +"Traveling does agree with us," said Sam. + +"We would have been here sooner, only we stopped to talk to an old +schoolmate," said Dick, and then he told about Bob Sutter. + +"Oh, I remember Bob Sutter," said Nellie. "We went on a straw-ride +together once--before you came to Putnam Hall," she added, to Tom. + +"I know him, too," put in Grace. "He's a nice boy." + +"Of course he is," said Sam pointedly. + +"But he isn't as nice as some boys," went on Grace in a lower tone, +and giving Sam an arch smile that made him feel very happy. + +They were soon in the cottage and greeting Mrs. Stanhope, who had +been lying on a couch. The lady greeted them in a motherly way that +made them feel more at home than ever. She thought a great deal of +the Rover boys, and especially of Dick, and did not object in the +least to the marked attention Dick bestowed upon her only child. As +my old readers know, the Rover boys had, in the past, done mother +and daughter more than one valuable service. + +The boys were fortunate in obtaining rooms in the hotel close to the +cottage, which would make it possible for them to run in and out as +they pleased. + +"It's like old times to be together again," said Tom, when he and +his brothers were retiring that night. "And, as Mrs. Stanhope is +feeling so well, I guess we can have lots of fun." + +And fun they did have. There were bathing in the surf, and lawn +tennis, and dancing at the hotel in the evening, and also lovely +walks and drives, and once they went out on horseback to a large +fruit farm some miles away, and were royally entertained by some of +Bob Sutter's friends. Bob Sutter and his cousin, Mary Parloe, went +along, and proved first-class company. + +The idea of a trip on Bob's yacht suited everybody, and it was +decided that the whole party should go out early Monday morning, +taking old Jerry Tolman with them. They were to load down well with +provisions and visit not only several points along the coast, but +also one or two of the islands lying twenty-five to thirty miles +south of Santa Barbara. + +The Rover boys had already inspected the Old Glory and found her to +be a first-class yacht in every respect. The craft was about sixty +feet in length and correspondingly broad of beam. She carried a tall +mast, but the lead in her keel was amply sufficient to keep her from +going over unless under full sail in a very heavy wind. The cabin +was fairly large and richly furnished, for the Sutters were a family +of means, and desired everything of the best. + +If the boys liked the yacht they also liked the man who had charge +of her, bluff and hearty Jerry Tolman--Captain Jerry, as Bob Sutter +called him. He was truly an old salt, having sailed the ocean since +his tenth year, on both whalers and merchantmen. Captain Jerry lacked +a book education, but he was naturally shrewd, and far from being a fool. + +"Downright glad to meet ye, my hearties," he said, when the boys were +brought on board. And he gave each hand a grip like that of iron. +"Want to look over my lady, eh? Well, she's a putty one to inspect, +take my word on't." And he showed them over the craft with pleasure. +They found the yacht clean "as a whistle," and each particular bit +of brasswork polished like a mirror. + +By Saturday evening all was ready for the trip. On Sunday morning +the Rover boys went to church with the Stanhopes and the Lanings, +and rested in the afternoon. + +They were just about to go to supper, when a note came for Dick. It +was from Bob Sutter, and ran as follows: + + + +"MY DEAR DICK: My cousin and I have been in an accident. We went +driving to church this morning and the horse ran away and threw us +both out on the rocks. Miss Parloe had her collar bone broken, and +I broke my left ankle. Kindly come and see me if you can." + + + +"An accident!" cried Tom. "That is too bad." + +"Let us all go and see him," suggested Sam, and this plan was carried +out. + +They found that Bob Sutter was resting easily on his bed. The doctor +had set the broken ankle, and put it in plaster, and he had told Bob +that he must keep quiet for several weeks. + +"This ends that yacht trip, so far as I am concerned," said Bob ruefully. + +"Never mind, we can wait until you get well," said Dick cheerfully, +although he did not expect' to remain at Santa Barbara more than ten +days longer. + +"No, I don't want you to wait," answered Bob Sutter. "My cousin won't +be well, so they tell me, for several months, and I won't want to go +without her. I've been thinking that you had better take the trip +without us. Captain Jerry can easily run the yacht with your aid." + +"That's very kind of you," said Tom. "But we'd rather have you along." + +The matter was talked over for an hour. The Rover boys knew that +Dora, Nellie, and Grace would be sorely disappointed if the yacht +trip was given up. At last they decided to accept Bob Sutter's kind +suggestion and make the trip without the company of the young owner +and his cousin; and then they withdrew, wishing Bob a speedy recovery. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +ON BOARD OF THE YACHT + + +"What a glorious day for the trip!" + +"We are going to turn real sailors, aren't we?" + +"Can't I help pull up a sail or something, Tom?" + +Such were the remarks of Dora, Nellie, and Grace as they boarded the +Old Glory early on Monday morning. + +The boys and Captain Jerry were there to receive them, having arrived +an hour before, to see that all the provisions were stowed away, and +that the craft was in prime condition for sailing. By a curious +combination of circumstances Bob Sutter had ordered far more provisions +than were necessary for such a short trip, but Captain Jerry had +found a place for everything, remarking that they might come in useful +after all, but never dreaming how useful, as later events were to prove. + +Mrs. Stanhope had come down in a carriage to see them off. She kissed +all of the girls an affectionate good-by. + +"Have a good time," she said. "And be sure and come back safe and sound." + +"Don't ye worry but what I'll bring 'em back safe enough, ma'am," +said Captain Jerry, as he tipped his cap respectfully. + +When the girls were safe on board, the boys waved an adieu to Mrs. +Stanhope. Then they ranged up in a row in front of old Jerry and each +touched his forelock and gave a hitch to his trowser leg. + +"Ready for orders, cap'n," they said, in unison, having practiced +this little by-play in secret. + +"Wh--what?" stammered Captain Jerry, gazing at them in bewilderment. + +"Ready for orders, sir," they said. + +"Shall we shake out the mainsail?" asked Dick. + +"Shall I hoist the jib?" came from Tom. + +"Can I set the topsail, captain?" put in Sam. + +"Well, by the son o' Neptune!" gasped Captain Jerry. "Got a real, +generwine crew, aint I? All right, my hearties, I'll set ye to work +fast enough." And then followed a string of orders in true nautical +style, and the Rover boys flew in one direction and another to execute +them. Up went the mainsail and the jib, and the top-sail followed, +and soon the Old Glory was standing off into Santa Barbara Channel, +with Mrs. Stanhope in the carriage waving them an adieu, and the +girls and the boys waving their handkerchiefs in return. + +It certainly was a glorious day, as Dora had said, and after the +sails were set, there was nothing to do but to take it easy on the +cushions of the rail seats. Captain Jerry was at the wheel, but he +promised to let each of them "take a trick" in his place before +the trip should come to an end. + +"I jest wish we had another yacht to race with," said the old sailor. +"Then I could show ye what sort o' a clean pair o' heels the Old +Glory could show the other craft." + +"It is easy to see the yacht is speedy," replied Dick. "She cuts the +water like a thing of life. And you know just how to get her best +speed out of her," he went on, a remark that pleased old Jerry very much. + +"Will we have more breeze, do you think?" asked Tom, later on, as he +observed some in clouds to the westward. + +"Can't say as to that, lad. Those clouds may come this way and they +may blow north'ard. If they come down here, we'll catch it putty +lively." + +"I like a good, stiff breeze," came from Sam. + +"Oh, don't run us into a storm," cried Grace in alarm. "We might all +get seasick." + +"Don't be alarmed," said Dick. "We are a very long way from a storm, +to my way of thinking." + +The morning passed quickly enough, and at noon they ran into a small +harbor on one of the islands and had dinner in true picnic style. At +one o'clock they packed up once more, went on board of the Old Glory, +and stood off to the westward, for all wanted a run "right on the +ocean," as Tom expressed it. + +Captain Jerry was just a bit doubtful of the trip, for the clouds in +the western sky had grown considerably larger than when first noticed. +Not that he did not think the yacht could weather a blow, but he was +afraid the young ladies would get seasick. However, as he did not +wish to put a damper on their fun, he said nothing, resolved to turn +back at the first sign of any "inward upsettin'," as he expressed it. + +The breeze had increased, and as it was directly from off shore the +Old Glory bowled along merrily over the waves. Nobody showed the +least sign of seasickness, and they talked, laughed, and sang as if +they had not a care in the world. Tom also did some fishing, and +caught a string of the finny tribe, of which he was justly proud. + +"You can bake them for us when we get back," he said to Nellie. "And +then we can all have a fish party." + +"I could go on sailing like this for a week," said Dick to Dora, as +they moved forward. "I mean if you were along with me," he added, in +a lower tone, and she gave him a look that meant a good deal. + +When three o'clock came Captain Jerry announced that they must turn +back. They were far out of sight of land, with nothing but the blue +ocean around them. Overhead the sky was still clear, but the clouds +on the horizon were rapidly increasing. + +"Oh, let us keep on a while longer," pleaded Tom. "This is just +glorious!" And the others said the same. + +So they kept on, although somewhat against Captain Jerry's better +judgment. The old sailor was watching the clouds. Presently there +came an extra heavy puff of wind, and then the clouds seemed to rush +up with lightning-like rapidity. + +"Got to go back, now," said the sailor. "Going to have a big blow +afore night." And he threw over the tiller and gave the necessary +commands to change the sails. + +"By Jove, but those clouds are coming up fast!" exclaimed Dick, after +a careful survey. "I ever saw them come up like that on the Atlantic, +or on the Great Lakes." + +"It's unusual," replied Captain Jerry, with a shake of his head. +"Never seen it afore myself. The wind is coming around, too. It's +goin' to be a different storm from what we generally git around these +waters." + +The black clouds soon obscured the sun, and the wind began to blow +stronger than ever, sending the whitecaps rolling over the ocean, +and causing the spray to fly over the deck of the yacht. Nellie +clutched Tom by the arm. + +"Oh, Tom, what does this mean?" she asked in a trembling voice. + +"It means that we are going to have a storm, that's all," he answered +as lightly as he could. + +"But--but will it hurt us?" came from Grace. + +"I don't think so," put in Sam. "But we may get wet, unless we go +into the cabin." + +"I vote the girls all go into the cabin," said Dick. "Sam can go with +them if he wants to. Tom, you and I can stay on deck to look after +the sails." + +"I'm going to do my duty on deck, too," came from Sam promptly. + +Another rush of wind now sent the spray flying in all directions, +and to keep from being drenched the girls retired to the tiny cabin, +or, rather, cuddy, of which the Old Glory boasted. + +"I am sure it is going to be an awful storm," said Dora. "I wish we +were safe on land once more." + +"Oh, dear! do you think we'll go to the bottom?" asked Nellie. + +"The boys won't let the yacht go down," answered Dora. "They are all +good sailors, and Captain Jerry must know all about handling this +craft. But we may have a very bad time of it before we get back to +Santa Barbara." + +It was dark in the cabin, but the yacht pitched and plunged so +violently that they were afraid to light the lantern. So they huddled +together, each holding another's hand. + +On deck Captain Jerry gave orders to lower the topsail and haul in +the jib. Several reefs were also taken in the mainsail, and the boys +stood ready to bring down the rest of the sheet with a rush at the +first word from the old sailor. + +"It's a re-markable storm--re-markable," said Captain Jerry, chewing +vigorously on the quid of tobacco in his cheek. "Aint never seen no +sech storm here afore. Puts me in mind o' a blow I stood out in onct +off the coast o' Alaska when I was in a whaler. Thet storm caught us +same time as this an' ripped our mast out in a jiffy and drowned two +o' the sailors." + +"I hope nothing like that happens to us," said Dick, with a shudder. +He was not thinking of himself, but of the three girls in the cabin. + +"Well, lad, it aint goin' to be no easy blow, I kin tell ye that," +responded Captain Jerry. + +Soon the wind began to whistle shrilly through the air, and the sky +became so black they could scarcely see a hundred yards in any +direction, Then came some distant flashes of lightning and rolling +thunder, and soon the patter of rain. + +"Now we are going to catch it," said Tom, and he was right. Ten +minutes later it was pouring in torrents, and the rain continued to +keep coming down as if there was to be no end of it. + +"Boys, aren't you most drowned?" asked Nellie, peeping out of the +cabin door. + +"No, but you'll be if you come out here," called back Tom. + +"We can't stand up and we can't sit still," came from Grace. + +"Sorry, but you'll have to make the best of it," answered Sam. + +"Oh, we won't mind, if only we reach shore in safety," put in Dora, +and then the door was closed again. + +On and on swept the Old Glory, through the wind, the rain, and the +darkness. As there was no land near, Captain Jerry paid his whole +attention to making the yacht ride easily, an almost impossible task +in such a sea as was now raging. + +Suddenly from somewhere out of the air came a humming sound. It grew +louder and louder, and the boys felt a strange suction of wind which +made them hold tightly to the rail for fear of being pulled overboard +by some uncanny force. There followed a loud snap and a crash, and +the mast began to come down. + +"Look out for the mast!" screamed Captain Jerry, and all jumped just +in the nick of time. Down came the stick, to strike the rail and +shatter it like a pipe stem, and then lay over the deck and over the +waves beyond. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +ADRIFT ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN + + +"The mast has gone by the board!" screamed Dick, on rising to his feet. + +"That stick will turn the yacht over!" gasped Tom. + +Poor Sam could not speak, for a wave had struck him full in the mouth, +and he had all he could do to keep from being washed overboard. + +The girls in the cabin heard the crash above the roaring of the +elements, and let up a scream of alarm. + +"Are we going down?" + +"Shall we come out on deck?" + +"Stay where ye are!" shouted back Captain Jerry, clinging to the +wheel with a grip of steel. Then he turned to Dick: "Can ye git an +ax and clear away the wreck?" + +"I'll try it," replied the eldest Rover, and he moved cautiously to +where an ax rested in a holder. Soon he had the article in hand, and +was chopping away as fast as he could, while Tom, holding to the +bottom of the mast with one hand, held Dick with the other. Sam, in +the meantime, cut away some.. cordage with a hatchet which was handy. + +It was truly a perilous moment, and it looked as if the mighty waves +would swamp the Old Glory before the wreckage could be cleared away. +The girls stood at a cabin window watching the work and ready to leap +out if the yacht should start to go down. + +"There it goes!" cried Dick, at last, and gave another stroke with +the ax. There followed a snap and a crack, and overboard slid the +broken mast, carrying a mass of cordage with it. + +At once the Old Glory righted herself, sending a small sheet of water +flowing from one side of the deck to the other. Some of the water +swept into the cabin, and the girls were alarmed more than ever. + +"A good job done that it's overboard," said Captain Jerry. "Another +plunge or two and we would have gone over, sure pop!" + +With the wreckage cleared away the boys breathed more freely. But +the peril was still extreme, for it was no easy matter to keep the +craft from taking the mighty waves broadside. But the force of the +wind drove them on, and Captain Jerry handled the wheel as only a +veteran tar could. + +"I guess it's a hurricane," was Tom's comment. + +"Looks more like a cyclone to me," spluttered Sam. "I'd give a good +deal to be out of it." + +To keep from, being swamped they had to run out to sea. This was no +pleasant prospect to the boys, but it could not be helped. + +"We needn't tell the girls," said Dick. "It will only worry them +more, without doing any good." + +Two hours went by, and the storm kept on as madly as ever. Night was +now coming on, and soon it was impossible to see a hundred feet in +any direction. The yacht's lanterns were lit, and one was hoisted on +a stick which Dick nailed to the stump of the mast. + +"We've got to, have some sort o' light," said Captain Jerry. "If not, +we may run afoul o' some other craft." + +The time went by slowly, each hour seeming an age. Nobody felt like +eating, and nothing was said about supper until nearly nine o'clock, +when Dora opened the cabin door and called Dick: + +"We thought we would get to shore before eating," she said. "How much +longer will we be out, do you think?" + +"There is no telling, Dora," he replied evasively. + +"No telling? Doesn't Captain Jerry know where we are?" + +"Hardly. You see it is so dark, and we can't make any headway with +the mast gone." + +"How stupid of me! I should have known that. Shall we try to fix up +some supper?" + +"You might pass some sandwiches. But, no, we had better come down, +one at a time," returned Dick. + +This suggestion was carried out, Captain Jerry being the last to go +down, leaving the wheel in the hands of Dick and Tom. + +"Don't ye let it git away from ye," was his caution. "If ye do it +will be good-by, 'Liza Jane, an' all of us goin' slam bang to Davy +Jones' locker!" + +From old Jerry the girls learned that they would probably have to +remain on the yacht all night. + +"Don't ye git alarmed," he said. "The storm's goin' down, an' we'll +come out all right when the sun rises." + +The prospect of remaining on the ocean all night was dismaying, and +all of the girls wondered what Mrs. Stanhope would say when they did +not return. + +"I know mother will be very much worried," said Dora soberly. + +It was decided by the boys that they should take turns at lying down, +each being given two hours in which to rest. Sam was the first to +turn in, but it is doubtful if he slept to any extent. Tom followed, +and then came Dick. Captain Jerry declined, stating he could sleep +when he had the party safe on shore once more. + +By morning the storm had taken another turn. It no longer rained, +but the sky was murky, and there was a dense fog, which the wind blew +first in one direction, and then another. They were still running +to sea, with small prospect of being able to turn back. + +"This is certainly more than I bargained for," observed Dick to Tom, +in a low voice. "To me it looks mighty serious." + +"Oh, the storm is bound to go down." + +"Yes, Tom, but how long do you suppose the provisions and water will +last?" + +At this question Tom's face fell. + +"I hadn't thought of that, Dick. I don't suppose we have more than +enough for to-day, have we?" + +"Well, we might make it last two days on a pinch--we brought quite +a lot along. But after that--" + +"Do you think we'll have to stay out here more than two days?" demanded +Sam. + +"I don't know what to think, Sam." + +"Can't we rig up some sort of a jury-mast?" + +"Captain Jerry mentioned that. We'll try." + +There was no stick on board of the _Old Glory_ outside of the +bowsprit, and at last they decided to saw this off and put it up as +a small mast. + +The task was no easy one, and just as the temporary mast was being +fitted into place there came an extra heavy puff of wind which sent +the yacht far over on her side. + +"Hold fast, all of ye!" roared Captain Jerry, and they obeyed, and +the stick went rolling over the side and out of sight in the billows. + +"Gone!" gasped Tom. "That ends putting up another mast." + +Slowly the day wore along. The girls were silent, and if the truth +be told more than one tear was shed between them, although before +the boys they tried to put on a brave face. There were no regular +meals, and by the advice of Captain Jerry and Dick they were sparing +of the provisions and the water. + +"Our only hope now is for the storm to go down, or else to sight some +passing ship," said Dick. "Getting back to Santa Barbara at present +is out of the question. For all we know, we may be a hundred or two +hundred miles from the coast." + +About two o'clock in the afternoon the sky cleared a little. But as +the fog lifted, the wind blew with greater force, sending them reeling +and plunging into the mighty waves. + +"It looks as if we should be swamped after all," said Tom dolefully. + +"Never say die, Tom," came from Sam resolutely. + +"I suppose Mrs. Stanhope will be worried half to death." + +"No doubt of it." + +Nobody had any heart to talk, and each watched eagerly for some sign +of a sail. Tom had a spyglass, and just before sunset he let out a shout: + +"A ship! A ship!" + +"Where?" came from the others. + +"Off in that direction," and Tom pointed with his hand. + +All took a look through the glass, and saw that he was right. There +was a steamer approaching. + +"If only they see us." said Dick, and his brothers nodded. + +The girls had heard the cry, and now came on deck to learn what it meant. + +"Oh, I hope they take us on board and back home," said Nellie. "I +must say I am heartily tired of this yacht." + +The wind was increasing, and the girls had to go back to the cabin +to keep from getting wet. The boys put up a flag, upside down, on a +piece of planking, and waited eagerly for the steamer to come nearer. + +"The yacht is settling," cried Dick, a little while later. "Don't +you notice it?" + +"The Old Glory has sprung some leaks," responded Captain Jerry sadly. +"Take the wheel while I go and look them over." + +Tom and Sam, took the wheel, while old Jerry and Dick inspected the +leaks. They soon reported that two seams had opened at the bow, and +that there was a bad break at the stern, which was bound soon to +interfere with the rudder. + +"I believe that steamer is going to leave us!" cried Sam, a little +while later. + +"Oh, don't say that," said Dick. "We must signal her somehow." + +"We'll fire some rockets," said Captain Jerry. + +This was done, and a little later they saw that the steamer was +heading in their direction. By this time the Old Glory showed +unmistakable signs of being on the point of foundering, and the girls +were told to come on deck. Everybody was given a life preserver, +which had been kept close at hand since the beginning of the trouble. + +"We are seen!" cried Sam joyously, as a signal came from the steamer. + +Gradually the strange vessel drew closer, and they saw that she was +a rather clumsy affair of the "tramp" pattern, used to carry all +sorts of cargoes from one port to another. + +"They are lowering a small boat," said Sam, a little later. + +"I wish they would hurry," returned Tom, in a low voice. "I believe +this yacht is going to go down very soon." + +At last the small boat was close enough to be hailed, and preparations +were made for transferring the girls first. + +It was no easy matter to make the change, and it took a good quarter +of an hour to land the girls on the steamer's deck. + +By this time the Old Glory was completely water-logged. + +"We have got to jump for it, lads!" cried Captain Jerry, "unless you +want to go down with her!" + +And jump they did, into the mighty waves, and none too soon, for a +minute later the yacht went down, out of their sight forever. + +The small boat was not far away, and soon Sam and Tom were picked +up. To get Dick and Captain Jerry was not so easy, but the task was +finally accomplished, and soon all of our friends stood on the deck +of the tramp steamer, safe and sound once more. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +DISMAYING NEWS + + +"Thank fortune we got away from the yacht just in time!" exclaimed +Tom, as he shook the water from his clothes. + +"I'm sorry to see the Old Glory go," said Captain Jerry sadly. "I +thought a heap o' that craft, I did. It will be sorry news to take +back to Master Bob." + +"Never mind, we'll help pay for the loss," put in Dick. + +"Where are you folks from?" questioned the captain of the steamer, +as he came up to, the crowd. + +"We came from Santa Barbara. The storm took our mast, and blew us +out to sea," answered Dick. "We owe you something for, picking us up." + +"You're welcome for what I've done," answered Captain, Fairleigh. +"Come with me, and I'll try to get you some dry clothing. I can trick +out the men folks, and the young ladies will have to see my wife, +who happens to be with me on this trip." + +"What steamer is this?" asked Tom. + +"The Tacoma, lad." + +"Are you bound for San Francisco?" questioned Sam. + +"No, we are bound for Honolulu, on the Hawaiian Islands." + +"Honolulu!" burst out the others. + +"Do you mean to say that the first port you will make will be Honolulu?" +demanded Dick. + +"That's my orders, lad. I must get there just as quick as I can, too, +for a cargo of sugar." + +"But we don't want to go to the Hawaiian Islands!" put in Dora. +"Mercy! It's two thousand miles away!" + +At this Captain Fairleigh shrugged his broad shoulders. + +"I am sorry for you, but I can't put back, miss. Perhaps we'll meet +some vessel bound for some port in the United States. If so, I can +ask the captain to take you back." + +"And if you don't meet any vessel?" came from Grace. + +"Oh, I think we'll pass some vessel," returned the captain. + +He took the girls and introduced them to, his wife, and then turned +the boys and old Jerry over to the first mate, who obtained for them +some dry clothing. After this all were provided with a hot supper, +which did much toward making them comfortable, at least physically +speaking. + +But not one of them was comfortable mentally. To be carried to the +Hawaiian Islands, two thousand miles away, was no pleasant thought. +Besides, what would their folks think of their prolonged absence? + +"Mother will think that we have all been drowned," said Dora. + +"And that is what our folks will think, too," said Nellie. "Oh, it +is terrible, simply terrible!" And she wrung her little hands. + +By making inquiries Dick learned that the steamer was expected to +reach Honolulu inside of two weeks, if the weather was not too, bad. +From Honolulu they could get passage to San Francisco on the mail +steamer, the trip lasting exactly seven days. + +"We'll have to get some money first," said Tom. "And we can't cable +for it, either," he went on, for the cable to the Hawaiian Islands +from the United States had not yet been laid. + +"Let us hope that we will see some ship that will take us back," said +Sam. + +Day after day they watched eagerly for a passing sail. But though +they sighted four vessels and hailed them, not one was bound for the +United States, outside of a whaler, and that craft intended to stay +out at least three months longer before making for port. + +"We are booked for this trip, and no mistake," sighed Tom. "Well, +since that is so, let us make the best of it." + +The Tacoma was heavily laden, and though the storm cleared away and +the Pacific Ocean became moderately calm, she made but slow progress. + +"Our boilers are not in the best of condition," said Captain Fairleigh. + +"I trust there is no danger of their blowing up," returned Dick. + +"Not if we don't force them too much." + +It had been arranged that the boys and girls should pay a fair price +for the trip to Honolulu, the money to, be sent to the captain of +the Tacoma later on. As for old Jerry, he signed articles to work +his passage to the Hawaiian Islands and back again. As Captain +Fairleigh was rather short of hands he was glad to have the old sailor +join his crew. + +The days slipped by, and, having recovered from the effects of the +storm, the Rover boys became as light hearted as ever. Tom was +particularly full of pranks. + +"No use of crying over spilt milk," he declared. "Let us be thankful +the pitcher wasn't broken, or, in other words, that we are not at +this moment at the bottom of the Pacific." + +"Right you are," replied Sam. + +There was an old piano on board, and the boys and girls often amused +themselves at this, singing and playing. As there were no other +passengers, they had the freedom of the ship. + +"This would be real jolly," said Tom, "if it wasn't that the folks +at home must be worried," and then he began to sing, for he really +could not be sad: + +"A life on the ocean wave, + A home on the rolling deep, +A house in a watery cave-- + Where I might rest in sleep!" + +"Did you ever hear such a song?" cried Nellie, and Tom went on: + +"The boy stood on the burning deck, + Munching apples by the peck; +The captain yelled, he stood stock-still, + For of those apples he wanted his fill!" + +"Tom Rover!" burst out Dora. "I believe you would sing at your own +funeral!" And Tom continued gayly: + +"Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main, + For many a stormy wind shall blow, +Ere the Rovers get home again!" + +"Tom lives on songs," said Sam slyly. "He'd rather sing than eat a pie." + +"Pie!" thundered Tom tragically. "Who said pie? I haven't seen a +home-made pie since--since--" + +"The time you went down in the pantry at midnight and ate two," +finished Dick, and then there was a burst of laughter. + +"Never mind, Tom, I'll make you half a dozen pies--when we get home," +came from Nellie. + +"Will you really?" said Tom, and then he began once more, as gayly +as ever: + +"You can give me pudding +And give me cake, +And anything else +You care to bake; +But if you wish +To charm my eye, +Just hand me over +Some home-made pie!" + +"That's all right," said Dick. "But in place of eye you should have +said stomach." + +"Stomach doesn't rhyme with pie," snorted 'Tom. "I'm a true poet and +I know what I am doing." + +"Talking about pie makes me think of pie-plates," said Sam. "Let us +play spinning the plate on deck. It will be lots of fun trying to +catch the plate while it is spinning and the steamer is rolling." + +"Good!" cried Grace, and ran to get a plate from the cook's galley. +Soon they were playing merrily, and the game served to make an hour +pass pleasantly. When the forfeits had to be redeemed, the girls made +the boys do several ridiculous things. Tom had to hop from one end +of the deck to the other on one foot, Sam had to stand on his head, +and recite "Mary had a Little Lamb," and Dick had to go to three of +the sailors and ask each if they would tie the ship to a post during +the night. + +"I'll wager you are a merry crowd on land," .said Captain Fairleigh, +as he paused to watch the fun. "Takes me back to the time when I was +a boy," and he laughed heartily. Even the captain's wife was amused. +She was particularly fond of music, and loved to listen to the playing +and singing. + +The days slipped by one after the other, until Captain Fairleigh +announced that forty-eight hours more ought to bring them in sight +of Diamond Head, a high hill at the entrance to Honolulu harbor. + +But another storm was at hand, and that night the wind blew more +fiercely than ever. The Tacoma tossed and pitched to such a degree +that standing on the deck was next to impossible, and all of the boys +and the girls gathered in the cabin and held fast to the posts and +the stationary seats. + +"It feels as if the steamer would roll clear over," said Sam. "Here +we go again!" + +There was thunder and lightning, and soon a deluge of rain, fully as +heavy as that experienced while on board of the ill-fated Old Glory. +This continued all of the night, and in the morning the storm seemed +to grow worse instead of better. + +"We are in a run of bad luck," said Dick. "I really believe we will +have all sorts of trouble before we get back to the United States." + +Toward noon a mist came up, and it grew dark. Lanterns were lit, and +the Tacoma felt her way along carefully, for Captain Fairleigh knew +that they were now in the track of considerable shipping. + +By nightfall the steamer lay almost at a stand-still, for the mist +was thicker than ever. For safety the whistle was sounded at short +intervals. + +The girls were the first to retire, and the boys followed half an +hour later. The staterooms of all were close together. + +Dick Rover was the last to go to sleep. How long he slept he did not +know. + +He awoke with a start. A shock had thrown him to the floor of the +stateroom, and down came Sam on top of him. There were hoarse cries +from the deck, a shrill steam whistle, and the sound of a fog horn, +and then a grinding thud and a bump that told the Tacoma had either +run into some other ship or into the rocks. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +FROM ONE SHIP TO ANOTHER + + +"We struck something!" + +"What is the matter?" + +"Are we going down?" + +These and a score of other cries rang out on board the steamer. The +thumping and bumping continued, followed by a crashing that could +mean but one thing--that the ship was being splintered, and that her +seams were being laid wide open. + +As soon as possible the Rover boys slipped into some clothing and +went on deck. They were quickly followed by the three girls, who +clung tight to them in terror. + +"Oh, Dick, this is the worst yet!" came from Dora. "What will be the +end?" + +"The Tacoma is sinking!" was the cry from out of the darkness. + +"Are we really sinking?" gasped Nellie as she clutched Tom. + +"Yes, we are," came from Sam. "Can't you feel the deck settling?" + +They could, only too plainly, and in a minute more the water seemed +to be running all around them. The cries continued, but it was so +black they could see next to nothing. + +What happened in the next few minutes the Rover boys could scarcely +tell, afterward. An effort was made to get out a life-boat, and it +disappeared almost as soon as it left the side, carrying some sailors +with it. Then some red-fire blazed up, lighting up the tragic scene, +and revealing a schooner standing close by the steamer. The sailing +vessel had her bowsprit broken and part of her forward rail torn away. + +"If we must die, let us die together!" said Dick, and they kept together +as well as they could. Old Jerry was with them, and said he would do +all he could for them. He had already passed around life-preservers, +and these they put on with all possible speed. + +Then followed a sudden plunge of the steamer and all found themselves +in the waves of the ocean. They went down together, each holding the +hand of somebody else. When they came up, Tom was close to a life-line +thrown from the sailing vessel and this he clutched madly. + +"Haul us in!" he yelled. "Haul us in!" And the line was pulled in +with care, and after ten minutes of extreme peril the boys and the +girls and Captain Jerry found themselves on board of the sailing +vessel, which proved to be a large three-masted schooner. + +All of our friends were so exhausted that they had to be carried to +the cabin and here Dora and Grace fainted away completely, while +Nellie was little better off. Tom had had his left arm bruised and +Dick was suffering from an ugly scratch on the forehead. It was fully +an hour before any of them felt like moving around. + +In the meantime the two vessels had separated, and though red fire +was burned twice, after that, and rockets sent up, nothing more was +seen or heard of the Tacoma or those left on board. + +"But I don't think she went down," said Captain Jerry. "She was too +well built for that." And he was right, as events proved. Much crippled +the steamer two days later entered Honolulu harbor, where she was +laid up for repairs. + +Worn out completely by what they had passed through, the boys slept +heavily for the rest of the night, not caring what ship they were on +or where they were going. Everybody was busy with the wreckage, so +they were left almost entirely to themselves. + +Tom was the first to get up, and going on deck found that the storm +had cleared away and that the sun was shining brightly. Without delay +he halted a sailor who happened to be passing. + +"What ship is this?" he questioned. + +"Dis ship da _Golden Wave_," replied the sailor, who was a Norwegian. + +"And where are you bound?" + +"Da ship sail for Australia." + +"Great Scott! Australia!" gasped Tom. "This is the worst yet." + +"What's up, Tom?" asked Sam, who had followed his brother. + +"This sailor tells me this ship is bound for Australia." + +"Why, that is thousands of miles away!" + +"I know it." + +"If we go to Australia, we'll never get back." + +"Not quite as bad as that, Sam. But we certainly don't want to go to +Australia." + +"Who is the captain?" + +"Captain Blossom," replied the sailor. "Where is he?" + +The sailor said he would take them to the captain and did so. He +proved to be a burly fellow with rather a sober-looking face. + +"Got around at last, eh?" he said, eying Tom and Sam shrewdly. + +"We have, and we must thank you for rescuing us," replied Tom. + +"That's all right." + +"One of your sailors tells me you are bound for Australia," put in Sam. + +"He told you the truth." + +"Won't you stop at some port in the Hawaiian Islands?" + +"No." + +"But you might put us off." + +"Can't spare the time. As it is, this storm blew me away out of my +course," answered Captain Blossom. + +He had a twofold reason for not putting them ashore at or near +Honolulu. It would not only take time, but it might also lead to +questioning concerning the fate of the steamer, and he was afraid he +would be hauled into some marine court for running into the Tacoma, +for that was what he had done. + +"Do you know anything about the steamer?" asked Sam. + +"No, she got away from us in the darkness, after we hauled seven of +you aboard." + +"The steamer lost some of her crew," said Tom, shuddering. "Did you +lose any men?" + +"One sailor, and one of my passengers got hurt in the leg by the +collision." + +By this time Dick joined the party, followed by old Jerry and the +three girls. + +"Will the captain carry us away to Australia?" asked Dora, when the +situation was explained. + +"I suppose so," said Dick soberly. "If I had some money I might buy +him off, but I haven't a dollar. What little I did have I left on +board of the Tacoma." + +The others were equally destitute, and when Captain Blossom heard of +this his face grew dark. He was a close man, and his first mate, Jack +Lesher, was no better. + +"If you haven't any money, you'll have to work your passage," he +growled. "I can't afford to carry you to Australia for nothing." + +"Then let us off at some port in the Hawaiian Islands," said Tom. + +"Can't do it, I told you," retorted Captain Blossom angrily. "And +you'll either work while you are on board or starve." + +"My, what a Tarter!" whispered Sam. + +"Well, we'll work," said Dick. "But you must not force the young +ladies to do anything." + +"I'm a sailor and will do my full share," said old Jerry. But he did +not like the situation any better than did the Rovers. + +The matter was talked over, and seeing that they were willing to +work, Captain Blossom became a little milder in his manner. He said +he would give the three girls one of the staterooms, but the boys +and old Jerry would have to join the crew in the forecastle. + +Fortunately the sailors on board the _Golden Wave_ were a fairly clean +lot, so the forecastle was not so dirty a place as it might otherwise +have been. The boys did not like to be separated from the girls, +however, and Dick called the girls aside to talk the matter over. + +"I want to know if anything goes wrong," said he. "If there is the +least thing out of the way, let us know at once," and the girls +promised to keep their eyes open. + +Once in the forecastle the boys were given three rough suits of +clothes to wear while working. Then they were called out to work +without delay, for the storm had left much to do on board the Golden +Wave. + +"We have only one passenger," said one of the sailors, in reply to +a question from Tom.. "He is a young fellow named Robert Brown. He +was hurt during the storm, but I reckon he's all right now." + +Tom was set to coiling some rope and Sam and Dick had to scrub down +the deck. This was by no means an agreeable task, but nobody complained. + +"We must take what comes," said Dick cheerfully. "So long as we get +enough to eat and are not abused I shan't say a word." + +The boys had been to work about an hour when Sam saw a young fellow +limping around the other end of the deck. There was something +strangely familiar about the party, and the youngest Rover drew closer +to get a better look at him. + +"Dan Baxter!" he cried in astonishment. "Dan Baxter!" + +At this cry the person turned and his lower jaw dropped in equal +astonishment. + +"Who--er--where did you come from?" he stammered. + +"So this is the vessel you shipped on?" went on Sam. And then he +called out: "Dick! Tom! Come here." + +For a brief instant Dan Baxter's face was a study. Then a crafty look +came into his eyes and he drew himself up. + +"Excuse me, but you have made a mistake in your man," he said coldly. + +"What's that?" came from Sam in bewilderment. + +"I am not the party you just named. My name is Robert Brown." + +"It is?" came from the youngest Rover. "If that is so, you look +exactly like somebody I know well." + +By this time Dick and Tom came hurrying to the spot, followed by +Dora, who happened to be on deck. + +"Dan Baxter!" came from Tom and Dick simultaneously. + +"He says he isn't Dan Baxter," said Sam. + +"Isn't Dan Baxter? Why, Baxter, you fraud, what new wrinkle is this?" +said Dick, catching him by the arm. + +"Let go of me!" came fiercely from Baxter. "Let go, I say, or it will +be the worse for you. You have made a mistake." + +"No mistake about it," put in Tom. "He is Dan Baxter beyond a doubt." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +IN WHICH THE ENEMY IS CORNERED + + +The loud talking had attracted the attention of Captain Blossom, and +now the master of the _Golden Wave_ strode up to the crowd. + +"What's going on here?" he demanded of the Rover boys. "Why are you +not at work, as I ordered?" + +"I have made an important discovery," answered Dick. "Is this your +passenger, Captain Blossom?" + +"He is. What of him?" + +"He is a thief and ran away from San Francisco to escape the police." + +"It's a falsehood!" roared Dan Baxter. "They have made a mistake. I +am a respectable man just out of college, and my father, Doctor L. +Z. Brown, is a well-known physician of Los Angeles. I am traveling +to Australia for my health." + +"His real name is Daniel Baxter and his father is now in prison," +said Tom. "He robbed us of our money and some diamonds while we were +stopping at a hotel in San Francisco. The detectives followed him +up, but he slipped them by taking passage on your ship." + +"I tell you my name is Brown--Robert Brown!" stormed Baxter. "This +is some plot hatched up against me. Who are these fellows, anyway?" +he went on, turning to the captain. + +"They came from the steamer we ran into," answered Captain Blossom. + +"I never saw them before." + +At this moment Dora touched the captain on the shoulder. + +"Please, captain," she said, "I knew Dan Baxter quite well and I am +sure this young man is the same person." + +"It aint so. I tell you, captain, it is a plot." + +"What kind of a plot could it be?" asked Captain Blossom. He scarcely +knew what to say. + +"I don't know. Perhaps they want to get hold of my money," went on +Baxter, struck by a sudden idea. + +"That's right, we do want to get hold of the money!" cried Sam. "For +it belongs to us--at least two hundred and seventy-five dollars of +it--not counting what he may have got on the diamonds and the cuff +buttons." + +"You shan't touch my money!" screamed Baxter. + +"Captain, he ought to be placed under arrest," said Dick. + +Dora had gone back to the cabin and now she returned in great haste +with Nellie and Grace. + +"To be sure, that is Dan Baxter," said Nellie. + +"There can be no mistake," put in Grace, "We all know him only too well." + +"You see, Captain Blossom, that we are six to one," said Tom. "And +you will surely believe the ladies." + +"How is you all happen to know him so well?" demanded the captain +curiously. + +"We know him because we all went to school together," answered Dick. +"These young ladies lived in the vicinity of the school. We had +trouble with Baxter at school and later on out West, and ever since +that time he has been trying to injure us. We met him in San Francisco +in the hotel lobby and at night he went to our room, cut open a +traveling bag and unlocked our trunks and robbed us of two hundred +and seventy-five dollars in cash, some diamond studs, a pair of cuff +buttons, and some clothing." + +"I've got an idea!" almost shouted Sam. "Maybe he has some of the +stolen stuff in his stateroom." + +"Yes, yes, let us search the stateroom: by all means!" exclaimed Tom. + +"You shall not touch my room!" howled Baxter, turning pale. "I have +nothing there but my own private property." + +"If that is so, you shouldn't object to having the stateroom searched," +observed Captain Blossom. + +"If we get back our money we may be able to pay you something, captain, +for our passage," said Dick. + +This was a forceful argument and set Captain Blossom to thinking. He +was a man who loved money dearly. + +"I will go along and we will look around the stateroom," he said, +after a pause. + +"This is an outrage!" cried Dan Baxter. "I will have the law on you +for it." + +"Shut up! I am master on my own ship," retorted Captain Blossom, and +led the way to the stateroom Dan Baxter occupied. The door was locked +and Baxter refused to give up the key. But the captain had a duplicate, +and soon he and the Rover boys were inside the room. Baxter followed +them, still expostulating, but in vain. + +"Here is a pocketbook full of bills!" cried Tom, bringing the article +to light. + +"Here is my light overcoat!" came from Dick. "See, it has my initials +embroidered in the hanger. Aunt Martha did that for me." + +"Here are my gold cuff buttons!" exclaimed Sam. "They were a present +from my father and they have my monogram engraved on each." And he +showed the articles to the captain. + +"I reckon it's a pretty clear case against you," said Captain Blossom, +turning to Dan Baxter. + +"Here are half a dozen letters," said Tom, holding them up. "You can +see they are all addressed to Daniel Baxter. That's his name, and +he'd be a fool to deny it any longer." + +"Well, I won't deny it," cried the big bully. "What would be the +use--you are all against me--even the captain." + +"I am not against you," retorted Captain Blossom. "But if you are a +thief I want to know it. Why did you give me your name as Robert Brown?" + +"That's my business." Baxter paused for a moment. "Now you have found +me out, what are you going to do about it?" he went on brazenly. "You +can't arrest me on shipboard." + +"No, but we can have you arrested when we land," said Dick. "And in +the meantime we will take charge of what is our own." + +"Here are some pawn tickets for the diamonds," said Sam, who was +continuing the search. "They show he got seventy-five dollars on them." + +"We will keep the tickets--and the seventy-five dollars, too--if we +can find the money," said Tom. + +But the money could not be found, for the greater part had been turned +over to Captain Blossom for Baxter's passage to Australia and the +rest spent before leaving shore. The pocketbook contained only two +hundred and thirty dollars. + +"What did he pay you for the passage?" questioned Dick of the captain. + +"One hundred dollars." + +"Then you ought to turn that amount over to our credit." + +"Why, what do you mean?" + +"I mean that Dan Baxter has no right to a free passage on your ship, +since he bought that passage with our money. Let him work his way +and place that passage money to our credit." + +"That's the way to talk," put in Tom. "Make him work by all means." + +"He deserves good, hard labor," came from Sam. + +"I don't think you can make me work!" burst out Dan Baxter. "I am a +passenger and I demand that I be treated as such." + +"You are an impostor!" returned Captain Blossom bluntly. "The fact +that you used an assumed name proves it. If I wanted to do so, I +could clap you in the ship's brig until we reach port and chain you +into the bargain. I want no thieves on board my ship." + +"Here is more of our clothing," came from Tom. + +"Pick out all the things that are yours," said the captain. "And take +the other things that are yours, too." + +This was done, nobody paying any attention to Baxter's protests. When +the Rovers had what there was of their things the captain turned to +the bully. + +"I've made up my mind about you," he said, speaking with great +deliberation. "I am master here, and a judge and jury into the bargain. +You can take your choice: Either sign articles as a foremast hand +for the balance of the trip, or be locked up as a prisoner, on prison +rations." + +"Do you mean th--that?" gasped Baxter, turning pale. + +"I do." + +"But the passage money Goes to the credit of these young fellows." + +"It's an outrage!" + +"No, it's simply justice, to my way of thinking. I'll give you until +to-morrow to make up your mind what you will do." + +This ended the talk with Dan Baxter. The captain said he wanted to +see the Rover boys in the cabin, and they followed him to that place. + +"Captain, I feel I must thank you for your fair way of managing this +affair," said Dick, feeling that a few good words at this point would +not go amiss. "I hope you treat Baxter as he deserves." + +"I will try to do right," was Captain Blossom's answer. "But what I +want to know now is, What do you intend to do with that money? It +seems to me I should be paid something for keeping you on board." + +"I have a proposition to make, captain. We will give you two hundred +dollars if you will allow us to consider ourselves passengers. And +by 'us' I mean the young ladies as well as ourselves." + +"It's not very much." + +"If we pay you that amount it will leave us but thirty dollars, hardly +enough with which to cable home for more. Of course, when we get our +money in Australia we will pay you whatever balance is due you,--and +something besides for saving us." + +This pleased Captain Blossom and he said he would accept the offer. +The matter was discussed for half an hour, and it was decided that +the boys should have two staterooms, the one occupied by Baxter and +another next to that given over to the girls. + +When Dora, Nellie, and Grace heard of the new arrangement that had +been made they were highly pleased. + +"I didn't want to see you do the work of a common sailor," said Dora +to Dick. + +"Oh, it wouldn't kill me," he returned lightly. "Even as it is, I'll +give a hand if it is necessary." + +"It's a wonder Captain Blossom took to your offer so quickly." + +"He loves money, that's why, Dora. He would rather have that two +hundred dollars than our services," and with this remark Dick hit +the nail squarely on the head. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A BLOW IN THE DARKNESS + + +It would be hard to describe Dan Baxter's feelings after Captain +Blossom and the Rover boys left him alone in his stateroom. At one +instant he was fairly shaking with rage, and at the next quaking with +fear over what the future might hold in store for him. + +"They have got the best of me again!" he muttered, clenching his +fists. "And after I felt sure I had escaped them. It must have been +Fate that made Captain Blossom pick them up. Now I've either got to +work as a common sailor or submit to being locked up in some dark, +foul-smelling hole on the ship. And when we get to Australia, unless +I watch my chance to skip out, they'll turn me over to the police." + +He could not sleep that night for thinking over the situation and +was up and dressed before daylight. Strolling on deck, he came face +to face with Sam, who had come up to get the morning air. + +"I suppose you think you have got the best of me," growled Baxter. + +"It looks like it, doesn't it?" returned Sam briefly. + +"The game isn't ended yet." + +"No, but it will be when you land in prison, Baxter." + +"I'll get square." + +"You have promised to get square times without number--and you have +failed every time." + +"I won't fail the next time." + +"Yes, you will. Wrong never yet triumphed over right." + +"Oh, don't preach, Sam Rover." + +"I am not preaching, I am simply trying to show you how foolish it +is to do wrong. Why don't you turn over a new leaf?" + +"Oh, such talk makes me sick!" growled the bully, and turned away. + +A little while later Captain Blossom appeared and hunted up Dan +Baxter, who sat in his state-room, packing up his few belongings. + +"Well, have you decided on your course, young man?" demanded the +master of the _Golden Wave_. + +"Do you mean to lock me up if I refuse to become a sailor?" asked +Dan Baxter, + +"I do, and I won't argue with you, either. Is it yes or no?" + +"I don't want to be locked up in some dark hole on your ship." + +"Then you are willing to become a sailor?" + +"I--er--I suppose so." + +"Very well, you can remove your things to the forecastle. Jack Lesher, +the first mate, will give you your bunk." + +This was "adding insult to injury," as it is termed, so far as Baxter +was concerned, for it will be remembered that it was Jack Lesher who +had obtained the passage on the _Golden Wave_ for the bully. + +But Dan Baxter was given no chance to demur. Taking his traps he went +on deck, where Jack Lesher met him, grinning in sickly fashion. + +"So you are going to make a change, eh?" said the mate. + +"You needn't laugh at me, if I am," growled Baxter. + +"I shan't laugh, my boy. It's hard luck," said Lesher. "Come along." + +He led the way to the forecastle and gave Baxter a bunk next to that +occupied by old Jerry. Then he brought out an old suit of sailor's +clothing and tossed it over. + +"You've run in hard luck, boy," he said in a low voice, after he had +made certain that nobody else was within hearing. "I am sorry for you." + +"Really?" queried Dan Baxter, giving the mate a sharp look. + +"Yes, I am, and if I can do anything to make it easy for you, count +on me," went on Jack Lesher. + +"Thank you." + +"I suppose taking that money and the other things was more of boy's +sport than anything, eh?" + +"That's the truth. I wanted to get square with those Rover boys. They +are my bitter enemies. I didn't want the money." + +Just then old Jerry came in and the conversation came to an end. But +Baxter felt that he had a friend on board and this eased him a little. +He did not know that the reason Jack Lesher liked him was because +the first mate was a criminal himself and had once served a term in +a Michigan jail for knocking down a passenger on a boat and robbing +him of his pocketbook. As the old saying goes, "Birds of a feather +flock together." + +When the girls came on deck they found Baxter doing some of the work +which Dick and Tom had been doing the morning before. At first they +were inclined to laugh, but Dora stopped herself and her cousins. + +"Don't let us laugh at him," she whispered. "It is hard enough for +the poor fellow as it is." + +"I am not going to notice him after this," said Nellie. "To me he +shall be an entire stranger." And the others agreed to treat Dan +Baxter in the same manner. + +But the boys were not so considerate, and Tom laughed outright when +he caught sight of Baxter swabbing up some dirt on the rear deck. +This made the bully's passion arise on the instant and he caught up +his bucket as if to throw it at Tom's head. + +"Don't you dare, Baxter!" cried Tom. "If you do we'll have a red-hot +war." + +"I can lick you, Tom Rover!" + +"Perhaps you can and perhaps you can't." + +Baxter put up his fists, but on the approach of Dick and Sam he +promptly retreated. But before he went he hissed in Tom's ear: + +"You wait, and see what I do!" + +"He had better keep his distance," said Dick. "If he doesn't, somebody +will get hurt." + +"I suppose it galls him to work," said Sam. "He always was rather lazy." + +The day proved a nice one, and the Rover boys spent most of the time +with the three girls, who were glad of their company once more. + +All speculated on the question of what had become of the Tacoma, and +of what the folks at home would think concerning their prolonged absence. + +"I'd give a good deal to send a message home," said Dick. + +"We must cable as soon as we reach shore," added Dora. + +They saw but little of Dan Baxter during the day and nothing whatever +of him the day following. + +"He is trying to avoid us," said Sam. "Well, I am just as well +satisfied." + +Through old Jerry they learned that Baxter hated the work given to +him and that he was being favored a little by the first mate. + +"Tell ye what, I hate that mate," said Jerry. "He's got a wicked eye, +and he drinks like a fish." + +"I know he drinks," answered Tom. "I smelt the liquor in his breath." + +They were now getting down into warmer latitudes and the next night +proved unusually hot. It was dark with no stars shining, and the air +was close, as if another storm was at hand. + +"I can't sleep," said Tom, after rolling around in his berth for half +an hour. "I'm going on deck." And he dressed himself and went up for +some air. He walked forward and leaned over the rail, watching the +waves as they slipped behind the noble ship. + +Tom's coming on deck had been noticed by Dan Baxter, who sat on the +side of the fore-castle, meditating on his troubles. As the bully +saw the youth leaning over the rail, his face took on a look of bitter +hatred. + +"I'll teach him to laugh at me!" he muttered. + +Gazing around he saw that nobody was within sight and then he arose +to his feet. With a cat-like tread he came up behind Tom, who still +looked at the waves, totally unconscious of danger. + +Baxter's heart beat so loudly that he was afraid Tom would hear it. +Again he looked around. Not a soul was near, and the gloom of the +night was growing thicker. + +"He'll laugh another way soon!" he muttered, and stepped closer. + +His fist was raised to deliver a blow when Tom happened to straighten +up and look around. He saw the form behind him and the upraised arm +and leaped aside. + +The blow missed its mark and Tom caught Baxter by the shoulder. + +"What do you mean, Dan Baxter, by this attack?" he began, when the +bully aimed another blow at him. This struck Tom full in the temple +and partly dazed him. Then the two clenched awl fell heavily against +the rail. + +"I'll fix you!" panted Baxter, striking another blow as best he +could, and then, as Tom struck him in return, he forced Tom's head +against the rail with a thump. The blow made Tom see stars and he +was more dazed than ever. + +"Le--let up!" he gasped, but Baxter continued to crowd him against +the rail, which at this point was very weak because of the collision +with the steamer. Suddenly there was a snap and a crack and the rail +gave way. Baxter leaped back in time to save himself from falling, +but Tom could not help himself, and, with a wild cry, he went overboard! + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A CALL FROM THE STERN + + +For the instant after Tom slipped over the side of the _Golden Wave_, +Dan Baxter was too dazed to do more than stare at the spot where he +had last seen the boy with whom he had been struggling. + +"Gone!" he muttered presently. "Gone!" he repeated and crouched back +in the darkness. + +The great beads of perspiration came to his brow as he heard rapid +footsteps approaching. Would he be accused of sending Tom Rover to +his death? + +"What's the trouble?" came in the voice of Captain Blossom. + +Instead of answering, Dan Baxter crept still further back. Then, +watching his chance, he darted into the forecastle. + +"Hullo, the rail is broken!" he heard the captain exclaim. "Bring a +lantern here, quick!" + +A sailor came running with a lantern, which lit up the narrow circle +of the deck near the rail and part of the sea beyond. + +"Somebody gave a cry," said the captain, to those who began to gather. +"Looks to me as if the rail gave way and let somebody overboard." + +"Tom Rover was on deck," came from old Jerry. "Do you reckon as how +it was him?" + +"I don't know. It was somebody, that's certain. Call all hands at once." + +This was done, and Dan Baxter had to come out with the rest. He was +pale and trembled so he could scarcely stand. + +"All here," said Captain Blossom. "Must have been one of the Rover +boys or one of the young ladies." + +Word was passed along and soon Sam and Dick came rushing on deck. + +"Tom is missing!" cried Sam. + +"If that is so, I'm afraid, boys, you have seen the last of your +brother," said Captain Blossom. He turned to his crew. "Do any of +you know anything of this affair?" + +There was a dead silence. Then he questioned the man at the wheel. + +"Don't know a thing, cap'n," was the answer. + +"It's queer. He must have pressed on the rail very hard.. Here are +half a dozen nails torn from the wood." + +While this talk was going on Dick and Sam had passed along the rail +from the place of the accident to the stern. + +"Perhaps he caught hold somewhere," said Sam, who was unwilling to +believe that his brother had really perished. + +They had just gained the stern and were looking over when a call came +from out of the darkness. + +"He--help! Help!" + +"It's Tom!" screamed Dick in delight. "Tom, is that you?" + +"Yes! Help!" + +"Where are you?" + +"Holding on to a rope. Help me quick. I--I can't hold on mu--much +longer!" + +"We'll help you," answered Dick. + +Captain Blossom was called and more lanterns were lit, and then a +Bengal light, and Tom was seen to be holding fast to a rope which +had in some manner fallen overboard and become entangled in the +rudder chain. + +By the aid of the boat-hook the rope was hauled up and to the side +of the _Golden Wave_. At the same time the sails were lowered, and then +a rope ladder was thrown down. Dick descended to the edge of the +waves, and, watching his chance, caught Tom by the collar of his +coat. Then the brothers came slowly to the deck. + +A cheer went up when it was found that Tom was safe once more, and +Nellie Laning could not resist rushing forward and catching the wet +youth in her arms. Tom was so exhausted he dropped on the nearest +seat, and it was several minutes before he had recovered strength +enough to speak. + +"I would have been drowned had it not been for that rope," he said +when questioned. "As I slid along the side of the ship the rope hit +me in the face. I clutched it and clung fast for dear life. Then when +I came up and swept astern I called as loudly as I could, but it +seemed an age before anybody heard me." + +"It was a narrow escape," said Dick. "You can thank a kind Providence +that your life was spared." + +"You must have leaned on the rail awfully hard," put in Nellie. + +"Leaned on the rail?" repeated Tom. "It wasn't my fault that I went +overboard. It was Dan Baxter's." + +"Dan Baxter!" came from several. + +"Exactly. He tackled me in the dark, and we had it hot and heavy for +a minute. Then he crowded me on the rail, and it gave way. He jumped +back and let me go overboard." + +"The rascal! I'll settle with him!" cried Dick. "I'll teach him to +keep his distance after this!" + +He knew Baxter was still forward, and ran in that direction. The +bully saw him coming and tried to hide in the forecastle, but Dick +was too quick for him and hauled him back on the deck. + +"Take that for shoving my brother overboard, you scoundrel!" he +exclaimed, and hit Baxter a staggering blow straight between the eyes. + +"Stop!" roared the bully, and struck out in return. But Dick dodged +the blow, and then hit Baxter in the chin and on the nose. The elder +Rover boy was excited, and hit with all of his force, and the bully +measured his length on the deck. + +"Good fer you!" cried old Jerry, who stood looking on. "That's the +way to serve him, the sarpint!" + +Slowly Baxter arose to his knees, and then his feet, where he stood +glaring at Dick. + +"Don't you hit me again!" he muttered. + +"But I will," retorted Dick, and struck out once more. This time his +fist landed on the bully's left eye, and once again Baxter went down, +this time with a thud. + +The sailors were collecting, and soon Jack Lesher rushed up. He stepped +between Dick and the bully. + +"Stop it!" he ordered harshly. "We don't allow fighting on board of +this craft." + +"I wasn't fighting," answered Dick coolly. "I was just teaching a +rascal a lesson." + +"It amounts to the same thing. If you have any fault to find tell +the captain, or tell me." + +"Well, I'll go to the captain, not you," retorted Dick. + +"All right," growled the first mate. "But just remember you can't +boss things when I'm around." + +When Captain Blossom understood the situation he was thoroughly angry. + +"Baxter certainly ought to be in prison," he said. "I'll clap him in +the brig and feed him on bread and water for three days and see how +he likes that." + +"He ought not to be left at large," said Dora, with a shudder. "He +may try to murder somebody next." + +"We'll watch him after this," said the captain. + +He kept his word about putting Baxter in the ship's jail. But through +Lesher the bully, got much better fare than bread and water. Strange +as it may seem, a warm friendship sprang up between the bully and +the first mate. + +"I aint got nothing against you, Baxter," said Jack Lesher. "When we +get to Australia perhaps we can work together, eh?" and he closed +one eye suggestively. Baxter had told him of his rich relative, and +the mate thought there might be a chance to get money from Baxter. +"He'd rather give me money than have me tell his relation what sort +of a duck he is," said Lesher to himself. + +After this incident the time passed pleasantly enough for over a +week. When Baxter came from the brig he went to work without a word. +Whenever he passed the Rovers or the girls he acted as if he did not +know they were there, and they ignored him just as thoroughly. But +the boys watched every move the bully made. + +As mentioned before, Jack Lesher was a drinking man, and as the +weather grew warmer the mate increased his potions until there was +scarcely a day when he was thoroughly sober. Captain Blossom remonstrated +with him, but this did little good. + +"I'm attending to my duties," said Lesher. "And if I do that you +can't expect more from me." + +"I thought I hired a man that was sober," said Captain Blossom. "I +won't place my vessel in charge of a man who gets drunk." + +Yet he was not willing to do the mate's work, or put that work onto +others, so Jack Lesher had to take his turn on deck, no matter in +what condition. + +"I must say I don't like that first mate at all," said Tom to Sam. +"He is very friendly with Baxter." + +"I have noticed that," replied the youngest Rover. "Such a friendship +doesn't count in the mate's favor." + +"Last night he was thoroughly drunk, and wasn't fit to command." + +"Well, that is Captain Blossom's lookout. The captain can't be on +deck all of the time." + +Two nights after this talk Jack Lesher was again in command of the +ship, Captain Blossom having retired after an unusually hard day. + +It was hot and dark, and the air betokened a storm. The man at the +wheel was following a course set by the captain, and the sailors +whose watch was on deck lay around taking it as easy as they could. + +The mate had been drinking but little in the afternoon, but before +coming on deck he took several draughts of rum. He was in a partiallarly +bad humor and ready to find fault with anybody or anything. + +Some of the sails had been reefed, and these he ordered shaken out, +although there was a stiff breeze blowing. Then he approached the +man at the wheel and asked for the course. + +"Southwest by south," was the answer. + +"That aint right," growled the mate. "It should be south by west." + +"The captain gave it to me southwest by south," answered the man. + +"Don't talk back to me!" roared Jack Lesher. "I know the course as +well as the captain. Make it south by west, or I'll flog you for +disobeying orders." + +"Aye, aye, sir," answered the man at the wheel, and the course was +changed, for the sailor stood greatly in fear of the mate. Then the +mate sent below for another drink of rum. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +ANOTHER ACCIDENT AT SEA + + +It was four hours later, and Captain Blossom was just preparing to +come on deck, when there, came a fearful shock which threw the Golden +Wave back and over on her side. + +"We have struck! We are on the rocks!" came a shrill cry from the +deck, and immediately there was an uproar. + +The Rover boys were thrown to the floor from their berths, and it +was several seconds before they could realize what had happened. + +"We have struck something, that is sure!" gasped Sam. + +As quickly as they could they donned their clothing and made their +way to the large state-room occupied by the girls. + +"Oh, what a shock!" came from Nellie. + +"Are you safe?" asked Tom. + +"I am, but poor Grace struck her head on the wall, and is unconscious." + +Without ceremony Tom picked up the unconscious girl, wrapped her in +a blanket, and, aided by Sam, carried her to the deck, the others +following. A minute later Grace revived. + +On deck they found all in confusion. The bowsprit of the _Golden Wave_ +was gone, and also the main topmast, while a mass of the rigging +littered the forecastle. It was also announced that the rudder was +broken and the vessel was pounding helplessly on the rocks, with a +big hole in the bow directly below the waterline. + +"Who changed the course?" demanded Captain Blossom. "We should be +fifty miles away from these rocks." + +"The first mate made me change the course," said the man who had been +at the wheel. "I told him you had said southwest by south, and he +made it south by west." + +"He don't know what he's talking about!" howled Jack Lesher. The +shock had partly sobered him. "He was steering due south, and I told +him to make it southwest by south." + +But little more could be said on the point, for it was feared that +the schooner would go down at any moment. + +"We must man the boats," said the captain. "Bring up the provisions +and the kegs of water, and be quick about it." + +"Are we near land?" asked Dick. + +"There should be some islands four or five miles south of this spot," +answered Captain Blossom. + +Now that there was danger of going down some of the sailors seemed +to grow crazy. Half a dozen tumbled into one of the boats and began +to lower it of their own accord. + +"Stand back there!" shouted the captain. "The girls must go first." + +"Not much!" shouted one of the sailors. "It's everybody for himself +now!" And in a moment more the small boat had left the ship's side +and disappeared in the darkness. + +There were three other boats and the remaining sailors, along with +the first mate and Dan Baxter, wanted to crowd into these. But Captain +Blossom said he would shoot the first man who tried to row away +without his orders. Then some provisions were put into the boats, +and the captain divided the whole company among the three boats. + +"Let us stay together, captain," pleaded Dick. "We can row." + +"And what of the girls, Rover?" + +"Let us go with the Rover boys," pleaded Dora, and Nellie and Grace +said the same. Old Jerry also stood by his friends. + +While this talk was going on there was a rush for two of the boats, +and before Captain Blossom could do anything his men were off, taking +Jack Lesher and Dan Baxter with them. + +"You can go down with the ship!" cried Dan Baxter mockingly. An +instant later the darkness hid the speaker from view. + +"They have left us," cried Captain Blossom. "But, thank fortune, the +best and largest boat is also left." + +Some provisions had been tumbled into this boat, and a cask of water +followed. Then the girls were placed on board, the Rover boys followed, +and the captain and old Jerry came behind, to cut away. Down went +the small boat into the mighty waves, and each of the boys caught up +an oar. + +"Pull!" roared Captain Blossom. "Pull for your lives!" And they did +pull, two boys on one side, and Sam and old Jerry on the other. The +girls huddled in the stern, expecting every moment to see the little +craft turn bottom side up. They scraped along the side of the doomed +ship, and then along some rocks. Captain Blossom was in the bow, +peering ahead. + +"To the left!" he yelled. "Quick!" And then came a shock, and the +captain disappeared beneath the waves. + +"The captain is gone!" screamed Dora, but she was hardly heard, for +the ship was pounding on the rocks, and the spray was flying in all +directions. The boys and old Jerry continued to pull, knowing not +what else to do, and at last the spot was left behind and they found +themselves on the bosom of the mighty Pacific, in the black darkness, +out of sight of everything, with only the sounds of the wind and the +waves filling their ears. + +"Do you think we will ever get out of this alive?" asked Grace of Dora. + +"Let us pray that we may all be spared," answered Dora, and they did +pray, more earnestly than they had ever before prayed in their whole +lives. It was a moment that put their faith to a supreme test. + +The boys did not dare to stop rowing, and they kept on until their +backs ached and their arms seemed ready to drop from their sockets. + +"We had better take turns," said Dick, at last. "We can't keep this +up all night.." And his suggestion was followed out, two, rowing at +a time, for a space of fifteen or twenty minutes. + +They thought they might see something of the other boats, but nothing +came to view, and when they set up a shout at the top of their lungs, +no answer came back. + +"They have either gone down or else got out of this neighborhood," +said Tom. + +"It was too bad to lose Captain Blossom," said Sam. "He was not such +a bad sort, after all." + +It was not long after this that a mass of wreckage drifted past +them. There was a bit of broken spar and some other woodwork, but no +human being, and they let the wreckage go. + +By looking at his watch Dick saw that it was three o'clock in the +morning. + +"It will be light in another couple of hours," he said. "If we can +keep on top of the waves until then perhaps we can sight the islands +the captain mentioned." + +"I wish it was daylight now," sighed Nellie. + +Fortunately a bundle of clothing had been brought along, and as the +water was warm, nobody suffered much from the wetting received. Care +was taken to keep the provisions as dry as possible, for there was +no telling how long it would be before they would be able to get more. + +Slowly the night dragged by, and, with the coming of morning, the +wind went down, the storm passing to the northward. + +"It is growing lighter," announced Dora. "The sunlight is beginning +to, show over the rim of the sea." + +Half an hour later the sun came up, like a great ball of fire from +a bath in the ocean, capping the high waves with gold. As the light +spread around them, Dick stood up on a seat and gazed eagerly in all +directions. + +"What do you see?" demanded the others. + +"Nothing," he answered, with a sinking heart; "nothing but water on +all sides of us." + +"The islands--they must be somewhere!" cried Tom, and he, too, took +a look, followed by the others. The last to look was old Jerry. + +"Can't see much," said the old sailor slowly. "But I kind of reckon +there's a dark spot directly southward." + +"It must be one of the islands the captain mentioned!" exclaimed Dora. + +"We might as well row in that direction," said Dick. "There is nothing +else to do." + +"It's queer what became of the other boats," said Sam. + +Some of the provisions were brought forth and they ate sparingly, +and drank a little of the water. Then the boys and old Jerry took up +the oars once more and began to pull as nearly southward as they +could make it, steering by the sun. + +When the sun grew higher it became very warm, so that the rowers were +glad enough to lay aside their jackets. By noon they reckoned that +they had covered six or eight miles. One after another stood up on +the seats to take a look around. + +"Nothing in sight yet," said Dick, with a sorry shake of his head. +"We must have been mistaken in that dark spot." + +"What will you do now?" asked Grace. "The hot sun is beginning to +make my head ache." + +Sam's head also ached, but he said nothing. Nobody knew what to suggest. + +"One thing is certain; we can't remain out on the bosom of the ocean," +said Dick. + +"Better continue to pull southward," came from old Jerry. "There are +lots of islands down that way. The map is full of 'em." + +"Yes, the map is full of them," answered Dick. "But a quarter of an +inch on the map means a hundred miles or two in reality." + +Yet it was decided to row on, trusting to luck to strike some island, +either large or small. It was now fiercely hot, and all hands perspired +freely. + +By the end of the afternoon the boys were worn out, and had to give +up rowing. The girls were dozing in the stern, having covered their +heads with a thin shawl, stretched from one gunwale to another. Tom +and Sam were dizzy from the glare of the sun on the water. + +"Another day like this will set me crazy," said the youngest Rover. +"I'd give ten dollars for a pair of blue goggles." + +Old Jerry had been looking intently to the westward. Now he pointed +in that direction. + +"See that trail of smoke," he said. "Unless I am mistaken a steamship +is sailing toward us!" + +"A steamship!" cried Tom, and the words awoke the girls. "We must +hail the vessel by all means." + +"If she comes close enough," said Captain Jerry pointedly. "Don't be +too hopeful, my lads. She may pass us by." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE CRUSOES OF SEVEN ISLANDS + + +All on board of the rowboat watched the thin trail of smoke with +interest. + +"I believe it is going away from us," said Dora. + +"No, it is coming closer," said Nellie. + +"It is certainly moving to the northward," put in Sam. + +A quarter of an hour went by and the smoke came only a little nearer. + +"She is a big steamer," said Captain Jerry. "But she aint comin' jest +this way." + +"You are sure?" cried Tom. + +"Yes, lad. It's too bad, but it can't be helped." + +The old sailor was right; half an hour later the smoke had shifted, +and after that it faded gradually from sight. + +It was a heavy blow, after their expectations had been raised so +high, and tears stood in the eyes of all of the girls, while the boys +looked unusually sober. + +What was to do next? All asked that question, yet it was only Captain +Jerry who answered it. + +"Let us pull southward," said he. + +And they did so, although with hearts that were as heavy as lead in +their bosoms. + +Slowly the night came on. Shortly after the sun set the moon showed +itself and the sky became studded with stars, the Southern Cross +standing out boldly among them. The pale light made the bosom of the +ocean glisten like silver. + +"A beautiful night," said Dora. "But who can enjoy it when we do not +know what to-morrow will bring forth," and she sighed deeply. + +The boys and old Jerry continued to take turns at rowing, while the +girls sank into fitful slumber. + +Presently the old sailor raised his head. + +"Listen!" he said, and they did so, and far away heard a strange booming. + +"What's that?" questioned Sam. + +"It's breakers!" cried Tom. "We must be near some coast!" + +"The lad is right," came from Captain Jerry. "We are near an island, +after all!" + +Dick stood on a seat, and, as the boat rode to the top of a wave, +took a look around. + +"An island!" he cried. "Dead ahead!" + +"Hurrah! We are saved!" ejaculated Sam. "What is the matter?" questioned +Dora, rousing up, followed by the other girls. + +"There is an island ahead." + +"We must be careful how we approach the shore, lads," cautioned Jerry. +"If we strike the rocks, it may cost us our lives. Perhaps we had +better hold off until daylight." + +"I see a stretch of sand!" came from Tom, who was standing up. "If +we can reach that, we'll be all right." + +Old Jerry took a careful look. The sand was there, true enough, but +there were dangerous breakers between the boat and that shore. + +"If you say so, we can run our chances," he said. "The young ladies +must hold tight, and not mind a good ducking." + +The force of the waves was now carrying them closer and closer to +the breakers. Under old Jerry's directions the boys took a short, +sharp stroke, keeping the rowboat straight up to the waves. The noise +was like thunder, and soon the spray was flying all over them. + +"Now pull!" cried Captain Jerry. "One, two, three! Hold tight, girls!" +And away they went into the breakers. One wave dashed over the craft, +but it was not swamped, and before another could hit them they darted +up a swell and onto a long, sandy beach. + +In a twinkle the old sailor was out, along with Dick, and, aided by +another wave, they ran the boat well up the beach, out of the harm +of the waves. It was a hard struggle, and when it was over Dick sank +down almost exhausted. + +"Saved!" murmured Dora, as she leaped out on shore. "Thank Heaven!" +And all of the others echoed the sentiment. + +The empty boat was pulled up out of harm's way and chained fast to +a palm tree growing near, and then the party of seven sat down to +rest and to talk over the new condition of affairs. They were on a +wild, tropical coast, with a long, sandy beach running to the ocean, +and back of this a dense mass of tropical vegetation, including palms, +plantains, cocoanuts, and date trees. Back of the heavy growth was +a distant hill, standing out dimly in the moonlight. + +"This looks like a regular Crusoe-like island," said Dora, as she +gazed around. "There is not a sign of a habitation anywhere." + +"A good many of the South Sea islands are not inhabited," said Dick. +"The natives won't live on them because they are subject to volcano +eruptions, earthquakes, and tidal waves." + +"Well, I hope we don't have any of those things while we stay here," came +from Nellie. "An earthquake would scare me almost to death." + +"I do not see that we can do better than to stay right here for the +rest of the night," said Tom. "I am too tired out to walk very, far." + +It was decided to follow Tom's advice, and all made themselves as +comfortable as circumstances permitted. They had some matches in a +waterproof safe, and soon a camp-fire was started, at which they +dried some of their garments. Then, after eating some of the provisions +that were left, they laid down to rest. Strange as it may seem all +slept soundly until sunrise, and nothing came to disturb them. + +When the girls arose they found the boys and Captain Jerry already +preparing breakfast. On the shore Tom, had found some oysters and +shell-fish, and these were baking. Among the provisions were a little +tea and coffee, and old Jerry had made a pot of coffee, which did +one good to smell. Sam had brought down some cocoanuts from a nearby +tree, and also found some ripe bananas. + +"We won't starve' to death here, that's certain," said Dick, when +they all sat down to eat. "The island is full of good things. If I +had a gun I could bring down lots of birds, and monkeys, too." + +"I don't think I'd care to eat a monkey," said Grace. "But I wouldn't +mind eating birds." + +"There must be plenty of fish here, too," said Tom. "In fact I saw +some sporting in the waters of a little bay up the coast." + +"Shall we go up and down the coast after breakfast?" asked Sam. + +"My advice is to climb yonder hill and take a squint around," came +from Captain Jerry. + +"That's a splendid idea, providing we can get to the tap," said Dick. + +"There is no use of all of us going, lad. You can go with me while +the rest stay here." + +"What shall we do in the meantime?" asked Sam. + +"Better try your hand at fishin', lad, and see if you can knock some +birds over with sticks and stones. If ye get anything, let the girls +cook us somethin', for we'll be powerful hungry by the time we get back." + +Half an hour later Captain Jerry and Dick set out. Each carried a +few ship's biscuits and also a heavy stick which had been cut in the +thickets. Each wished he had a gun or a pistol, but those articles +were not to be had. + +The climb up the hill was by no means an easy one. The rocks were +rough and in many spots the jungle of brush and vines was so thick +that to get through was next to impossible. It was very warm, and +they had to stop often to cool off and catch their breath. + +"I don't wonder that people in hot countries move slowly," said Dick. +"I feel more like resting than doing anything else." + +It was almost noon when they came in sight of the top of the hill. +There were still some rough rocks to climb, and these they had to +ascend by means of some vines that grew handy. + +"What a magnificent view!" cried Dick. + +It certainly was magnificent. Looking back in the direction they had +come they could see the Pacific Ocean, glittering in the bright +sun-light and stretching miles and miles out of sight. + +The island they were on looked to be about half a mile in diameter. +Northward, eastward, and westward was the ocean, but to the southward +was a circlet of six islands, having a stretch of calm water between +them. Between some of the islands the water was very shallow, while +elsewhere it looked deep. + +"Seven islands in all," said old Jerry. "And not a sign of a house +or hut anywhere." + +"We are the Crusoes of Seven Islands," said Dick. "But do you really +believe they are uninhabited?" + +"Do ye see any signs of life, lad?" + +"I must say I do not. It's queer, too, for I rather imagined one at +least of the other boats had reached this place." + +"I thought the same. But it looks now as if they all went to Davy +Jones's locker, eh?" + +"It certainly does look that way." + +From the top of the hill they took a careful survey of the situation. +The elevation was in the very center of the island. Down toward the +other islands the slope was more abrupt than it was in the direction +from which they had come. + +"We can take a look at those other islands later on," said old Jerry. +"Reckon as how we have done enough for one day. If we don't git back +soon, they'll become anxious about us." + +"I wish we had a flag," said Dick. "Here is a tall tree. We could +chop away the top branches and hang up a signal of distress. If we +did that, perhaps some ship would come this way and rescue us." + +"Right ye are, lad, but it aint many ships come this way. They are +afraid o' the rocks we run on." + +Having looked around once more, to "git the lay o' the land," as +Captain Jerry expressed it, they started to descend the hill. This +proved as difficult as climbing up had been. + +Dick went in advance, and was half-way down when he stepped on a +loose stick and went rolling into a perfect network of vines and +brushwood. + +"Are ye hurt?" sang out old Jerry. + +"No--not much!" answered the eldest Rover. "But my wind--Oh, goodness +gracious!" + +Dick broke off short, and small wonder. As 'he arose from the hole +into which he had tumbled, a hissing sound caught his ears. Then up +came the head of a snake at least eight feet long, and in a twinkle +the reptile had wound itself around the boy's lower limbs! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SETTLING DOWN ON THE ISLAND + + +"What's wrong, lad?" + +"A snake! It has wound itself around my legs!" + +"Ye don't say!" gasped Captain Jerry, and then leaped down to the +hollow. "Well, by gosh! Take that, ye beast!" + +"That" was a blow aimed at the reptile's head with the sailor's stick. +Old Jerry's aim was both swift and true and the head of the reptile +received a blow which knocked out one eye and bruised its fang. But +the body wound itself around Dick tighter than ever. + +Fortunately the youth had not lost his wits completely, and as the +neck of the reptile came up, he grasped it in his hand with the +strongest grip he could command. + +"Cut it--cut its head off!" he panted. "Get your pocket-knife!" + +At once Captain Jerry dropped his stick and pulled out his jack-knife, +a big affair, such as many old sailors carry. One pull opened the +main blade, and then old Jerry started in to do as Dick had suggested. +It was no easy job and the body of the snake squirmed and whipped in +every direction, lashing each on the neck and the cheek. But the head +came off at last and then they left the body where it fell, and leaped +out of the way of further danger. + +"A close shave, lad," said the old sailor, as he peered around for +more snakes. + +"I--I should sa--say it wa--was," panted Dick. He was deadly pale. +"I--I thought it would strangle me sure!" + +"If it had got around your neck, that is what would have happened. +Reckon as how we had better git out o' this neighborhood, eh?" + +"Yes, yes, let us go at once," and Dick started off once more. + +After that both were very careful where they stepped and kept their +eyes wide open for any new danger which might arise. So they went on +until they came in sight of the seashore. + +"We had better say nothing about the snake," said the eldest Rover. +"It will only scare the girls to death." + +"No, lad, you are wrong. We must warn them of danger. Otherwise they +may run into it headlong." + +All of the others were glad to have them back and plied them with +questions. + +"So there are seven islands," said Tom. "Well, as there are seven of +us, that is one island apiece. I don't think we need complain," and +his jolly manner made all laugh. + +When Jerry told the story about the snake Dora set up a scream. + +"Oh, Dick, if it had really strangled you!" she gasped. "You must be +very, very careful in the future!" + +"Yes, and you must be careful, too, Dora," he answered. + +"There is a nice beach right around the edge of the island," said +old Jerry. "So, when we want to visit the other islands, we can walk +around on the sand. That is better than climbing the hill." + +"But the beach doesn't run to the other islands, does it?" asked Sam. + +"No, but we can carry our rowboat around with us, to that bay between +the islands. There the water is smooth enough for anybody to row in." + +"The six islands are shaped exactly like a ring," said Dick. "And +this island is the big stone on top." + +"As the island is uninhabited I suppose we'll have to settle down +and build ourselves huts or something," came from Nellie. + +"To be sure. We'll be regular Robinson Crusoes," answered Tom. "Why, +I can tell you it will be jolly, when we get used to it." + +"Where will we build our huts?" asked Sam. + +"We can build them here, if we wish," replied Dick. "But I rather +favor the side fronting the other islands." + +"Yes, that's the best side," said Captain Jerry. "If we build here, +a strong storm may knock our huts flat. That side is more sheltered +and, consequently, safer. Besides, there is more fruit there, and +I'm sure better fishing in the bay, and that's what counts, too." + +"Of course it counts--since we must live on fruits, fish, and what +birds and animals we manage to knock over," said Tom. + +The boys had been fairly successful in hunting and fishing, having +knocked over half a dozen birds and caught four fair-sized fish. +Everything had been done to a turn over the camp-fire, and Dick and +old Jerry did full justice to what was set before them--on some dried +palm leaves Nellie had found. Their coffee they drank out of some +cocoanut shells. They had no forks, but used sharp sticks instead, +and the knives the boys carried in their pockets. + +The weather continued fine and that night the moon shone as brightly +as ever. The boys took a stroll on the beach to talk over their plans. + +"I am sorry to say there is no telling how long we may have to stay +here," said Dick. "It may be a day, a week, or for years." + +"Oh, some ship is bound to pick us up some day," returned Tom. "And +if we can find enough to live on in the meantime, what is the use of +complaining? I am glad my life was spared." + +"So am I, Tom." + +"I would like to know what became of Dan Baxter," put in Sam. "Can +it be possible that all of the rest perished?" + +"Certainly it is possible, Sam. You know what a time we had of it." + +"It is an awful death to die--in the midst of the ocean," and the +youngest Rover shuddered. + +"I agree with you," said Tom. "But I am more sorry for Captain Blossom +than for Baxter." + +"The wrecking of the ship was the fault of the mate. He was drunk," +said Dick. "The man at the wheel was doing what was right until Jack +Lesher came along." + +"Well, I guess the mate went down with the rest." + +"Look!" cried Sam, pointing to sea. "I see something dark on the water." + +All gazed in the direction he pointed out and made out a mass of +wreckage. They watched it steadily until the breakers cast it almost +at their feet. + +"Some wreckage from the ship!" cried Dick, on examination. "See, here +is the name on some of the woodwork. I reckon the vessel went to +pieces on the rocks." + +The wreckage consisted mainly of broken spars and cordage. But there +were also some boxes, which, on being opened, proved to contain +provisions. + +"It's not such a bad find, after all," said Tom. "I hope some more +comes ashore." But though they waited the best part of the night, +nothing more came to view. + +In the morning the boys felt tired and they did not rouse up until +nearly noon. They found old Jerry at the beach, inspecting the wreckage. + +"The ropes may come in handy," he said. "But the wood is of small +account, since' we have all we want already to hand." + +It was decided to remain at the beach for the next day, to look for +more wreckage. But none came in, and then they started in a body to +skirt the shore around to the South Bay, as old Jerry called it. At +first they thought to carry the boat around, but concluded to come +back for that later. + +It was a journey full of interest, for the sandy beach was dotted +with many strange and beautiful seashells, and just back of the sand +was the rich tropical growth already mentioned. The woods were full +of monkeys and birds, and once Tom thought he caught sight of some +goats or deer. + +They reached an ideal spot fronting the little bay a little before +noon, and then the girls were glad enough to sit down in the shade +and rest. The bay was full of fish, and before long they had caught +three of the finny tribe. Fruit was also to be had in plenty, and a +spring of fresh water gushed from the rocks of the hill behind them. + +"This is certainly a beautiful place," murmured Dora, as she gazed +around. "Were it not for the folks at home worrying about us, I could +spend quite some time here and enjoy it." + +"Well, as our situation cannot be helped, let us make the best of +it," said Dick cheerfully. "There is no use in being downhearted when +we ought to be glad that we were saved." + +Close to the rocks they found several trees growing in something of +two circles, and they decided that these trees should form the corner +posts of a double house or cabin. + +"If we had an ax we might cut down some wood, but as it is we will +have to use strong vines and cover the huts with palm leaves," said +Captain Jerry. + +The boys were soon at work, cutting the vines and gathering the palm +leaves, and the girls assisted as well as they were able in fastening +up the vine-ropes and binding in the leaves. It was slow work, yet +by nightfall one half the house was complete and the other had the +roof covered. + +"Now, if rain comes, we can keep fairly dry," said Tom. + +It rained the very next day and they were glad enough to crowd into +the completed part, while the rain came down in torrents. When the +worst of the downpour was over the wind arose and it kept blowing +fiercely all of the afternoon and the night. + +"We can be thankful we are sheltered by the hill," said Sam. "Were +we on the other side of the island, the wind would knock the hut flat +and drench us in no time." + +The storm kept all awake until early morning and when it went down +they were glad to sink to rest. All slept soundly and it was not +until ten o'clock, when the sun was struggling through the clouds, +that Tom arose, to find the others still slumbering. + +"I'll let them sleep," he said to himself "They need it and there +is no need for them get to up." + +Stretching himself, he walked quietly from the hut and down to the +beach. His first thought was to try to collect some wood, more or +less dry, and start a fire. + +Gazing across the bay to one of the other islands, he saw a sight +which filled him with astonishment. There, on the beach of the island, +lay the wreck of the _Golden Wave_. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ANOTHER CASTAWAY BROUGHT TO LIGHT + + +"The _Golden Wave_! Hurrah!" + +Tom could not resist setting up a shout when he saw the familiar hull +of the schooner, resting quietly on the beach of an island on the +other side of the bay. + +The cry awoke Sam, Dick, and old Jerry, and they came running out to +learn what it meant. + +"The schooner!" came from Sam. "How did that get there?" + +"The storm must have driven her off the rocks and into this bay," +answered Dick. "She didn't go down, after all." + +"It's a fine thing for us," put in Captain Jerry, his broad face +beaming with pleasure. "Now we can have all the provisions we want, +and clothing and guns, and if we can anchor the wreck in some way, +we can live on her just as comfortably as in a house at home." + +The excited talking brought the girls out one after another, and they +were equally pleased over the stroke of good fortune. + +"She seems to be cast up pretty high on the sand," said old Jerry. "But +even so, the sooner we get to her the better, or the sea may carry +her off." + +"I am ready to go now," said Tom. "But how are we to get to that +island? It's a pity we didn't bring our boat around." + +"There are two islands of the circle in between," came from Sam. "Why +can't we swim from one to the next and get around that way?" + +"We can try it, lad. But we want to be careful. There may be sharks +around in these parts." + +"Oh, don't let the sharks eat you up!" cried Grace. + +"We'll keep our eyes open, never fear," said Dick. + +A vote was taken, and it was decided that Sam should remain with the +girls, to protect them in case of unexpected danger, while Tom, Dick, +and old Jerry should make their way as best they could to the wreck. + +The old sailor and the two boys were soon off. They tramped down the +beach a short distance and then reached a coral reef leading to the +next island. Here the water was not over a foot and a half deep, and +as clear as crystal, so the passage to Island No. 2, as Tom named +it, was comparatively easy. + +The second island crossed they followed the shore around until they +came opposite to the island upon which the wreck rested. Here there +was a channel sixty or eighty feet wide and of unknown depth, the +channel through which the wreck had most likely entered the bay. The +water here was by no means smooth and Captain Jerry shook his head +doubtfully. + +"It won't be no easy swim," he said. "Reckon as how I'll try it first." + +"I can get over easily enough," said Dick, and threw off part of his +clothing and his shoes. He was soon in the water and striking out +boldly, and the others followed. + +Short as was the distance, the swim was as hard as any of them looked +for, and when they reached the other side of the channel all were +out of breath and had to rest for a moment. + +"It's a good thing no shark happened to be near," said Tom. "The +monster would certainly have had us at his mercy." + +When they reached the wreck they found the stern well out of the +water. The _Golden Wave_ lay partly on her left side and it was a +comparatively easy matter to, gain the deck. + +The masts were gone and there was a big hole in the bow, but otherwise +the craft had suffered little damage. Why she had not sunk was a +mystery until, later on, old Jerry discovered that some of the cargo, +consisting of flat cases, had got wedged into the break, thus cutting +off a large portion of the leak. + +"We can anchor her without trouble," said the old sailor. "And perhaps +straighten her up too, so the deck won't be so slanty. Then she'll +be a reg'lar hotel for all hands." + +"Let us go below and see how things are down there," said Dick, and +he at once led the way. + +At that instant a loud sneeze reached their ears, causing Dick to +pause on the companion way. Looking into the cabin he saw a man +standing there, partly dressed. + +"Captain Blossom!" he ejaculated. "Is it really you or your ghost?" + +"Dick Rover!" cried the master of the schooner. "Then you weren't +drowned, after all?" + +"No, captain. But--but how did you escape?" + +"Is it really Captain Blossom?" came from Tom, and he rushed down +into the cabin, followed by old Jerry. All shook hands, and the face +of the captain showed his pleasure over the meeting. + +"So you all escaped and are here," he said. "I am downright glad to +know it. What of the others?" + +"We don't know what became of the other boats," answered Dick. + +"Saw nothing at all?" + +"Not a thing." + +The captain shook his head sorrowfully. + +"But how did you escape?" asked Dick again. + +"That is a short story, lad. When I went overboard from the rowboat, +I caught hold of some of the wreckage from the schooner. This was +still fast to the deck, and by hauling myself in I soon got on board +again. As I had no boat, I remained on board, for I soon saw that +the schooner would not go down immediately. At daylight the ship left +the rocks and drifted around on the ocean until the wind came up last +night, when we struck this island and got beached, as you see. I was +worn out with watching, and as soon as I found the boat was safe from +sinking I went to bed, and slept soundly until I heard you three +tramping around the deck." + +"We are stopping over on yonder island," said Tom, when all went on +deck, and he pointed in the direction. "See, Sam and the girls are +waving to us. Let us wave in return, and stand apart, so they can +see that there are four of us." + +They did as the youngest Rover advised and soon saw that they were +seen. Then Captain Blossom held up his spyglass. + +"I reckon they will know who I am by that," he said, and he was right, +for Sam told the girls that the fourth man was Captain Blossom beyond +a doubt. + +"How is your stock of provisions?" asked old Jerry. "We are getting +just a bit tired of living on birds and fish. And we want a gun or +a pistol with which to protect ourselves." + +"The _Golden Wave_ has enough provisions to last this party a year," +answered the captain. "We haven't anything very fine, but we have +plenty of flour, dried beans, salt and smoked meats, and a good many +cases of canned vegetables, as well as sugar, tea, coffee, salt, and +pepper. With fresh fish and some game we'll be able to live as well +here as if we were on shore,--that is, if we can find fresh water." + +"We have all the fresh water we want,--on the large island," said +Tom. "And lots of tropical fruit--cocoanuts, bananas, and the like." + +"If we are going to live on the ship, we'll have to bring fresh water +over from the other island in a cask," said Dick. "That will not be +very handy." + +"Can't we move the wreck over?" came from Tom. + +"No, lad," answered Captain Blossom. "She is here to stay until her +timbers rot. But if we wish, we can move some of the provisions +ashore. There are the parts of a rowboat below, and I reckon I am +carpenter enough to put the parts together in a day or two." + +"We have a boat on the north beach," said old Jerry; "we can bring +it around." + +"To do that, we'll have to swim the channel again," came from Dick. +"And I must say I don't like that." + +"Let us make a raft," cried Tom. "There must be plenty of material +on board of the schooner for that." + +"There certainly is," answered Captain Blossom. "Come, we can make +a raft in less than an hour." + +All set to work, and in a short space of time they had the material +together. Ropes and spikes were there a-plenty, and as Captain Blossom +laid out one stick and another, the boys and old Jerry either nailed +or tied them together. A board flooring was placed on top of the +spars and then the whole affair was dumped into the bay with a loud +splash. It floated very well, with the flooring a good ten inches +above the surface of the water, and as the raft was nearly twenty +feet long by ten wide, it was capable of carrying considerable weight. + +"That's better than a boat," said Dick. "We can pile a good deal more +stuff on it." + +"Let us get on and paddle to where we left the others," said Tom. +"They will be anxious to learn the news." + +Captain Blossom was willing, and they took with them a variety of +provisions and also some extra clothing and some firearms. Then the +raft was moved to where the boys had left part of their own clothing +when they had started to swim the channel. + +The coming of the big raft and its passengers to the shore where the +cabin was located was greeted with shouts of joy from Sam and the +three girls. + +"Hurrah for the captain of the _Golden Wave_!" cried Sam, swinging his +cap in the air. "We are very glad to see you safe and sound." + +"And I am glad to see you," answered Captain Blossom, as he leaped +ashore and grasped one and another by the hand. "Last night I was +thinking I would be a lonely castaway; now I find I shall have plenty +of company." + +"We have brought along some provisions," put in Tom. "And in honor +of this reunion, and also in honor of the fact that the Golden 'Wave +has not been sunk, I move we invite the girls to get us up a regular +feast. I think all bands deserve it." + +"Second the motion!" cried Sam. + +"All right, we'll cook you anything you want," said Nellie. "That +is, if you will supply the things." + +"I will," answered Tom. Then he scratched his head. "Well, by gracious!" + +"What's the trouble, Tom?" asked Grace. "Did you forget to bring +along some sugar?" + +"Worse than that. I brought along all sorts of good things to eat, +and not a single knife, fork, spoon, or dish outside of some cooking +utensils." + +"Oh, dear!" burst out Dora. "It will be a sorry feast if we haven't +anything to eat from!" + +"I'll go back for the dishes," replied Tom promptly. "Sam, do you +want to visit the wreck? We can go and come by the time the things +are cooked." + +"To be sure I'll go," said Sam; and in a few minutes more the two +boys were off on the clumsy raft. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +SAM AND THE SHARK + +"The _Golden Wave_ looks like an old friend," said Sam as they paddled +across the smooth waters of the bay. + +"Her coming here is the finest thing that could have happened," +answered his brother. "I didn't want to say anything before, but if +she hadn't come what would we have done for clothing and for eating? +We couldn't live on fish all the time, and one can do mighty little +hunting without a gun." + +"We would have had to set traps, Tom, and dig pitfalls for larger +game. But I admit it would have been hard work, and I fancy a suit +of goatskins, like Robinson Crusoe wore, wouldn't be half as comfortable +as a suit of clothes such as I am wearing." + +"If we could only float the schooner and sail away to some nearby port." + +"There is no port' within three hundred miles of us, so the captain +says." + +Soon the boys were halfway across the bay. But moving the big raft +was a laborious task, and they were glad enough to sit down and rest +for a few minutes. + +"There is no use of our hurrying," said Tom. "Our time is our own in +this out-of-the-way place, and as we have next to nothing to do we +want to make what little work there is last us." + +"Like a lazy man working by the day," laughed Sam. "I'm afraid I +can't work that way. When I have something to do I'm not content +until it is done." + +"Are you hot, Sam? Here is something to cool you off." + +As Tom spoke he playfully scooped up a handful of water and threw it +at his brother. + +Soon the two boys were having lots of sport, throwing handfuls of +the salty water at each other. Then Sam made a motion as if he was +going to push Tom overboard with his paddle. + +"Hi! none of that!" cried Tom. "I don't mind a wetting by retail, +but I don't want it by wholesale." + +He continued to throw water at Sam and the youngest Rover tried to +dodge. The raft began to rock, and of a sudden Sam lost his balance +and went into the bay with a splash. + +Tom set up a laugh, for it was a comical sight, and it had been Sam's +own fault that he went overboard. But then Tom's laughter came to an +end as he saw the form of a shark moving swiftly toward the spot. + +"A shark! a shark!" he screamed. "Sam, get on board, quick! A shark +is after you!" + +Sam had gone far down beneath the surface and he did not reappear at +once. Then he came up spluttering. + +"Gosh! I didn't want a bath! Tom, you--" + +"Hurry and get aboard, Sam! A shark is after you!" + +Sam was about ten feet from the raft, and running to the spot nearest +to him, Tom held out the end of his paddle. + +"A shark?" gasped the youngest Rover. + +"Yes! yes! Catch the end of the paddle!" + +Sam made a frantic effort to do so. In the meantime the shark came +closer and Tom could see his enormous mouth and sharp teeth clearly. +His blood turned to ice in his veins. + +Sam made a clutch at the paddle, missed it, and disappeared once more +from sight. The shark rushed to the spot and turned in dismay, and +driven to desperation, Tom hit the monster over the head with the +paddle. Then the shark disappeared also. + +The next few seconds were full of agony for poor Tom. He gazed in +all directions for Sam, and for the shark, but neither one nor the +other was to be seen. + +"He must have caught Sam under the water!" he muttered. "Oh, Sam, +what an awful death to die!" + +A slight noise at the upper end of the raft disturbed him. He turned +swiftly, to see a wet hand glide over the woodwork. He made a leap +and clutched the hand, and then Sam's head appeared. He gave a frantic +yank, and both lay on the flooring of the raft. Sam was saved. + +"The shark!" gasped Tom, when he could speak. "Did it--it--bite you?" + +"No, but it grazed my shoulder," answered Sam. "If I had not dived +down, I would have lost an arm at the very least." + +When they felt able they looked around, but the shark had disappeared. + +"That settles it," said Tom. "We must be careful and keep out of this +water in the future. If we want to bathe, we will have to build a pool." + +During the remainder of the trip to the wreck both were careful not +to run the slightest chance of falling overboard. + +"Not such a very lovely place to live in, after all," said Tom. +"Snakes on land and sharks in the water, ugh!" And Sam agreed with him. + +Once on the wreck it was an easy thing to obtain the dishes and the +knives, forks and spoons, and also some other things they thought +they might require. They also brought away another gun, loading it +up before leaving the ship. + +"Now, if Mr. Shark comes around again, we can give him a dose of +buckshot," said' Tom. + +But the shark did not appear, excepting at a great distance. + +When Sam. told his story all congratulated him on his narrow escape. + +"Tom is right," said old Jerry. "Ye mustn't do no bathin' in the bay. +We can fix two pools, one for the ladies and one for ourselves, and +make another pool for fish, and another for turtles, if we can find any." + +The girls had cooked a splendid meal, and soon the table was set on +a big flat rock lying near the beach. All sat down and Captain Blossom +asked a blessing, and then they all fell to with vigor, for all were +hungry. + +"The salt air gives one an appetite," said Dick. + +The meal lasted the best part of an hour, for, as Tom said, there +was no use of hurrying. As they ate, and for some time afterward, +they discussed their situation and tried to arrange plans for the future. + +It was decided that first of all Dick and old Jerry should climb to +the top of the hill, taking with them an ax and a flag and some +halyards, and fasten the flag to the top of the tree, stars down, as +a signal of distress. Then the whole party was to assist in bringing +from the wreck as much building material as was necessary to construct +a comfortable dwelling of three large rooms, one for the girls, one +for the boys and men, and one as a general living room. A store-house +was also to be built, in which could be stored such provisions as +were brought away from the wreck from time to time. Then they could +live on shore or on the ship, as they pleased. + +The following day was Sunday and all rested. The girls thought there +should be some sort of religious exercises and all went to the wreck, +where Captain Blossom read some chapters from the Bible and the others +sang hymns. + +The week to follow was a busy one and the time slipped by rapidly. +A visit was paid to the hilltop and the flag raised, and Tom and old +Jerry also went to the north shore and brought around the rowboat +beached there. In the meantime Captain Blossom put together the +rowboat parts stored on the _Golden Wave_, so they now had two boats +and the raft for service across the bay and to other points on the water. + +Building the house was by no means an easy task, but the Rover boys +thought it more fun than work, especially with the girls to look on, +and by the end of the second week the building looked quite presentable. +When the two bedrooms were finished, some berths were brought over +from the wreck, along with bed-clothing, and also some furniture for +the living apartment. Outside the latter room a large porch was built, +where they might eat and rest when the weather was fine. Not to run +the risk of burning down the building in a high wind, it was decided +that the cooking should be done in a shed some distance away, in the +shelter of the rocks and handy to the spring. + +"Who is going to be the cook?" asked Dick. "It won't be fair to put +it off on one person." + +"We have decided to take turns," said Dora. "Each one will be the +main cook for a day at a time, with the others to help, and to wash +the dishes. We are going to do all the housework, too, so you men +folks can hunt and fish, and make garden if you will, to your hearts' +content." + +"What a lazy time we will have of it," laughed Dick. + +"Captain Blossom says that as soon as we are settled we can explore +all of the seven islands. Who knows we may find out something of +importance," came from Tom, who stood near. + +"Cannibals, for instance," put in Sam. + +"Oh, do you really think there are any cannibals here?" asked Grace. + +"I believe he is fooling," said Nellie. "He only wants to scare us!" +And she tossed her pretty head. + +"Perhaps we'll stir up some lions or tigers," said Tom. + +"Or an elephant," added Dick. "But I don't think we will. My opinion +is that these islands have nothing on them but birds, monkeys, small +game, and snakes." + +"You've forgotten one thing," said Dora, with an odd smile. + +"What, Dora?" + +"Castaways." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +EXPLORING THE SEVEN ISLANDS + + +Another rainy spell, lasting three days, followed, but after that +the sky cleared in a fashion which Captain Blossom thought betokened +good weather for some time to come. + +"We can now explore the seven islands and learn just what they +contain," he said. + +The question now arose as to who should go along and who should stay +at home with the girls. Lots were cast, and by this it was decided +that the exploring party should consist of Captain Blossom, Sam, and +Tom, leaving Dick and old Jerry with Dora, Nellie, and Grace. + +It was decided that the exploring party should take the lightest of +the rowboats and enough provisions to last for a week. Each was also +provided with a pistol, and Captain Blossom carried a rifle in addition. + +"If all goes well we will be back inside of four days," said the +captain, when he and Tom and Sam were ready to depart. "But if we +are not back at that time do not worry until at least a week has gone +by." And so it was arranged. It was also arranged that three shots +fired in succession should be a signal that one party or the other +was in trouble. + +Tom and Sam were pleased over the prospect of going with the captain +and they willingly took up the oars to row to the nearest island, +which, as we already know, was close at hand. The boat was left on +the beach and without delay the captain and the two boys plunged into +the interior. + +The island was small, with but a slight rise of ground in the center. +It was of small importance and they soon came out on the ocean side, +where there was a beach strewn with shells and with oysters scarcely +fit to eat. The growth on this island was mostly of young palms and +the captain was of the opinion that the ground was not many years old. + +"This has been thrown up by an earthquake or a volcano," he said. +"There is nothing here to interest us," and he turned back. + +They already knew something of the island on which the wreck was +located, but, nevertheless, made a trip across it and up the outward +coast. Here they found a number of orange and lemon trees, and also +a great quantity of tropical nuts and some spices. The lemons proved +to be very refreshing, and Tom said he meant to come back some day +and get a bagful for general use. + +The next island was visited the next day, the party spending the +night on the wreck. The passage to this island was rather a rough +one, and they had all they could do to keep from having their provisions +spilt overboard. + +"It is a blessing that the sea is comparatively calm," said Captain +Blossom. "Otherwise we could never make such a trip in a small boat." + +This island was the largest of the group outside of the one on which +the castaways had settled. It was almost square in shape and had a +double hill with a tiny valley running between. In this valley the +tropical growth was very dense, and the monkeys and birds were thicker +than they had before seen them. There were also large quantities of +blue and green parrots, filling the air with their cawing and screaming. + +"This is a very nice island," said Tom, while they were resting under +some calabash trees. "The wood is very valuable--indigo, rosewood, +mahogany, and lots of others. And what a sweet smell!" And he drew +in a long breath of satisfaction. + +"It is certainly a lazy man's paradise," re-turned Sam. "A fellow +need do next to nothing to feed and clothe himself here, and a house +isn't absolutely necessary excepting when it storms real hard." + +On this island they found numerous land crabs, some as large as their +two hands, and many fierce-looking spiders, with long, hairy legs +and bulging eyes. Ants were also numerous, and in one spot they +located fifteen anthills, each as large as a big beehive. Insects +of all sorts were numerous, and they had to continually slap at a +specimen of red fly that annoyed them greatly. + +"How those ants would like to get at our provisions," said Tom. "We +can be thankful that we didn't locate here. Once they got at the +stuff, they would eat us out of house and home." + +After resting, and partaking of some of the food brought along, they +continued their journey across the island. + +The way was up one of the hills, and Tom was slightly in advance, +when a noise ahead attracted his attention. + +"Something is there," he called out, as he came to a halt. + +"What is it?" asked Sam. + +"I don't know. Perhaps some wild animal, or else a snake." + +"Go slow there," cautioned Captain Blossom, coming up. "We don't want +to run into unnecessary danger." + +"What did it sound like, Tom?" + +"I can't describe it. Something like a snarl, I guess." + +"Perhaps it was only a monkey." + +All stopped to listen, but no, sound reached their ears but the hum +of insects and the chirping of some distant birds. + +"I reckon I had best go first," said Captain Blossom, but he did not +seem to relish the task. + +Gun in hand, the captain advanced very cautiously. The boys came +close behind him, each with his pistol ready for use. + +Of a sudden there was a snarl with a strange "yow-yawing," and a +great beast leaped up on all-fours directly in their path and darted +through the bushes. The captain raised his gun and the boys their +pistols, but before they could fire the beast had disappeared. + +"What was it?" asked Sam, trembling with excitement. + +"I give it up, unless it was a bear," said Tom. + +"I think I know what it was," said the captain. "A big baboon or a +gorilla." + +"I guess you are right, captain," answered Tom. "I saw a gorilla in +a menagerie, and it was exactly like that beast. But what a big fellow +he was!" + +"Gorillas are highly dangerous, especially when cornered," said +Captain Blossom. He himself was more frightened than he cared to +admit. "They have been known to carry a man off in their arms and +bite him to death." + +"Thanks, but I want no gorillas around me," declared Sam. + +They waited several minutes before advancing again. But the gorilla +had disappeared, nor did it show itself again during that trip on +the island. + +Half an hour brought them in sight of the seashore once more. They +were gazing at the sea when Tom happened to glance back, and on the +hill behind them saw four goats standing in a bunch, looking at them +in astonishment. + +"Quick! out of sight!" he cried, and dragged the others behind some +trees. + +"What did you see?" + +"Several goats. Perhaps, if we are careful, we can get a shot at +them. Fresh goat meat won't go bad." + +"What's the matter with capturing some of the goats and getting the +milk?" came from Sam. + +"You'll have a job catching wild goats," answered Captain Blossom. +"They are as fleet of foot as deer." + +It was decided to try two shots at the goats, providing they could +get close enough. With care they plunged into the undergrowth and +made their way back up the hillside until they thought they must be +within fifty yards of the game. + +"There they are!" cried Tom softly. + +Bang! went the captain's gun, and crack! Tom fired immediately after. +Two of the goats were hit, and one fell dead. The other staggered +away with a broken foreleg. + +"We must get that second fellow!" cried Sam, and rushed after the +game. The goat tried to turn on him, but Sam hit the beast over the +head with a club he carried. Two other blows finished the animal. + +"That isn't bad," said the captain. "They both look to be young. They +ought to make good eating." + +"We are going to have no easy work of it, getting these animals down +to the shore," said Tom. + +"After we get them to the shore, what then?" questioned his brother. +"We can't keep them in the boat all the time that we are exploring +the other islands." + +"We had best make a trip back to the house," answered Captain Blossom. +"If the others heard the shots they'll be wondering what has happened; +besides, a storm is coming up." + +The captain said he would carry the smaller of the goats alone, +leaving the two Rovers to carry the larger game between them. After +a rest and another look around the vicinity, they started for the +boat and reached it after a walk which almost exhausted every one of +the party. + +"I'll be glad enough to lay around our camp and rest for a day," +announced Sam. "This task of exploring is not as easy as it looks." + +A little later they were in the boat and rowing back to where they +had left the others, little dreaming of the strange events that had +happened in their absence. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +UNEXPECTED VISITORS + + +It had been decided by the castaways to enlarge one of the rooms of +the house, and as soon as the captain, Tom, and Sam had departed on +their exploring tour, Dick and old Jerry set to work to cut down the +posts necessary for the building. + +While this was going on the three girls were by no means idle. There +were meals to get, dishes to wash, and it had been found that outdoor +life was very rough on clothing, so there was a good bit of sewing +and darning to be done. Fortunately all of the girls were handy with +a needle, so that a rent in a coat or a dress received immediate +attention. + +"Now you must make the alteration in the house very nice," said Dora +to Dick. "Remember, we want a regular Queen Anne building, with round +bay windows, and--" + +"And inlaid floors," finished Dick, "not to mention steam heat, and--" + +"Mercy on us!" burst in Grace. "Don't mention steam heat in this +climate." + +"Of course we want hot and cold water in the kitchen," put in Nellie. +"What sort of a mansion would it be without hot and cold water,--and +a dumb waiter from the cellar, too," and then all began to laugh. + +"I know what I should like," said Dora, after a pause. "That would +be a refrigerator." + +"If we had the ice," finished Nellie. "Dick, isn't there any ice on +board of the _Golden Wave_?" + +"By Jove! I think there is," cried the oldest Rover boy. "I never +once thought of it before." + +"If there is, I wish you'd bring some the next time you go over. We +have lemons, and we could make delicious lemonade." + +"And we could make orange ice, too," put in Grace. "I know there was +an ice-cream freezer on board of the ship. It was in the cook's galley." + +Old Jerry was coming to the house with a small tree he had cut down, +and Dick sounded him about the ice. + +"To be sure there was ice, several tons of it," said Jerry. "It was +stowed away near the bow. I don't believe it's all melted, either." + +"I'm going over to see," cried Dick. "We've got plenty of lemons and +sugar; and lemonade, not to mention orange ice, would just strike +the spot in this awfully hot weather." + +But as it was now noon, with the sun directly overhead, Dick decided +to remain in the shade until four or five o'clock. Dinner was had, +and then the work of enlarging the house went on as before. + +At half-past four Dick got out the rowboat and started for the wreck. +He had first thought to go alone, but old Jerry wanted to pick out +certain tools needed for the house-building, as well as hunt for a +keg of nails, and the two decided to go together, going and coming +as quickly as possible. + +"You won't be afraid to be alone, will you?" asked Dick, of the girls. + +"Not if you hurry," answered Nellie. "But don't stay away after dark." + +Left to themselves, the three girls swept up the chips the builders +had left and started up the camp-fire. Then they tidied up the house +generally, and soon set about preparing the supper. + +Dora was at the spring getting a pail of water when a sound on the +rocks nearby caused her to look around in wonder. To her amazement +Dan Baxter stood there, staring at her in open-mouthed astonishment. + +"Dan Baxter!" she gasped. "Where in the world did you come from?" + +For a moment the bully did not answer, so great was his amazement. +Dora noted that he was dirty and unkempt, and that his clothing was +almost in rags. + +"Is it you, Dora Stanhope?" came slowly from the fellow's lips. "Is +it really you?" + +"Yes," she answered. + +"How did you get here? Are you alone?" went on Baxter, coming closer. +And then before she could answer, he added: "Got anything to eat?" + +At the last question she looked at him more closely, and saw that he +appeared half starved. She pitied him despite his character. + +"Yes, we have plenty to eat," she said. + +"Then give me something at once," he cried. "Give me something at once!" + +"Come with me." + +There was now a crashing in the bushes back of Dan Baxter, and in a +second more Jack Lesher appeared on the scene. He too was haggard +and dirty, and his eyes were much blood-shot, the result of living +almost entirely on liquor for several days after being wrecked on +the islands. + +"Well, is it possible!" cried the mate of the _Golden Wave_. + +"They've got lots to eat," muttered Dan Baxter. "I'm going to have +something to fill me up before I start to talk." + +"How many more of you are here?" asked Dora, in something of dismay. + +"We came along alone," said Baxter. "Show us that grub." + +Dora led the way to the camp-fire, where Nellie and Grace were also +surprised at the unexpected visitors. Some food was brought forth, +and both Baxter and Lesher ate like two famished wolves. + +"Got any liquor?" questioned the mate, casting his eyes toward the house. + +"We have a little," answered Nellie, for Captain Blossom had brought +over several bottles from the wreck. + +"Bring it out." + +When the liquor was brought Jack Lesher took a long draught and then +handed the bottle to Dan Baxter. + +"That's the stuff!" cried the mate, with a sly wink at Dora. "Better +than eatin,' twice over," and he took another drink. + +The manner of the two newcomers was not at all pleasing to the girls, +and they were sorry that none of the men folks were at hand. They +asked the pair to tell their story, and Baxter spoke up, while Lesher +applied himself to the bottle. + +"We floated around the ocean for several days," said the bully. "One +sailor went crazy from the sunshine and leaped overboard, and was +drowned. Then a heavy wind came up and drove the boat, in the night, +onto an island close to this one. We were cast ashore with hardly +any provisions, and two of the sailors were sick. We had to live on +fish, birds, and fruit, and we've had a hard lot of it, I can tell +you that. Yesterday Lesher and I resolved to explore this island, +thinking that perhaps some of the wreckage from the schooner had +washed ashore here. We came over in the afternoon and tramped along +the north shore until it grew dark, but without finding anything. We +slept at the shore last night, and this morning started to go over +the hill back there. But the snakes chased us off, and then we came +around over some rough rocks, where both of us got our clothing torn. +We thought we saw a flag up there somewhere, but we weren't sure." + +"Yes, we have a signal of distress up there," answered Dora. She +hardly knew how best to reply. + +"Who is here?" + +"Captain Blossom, old Jerry Tolman, and the three Rover boys. Old +Jerry and Dick have just gone over to the wreck en an errand. The +others have gone on an exploring tour among the islands, which are +seven in number." + +"Got the wreck, have yer!" came in almost a grunt from Jack Lesher. +"Sure enough!" He staggered down to the beach. "Don't see why you +stay here when you might be aboard of her." + +"It is cooler here," answered Nellie. + +"How many sailors were saved?" asked Grace. + +"Nine were saved, besides Lesher and myself," answered Dan Baxter. +"You see, we picked up some of the men from one of the other boats." + +"Then your party numbers eleven in all," said Dora. + +"Yes," came from Jack Lesher. "An' I am the cap'n of the lot," and +he bobbed his head in satisfaction. He had partaken of just enough +liquor to make him foolish. + +"I wish Dick and old Jerry would come back," whispered Grace to Dora. +"I do not like Mr. Lesher at all." + +"I never liked him," replied Dora. "When he gets intoxicated he is +a bad fellow to deal with." + +"Reckon we'll make ourselves comfortable here," said Lesher, staggering +to a hammock Dick had put up for the girls to rest in. He pitched +into the hammock, carrying a bottle of liquor with him. Another drink +was taken, and soon he was fast asleep, snoring loudly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +HOT WORDS AND BLOWS + + +"What a shame!" said Nellie, pointing to the slumbering mate. + +"That shows what liquor will do," came from Dora. + +"Oh, you mustn't blame him too much," returned Dan Baxter, who also +liked the taste of the liquor. "Remember that we have been living a +dog's life since we came on shore, while you have been living on the +best the ship affords." + +"I wouldn't touch liquor if I was starving!" cried Grace. + +"And neither would the Rover boys," added Dora. + +"Oh, you think the Rover boys are regular saints!" grumbled the +bully. "You don't know what they would do behind your back." + +"If they said they wouldn't drink they wouldn't," cried Nellie, her +eyes flashing. "We can trust them every time." + +"I suppose the Rover boys run this place to suit themselves," went +on Baxter, eying the house and the general appearance of the camp +sharply. + +"We all run it together," came from Grace. + +"Isn't Captain Blossom, in command?" + +"After a fashion, yes. We haven't tried to decide that point yet. +Have you a leader in your camp?" + +"Not much of a one. Lesher is leader when he is sober. Of course +we'll all come over here, now we've found you and the wreck," went +on Dan Baxter. + +"But why should you come here?" asked Dora, not at all pleased by +the prospect. "We can let you have your share of what's on board of +the schooner." + +"Don't want me here, eh?" + +"I don't care for all of those rough sailors." + +"Well, they are Captain Blossom's men, you mustn't forget that." + +"I suppose that is true," and Dora sighed. With the coming of the +sailors she was certain the camp would not be as pleasant as formerly. + +"I don't think you ought to be down on me, Dora," continued Dan +Baxter, after a pause. "I always liked you, and you know it." + +"Thank you for nothing," she replied coldly. + +"I'm just as good a fellow as Dick Rover," went on the bully, and +laid his hand on the girl's shoulder. + +"Don't touch me, Dan Baxter!" she cried. + +"I won't hurt you. Come, let us be friends. Surely you don't want +any enemies here, where there are only a handful of us, all told." + +"I want you to leave me alone." + +She tried to move away from him, but he caught her by the arm and +tried to hold her hands. Grace and Nellie were out of sight, the one +having gone into the house for some dishes, and the other to the +spring for some water. + +"Say that you'll be friends, and I'll let you go," he said, drawing +her closer. + +"I won't be friends with you, Dan Baxter, so there!" she cried. "Now +let me go!" And she tried to push him away. + +"You--you little cat!" he cried, and then, as she let out a loud cry, +he let go of her. "What a little fool you are!" And he walked away +to the trees, and threw himself down to rest. + +Red in the face and ready to cry, Dora ran into the house. Grace +looked at her in wonder. + +"What is the trouble, Dora?" + +"Nothing." + +"Did Dan Baxter try to--to--" + +"He wants to be--be friends!" sobbed Dora. "He held my hand so I +couldn't get away. Oh, how I despise him!" + +"Just wait till Dick comes back; he'll make Baxter mind his own +business." + +"Oh, don't tell him, Grace." + +"But I shall, Dora. Baxter has got to keep his distance. I hate him +myself, and so does Nellie." + +"I wish he and Mr. Lesher had kept their distance." + +"Do you think they will really come here--I mean all of the sailors?" + +"More than likely." + +The girls continued their work, and for the time being Dan Baxter +kept his distance. Jack Lesher continued to snore away in the hammock, +nor did he rouse up when Dick and old Jerry returned. + +"Dan Baxter!" cried Dick, as he leaped from the rowboat. "Where did +you come from?" And then the story of the newcomers had to be told +over again. + +Dick eyed Jack Lesher with open disgust. "A man who will act like +that has no welcome in our camp," he said to Baxter. + +"You don't mean you are going to turn him out," said the bully, in alarm. + +"If he stays here he must behave himself." + +"You forget that he was the first mate of the schooner, Dick Rover." + +"We are not on the schooner now." + +"No, but you are getting your living--or the largest part of it--from +the schooner." + +"What do you mean, Baxter?" + +"I mean that it's the same as if you were on the schooner. And that +being so, Mr. Lesher is the second in command here." + +At this statement the girls looked alarmed, and even old Jerry's face +showed his uneasiness. But Dick's face was full of contempt. + +"Do you mean to say that thing "--pointing to the drunken mate--" +that thing can command any of us? If you do, let me say right now +that you are mistaken." + +"We'll see about that later." + +"This is our camp, and it is not for you, the mate, or anybody else +to come here and dictate to us. If you try that, we'll send you off +in double-quick order." + +There was a pause, and Dick and old Jerry began to unload the things +they had brought from the wreck. They had found a large cake of ice. +But the coming of Baxter and Jack Lesher had taken away the pleasure +of making lemonade and orange ice, and the lump was placed in some +water to cool it for drinking purposes. + +As soon as Grace could get the chance she told Dick of the way Dan +Baxter had treated Dora. At once Dick's face took on a stern look +that boded the bully no good. + +"I'll have a talk with him and come to an understanding," said the +eldest Rover, and strode out of the house and to where Baxter was +walking up the beach, picking up fancy-colored sea-shells. + +"Look here, Baxter, I want to have an understanding with you," he +said, catching the bully by the arm. + +"What do you want now?" + +"I want you to promise to leave Dora Stanhope alone in the future." + +"How I treat her is none of your business," blustered the bully. + +"But it is my business, Baxter." + +"See here, Dick Rover, I won't be bossed by you!" howled the tall +youth. "You mind your own business." + +"If you touch her again, there will be trouble." + +"What will you do?" + +"I'll give you the worst thrashing you ever had in your life." + +"Two can play at that game." + +"There will be only one in this game." + +"Do you want to fight me?" + +"I am perfectly willing," responded Dick recklessly. His anger was +deep at that moment. + +"All right then, come on!" howled Baxter savagely, and, squaring off, +he aimed a blow at Dick's face. + +The attack was so sudden that Dick could scarcely prepare for it, +and though he dodged, Baxter's fist landed glancingly on his cheek. + +"There you are, and here's another!" cried the bully, and his other +fist shot out, catching Dick on the shoulder. + +But now the oldest Rover was on his guard, and in a twinkle he let +drive, taking Dan Baxter in the eye. It was a staggering blow, and +made the bully gasp with pain. Then Dick followed it up by a crashing +blow on the chin, which sent the bully reeling into the low water on +the beach. + +"Don't--don't run me into the ocean!" he spluttered, and, watching +his chance, ran out of the water and up the beach. + +But Dick was now thoroughly aroused, and he made after Baxter. When +he got close enough, he put out his foot and sent the bully sprawling. +Baxter came down on some rough sea-shells, cutting his face and hands +in several places. + +"Oh! oh!" he howled. "Stop it!" + +"I will not stop it, Dan Baxter, until you promise to let Dora Stanhope +and the other girls alone in the future. They want nothing to do with +you, and you must keep your distance." + +"I--I didn't hurt anybody." + +"Do you promise to let them alone?" + +Without replying, the bully staggered to his feet. The blood was +running from his nose and from a cut on his chin, and both of his +hands were also bleeding. + +"Do you want to kill me, Dick Rover?" + +"I want you to behave yourself. Come, now, are you going to promise?" + +"What if I don't?" + +"Then I'll give you the thrashing I promised." + +"All right, I'm cornered, and can't help myself." + +"Will you let the girls alone in the future?" + +"Yes. If they don't want to be friends, I'm sure I can get along +without them," answered Baxter sulkily. + +"Very well; now see that you keep your promise. If you don't, I'll +run you out of camp and never let you come near us again." + +With these words Dick turned on his heel and walked away, leaving +Baxter to wash his cuts and bruises in the ocean and otherwise care +for them as best he could. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE MATE TRIES TO TAKE COMMAND + + +The fight had taken place around a bend of the shore, so that it was +not observed by old Jerry and the girls. But when Dick got back to +camp Dora at once noticed that something unusual had happened. + +"What is wrong, Dick?" she asked. + +"Oh, nothing much, Dora. I merely made Dan Baxter promise to keep +his distance in the future." + +"Did you have a fight?" + +"It didn't amount to much. He had to give in pretty quickly." + +"Oh, Dick!" She caught his arm. + +"I won't have him annoying you, or the others, Dora." + +"You are so good!" she whispered. + +Supper was ready, and they sat down, leaving Jack Lesher still in +the hammock. They had nearly finished when Dan Baxter came shuffling +along. + +"Do you want some supper?" asked Dick. "If you do, come on." + +"I don't want anything more to-night," growled the bully, and sat +down beside Jack Lesher. + +It was rather an uncomfortable evening. The thoughts of each of the +party were busy. At the first opportunity Dick called old Jerry to +one side. + +"Jerry, we must watch those two fellows closely," he said. + +"Right ye are, Dick." + +"I am afraid Lesher will be ugly when he wakes up." + +"More'n likely, lad--he always was on board ship. The drink gives +him an awful temper." + +"I am, going to put the liquor where he can't get it." + +"He'll make ye give it to him." + +"Will he? Just you wait and see," replied Dick firmly. + +It was decided to let Lesher rest in the hammock all night. Baxter +was given a cot in the living room of the house. Soon all had retired, +and the camp was quiet for the night. + +Dan Baxter was the first to stir in the morning. His cuts smarted so +he could not sleep, and he walked out to bathe them and put on some +salve Nellie had generously turned over to him. He found Jack Lesher +stirring. + +"Hullo!" grumbled the mate, sitting up and yawning. "Where am I?" + +"Don't you know we struck camp?" answered Baxter. + +"Oh, yes, I remember now. Got some good liquor, too. Where is that +bottle?" + +"You emptied it, Lesher." + +"Did I? Too bad! I'll have to find another. Where are the girls?" + +"Asleep in the house, and so are Dick Rover and old Jerry Tolman." + +"What of Cap'n Blossom and them other Rover boys?" + +"They are not expected back for several days." + +"Humph! Say, I feel bad, I do. I must have something to brace me up." + +"You'd better not disturb them, Lesher. They are mighty stiff-necked +since they landed here." + +"What do you mean?" + +"They gave me to understand yesterday that they were going to run +things to suit themselves. They are not going to let us interfere in +anything." + +"I like that!" The mate yawned again, rose, and stretched himself. +"Baxter, do you know where they keep the liquor?" + +"No." + +"I'm bound to have what I want. Didn't it all come from the Golden +Wave, and aint I the first mate of that craft?" + +"To be sure you are, Lesher." + +"They can't make me take a back seat," went on the mate. His head +was still far from clear. + +"I told them that you were second in command--Captain Blossom being +first--but they wouldn't listen. They said they were on land, and +you didn't count." + +"Don't I count!" cried Jack Lesher, his blood-shot eyes taking on an +ugly look. "I'll show 'em!" + +Just then old Jerry came from the house. Jack Lesher staggered toward +him. + +"Ahoy there!" he called out. + +"What do you want, Mr. Lesher?" questioned old Jerry, and touched +his forelock. + +"Bring me some liquor, and be quick about it." + +"I haven't any liquor." + +"What's that?" + +"I said I haven't any liquor." + +"Aint there any more liquor ashore?" + +"If there is, I don't know where it is." + +"Then find out, and be quick about it, or I'll give you the rope's-end!" +roared the unreasonable mate. + +The loud talking aroused Dick, and he soon came out. + +"What's the matter here?" he asked. "Oh, so you have woke up," he +went on to Jack Lesher. + +"Yes, I'm awake, Rover. And I want to know where the liquor has been +placed." + +"It's been placed where you won't get hold of it, Mr. Lesher." + +"What! This to me!" yelled the mate, in fury. "To me, the first mate!" + +"A first mate doesn't count for anything here. This is a private +camp, and if you don't behave yourself we'll pitch you out of it." + +"You--you--" Jack Lesher could not go on, and shook his fist in Dick's +face. + +"I told you what they intended to do," whispered Dan Baxter in +Lesher's ear. "They have the upper hand and mean to keep it. But +don't forget that we have nine sailors in our camp to back us up," +he went on suggestively. + +"Don't grow abusive, Mr. Lesher," said Dick as calmly as he could. +"Just think the matter over. It may save a good deal of trouble." + +"I don't have to think it over!" bellowed the mate. "During Cap'n +Blossom's absence I am in command, just as much as if we were on the +deck of the wreck over there. You were only passengers, but Jerry +Tolman was a sailor, and he's under my command. I told him to bring +me some liquor, and he has got to do it. If he won't obey, it's +mutiny, just you remember that!" And he shook his finger warningly +in old Jerry's face. + +"I told ye I don't know where the liquor is," answered old Jerry +doggedly. + +"And he tells the truth," said Dick. "I put it away myself." + +"Then I command you to bring it to me." + +"I told you before your commands don't hold water here. Even old +Jerry hasn't got to obey you. When the _Golden Wave_ was abandoned that +ended your authority. We have simply made Captain Blossom our leader +because he acted fair and square. But we don't have to obey him if +we don't want to." + +"What of the nine sailors who are with me?" + +"We'll be pleased to give them their full share of what is on the +wreck, and if they behave themselves they can build a camp right +next to this one. But you must remember that we discovered the wreck +first, and that Captain Blossom was the only man left on board." + +"We'll see what the men have to say about this," growled Lesher. +"Then you aint going to give me no liquor?" + +"You can have one glass with your breakfast, and that is all. After +this you can have the regulation ship's grog, with the other sailors. +But getting drunk has got to be stopped, even if we have to dump all +the liquor into the ocean." + +By this time the girls had appeared on the scene, and the talk came +to an end, Dick turning in to help get breakfast. Jack Lesher walked +down to the beach, followed by Dan Baxter. + +"You see, it is just as I told you," said Baxter. "They are going to +ride right over us." + +"They wouldn't ride over us if I had those other sailors here," +growled the mate. + +"Or if we were armed," went on the bully. "I tried to get hold of a +pistol, but Dick Rover watches me like a cat watches a mouse." + +"If we could get to the wreck we might arm ourselves," said Lesher. +"Here is a boat; let us row over." + +"I'm willing," answered the bully. + +They walked to the boat, shoved it into the water, and leaped in. +Just as Lesher picked up the oars Dick saw what they were doing. + +"Stop!" he cried. + +"What do you want?" growled the mate. + +"Where are you going?" + +"Over to the wreck." + +"What for?" + +"That is our business," put in Dan Baxter. + +"You shan't go over there until Captain Blossom comes back." + +"We'll go when we please," said Lesher, and started to row away. + +"Come back, I say!" cried Dick, and, rushing into the house, he +appeared with a shot-gun. + +"What are you going to do, Dick Rover?" questioned Baxter in alarm. + +"I am going to make you come back," was the oldest Rover's very quiet, +but determined, answer. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE ATTACK ON THE WRECK + + +The appearance of Dick with the shot-gun disturbed Jack Lesher quite +as much as it did Dan Baxter, and the mate stopped rowing instantly. + +"Hi! don't you fire at us!" he cried. + +"Then come back here," said Dick. + +"Haven't I a right to visit the wreck?" + +"I am not sure that you have. Anyway, you must wait until Captain +Blossom returns." + +"It seems to me that you are carrying matters with a high hand, young +fellow." + +"Oh, Dick, be careful!" whispered Dora. "They may become desperate." + +"Don't worry, Dora," he whispered in return. Unless I miss my guess, +one is as big a coward as the other." + +"I hope ye aint goin' too far, Dick," said old Jerry, in a low tone. + +"Don't you intend to stand by me, Jerry?" + +"To be sure I do; but the mate is the mate, ye know." + +There was an uncertain pause all around. + +"There is no harm in my visiting the wreck," growled Jack Lesher +presently. + +"Perhaps not, but you had better wait until Captain Blossom gets back." + +"I only want to get some things that belong to me." + +"And I want to get my extra clothes," said Baxter. "These are in +rags, as you can see." + +"Then wait until after breakfast and we'll all go over," said Dick, +but he had scarcely spoken when he felt sorry for the words. + +"Oh, Dick, don't trust yourself with them!" cautioned Dora. + +"We want to hurry, for I want to go back to where I left the sailors +before night," answered Lesher. + +"Then we'll have breakfast at once." + +Rather reluctantly the mate turned back to the shore and he and Baxter +left the boat. Then the girls prepared breakfast with all haste. +Lesher ate but little, but eagerly tossed off the glass of liquor +Dick allowed him. + +"Give me one more," he pleaded, but Dick was firm, and the mate +stalked away muttering under his breath. + +Before Dick entered the rowboat he called Jerry aside, and handed +the old sailor a pistol. + +"We had better go armed," he said. "Keep your eyes open, for they +may try to play us a foul trick. And don't let Lesher talk you into +obeying him. He has no authority whatever over you." + +"All right, Dick, I'll stand by ye always from this minit on," said +Jerry, and the compact was sealed by a handshake. + +The girls came down to see them off, and Dora warned Dick again to +be on guard. It was decided that Lesher and old Jerry should do the +rowing. Baxter sat in the bow of the boat, and Dick in the stern. + +The trip to the wreck was accomplished in almost utter silence. +Everybody was busy with his thoughts. As they drew near Dick showed +the mate where a ladder hung from the side, and as they drew close +to this Baxter was the first to mount to the deck. + +As Dick had surmised, Lesher's first hunt was for liquor, and he +drank several glasses at a gulp. Then he began to roam around the +wreck, noting the damage that had been done and the amount of stores +still on board. + +"Might float her, if the tide got extra high," he said. "Eleven men +in our crowd and five in your own ought to be able to do something, +surely." + +"The captain says the ship is too deep in the sand," answered Dick +briefly. + +"Blossom don't know everything," growled the mate. + +Both he and Baxter soon found some comfortable clothing, and put it +on. Then they made up a bundle of things they said the other sailors +needed. + +When arming themselves, the Rovers and Captain Blossom had placed +all of the remaining firearms in a stateroom and locked the door. + +"What did you do with all of the guns and pistols?" asked Lesher +presently, after looking in vain for them. + +"They are packed away in a stateroom. Captain Blossom thought it +wouldn't do to leave them lying loose. Some savages might come to +the islands and steal them, and then we'd be in a bad hole." + +"We've got to have some guns and pistols, Rover." + +"Well, you can see the captain about that." + +"I shan't wait. Which stateroom are they in?" + +Dick would not tell the mate, and Lesher went around trying the +various doors. Coming to one that was locked he burst it open with +his shoulder. + +Dick scarcely knew what to do, and while he was trying to make up +his mind Jack Lesher secured a pistol and a rifle, and also a pistol +for Dan Baxter. He would have taken more fire-arms, but Dick stopped him. + +"That is enough," he said. + +"I want some for the men," said the first mate. + +"They can get pistols from Captain Blossom when they get here." + +"Humph! You think you are in sole command, don't you?" + +"I am not going to allow you to take away all the firearms that are +here, Mr. Lesher." + +"We'll see:" + +The mate went into the pantry and secured another glass of liquor. +Then he ordered old Jerry to take the bundle of clothing and put it +in the rowboat. + +"I've got some money on this schooner," he said. "I want to see if +that's safe, or if you have stolen it." + +"We haven't touched any money," answered Dick, his face flushing. +"It would be of no use to us on these islands." + +"You come with me while I take a look," said Lesher. + +Behind his back he waved his hand for Baxter to follow. All three +went below again, and into a stateroom the mate had occupied. + +"The money was in that chest," said the mate. He threw open the lid. +"It's gone!" he cried. + +Interested for the moment, Dick bent forward to look in the chest. +As he did so, Lesher suddenly hit him a savage blow over the head +with the butt of a pistol. The blow was a heavy one, and Dick fell +like a log to the floor. + +"Oh!" came from Baxter. "Have you killed him?" + +"No; only knocked the senses out of him," answered Lesher, bending +over his victim. + +"What did you do it for?" + +"To teach him a lesson. He shan't boss me, Baxter. Come, help me put +him in the brig, and be quick, before Jerry comes back." + +They lifted up the insensible form and made their way to where the +ship's brig was located, a dirty closet once used for oil and lanterns. +Dick was thrown on the floor, and the mate shut the door on him and +locked it. + +"Now he can stay there for a day or two," he snarled. "Reckon it will +teach him a lesson." + +"What will you do with the sailor?" + +Before Lesher could answer old Jerry appeared. + +"Where is Dick Rover?" he asked. + +"None of your business," growled Jack Lesher. "See here, Tolman, are +you going to obey me after this?" + +"I want to know where Dick is?" said old Jerry stubbornly. + +"I put him in the brig to cool off. He's too hot-headed for his own +good." + +"You had no right to lock him up, Mr. Lesher. You must let him out +at once." + +"Git out of here, quick!" roared Lesher. "On deck, or I'll flog you +well!" + +"Ye won't tech me!" cried Jerry, his temper rising. "I aint under +orders no more, mind that. Now you let him out, or I'll do it. You +was a fool to lock him up in the first place." + +He moved toward the brig, but Lesher caught him by the arm. + +"Let's teach this chap a lesson, too!" came from Baxter, and, like +a flash, he struck old Jerry in the back of the head. The first blow +was followed by a second, and down went the tar, the blood oozing +from one of his wounds. + +"Don't hit him again!" cried Lesher hastily. "He's out already." + +Baxter grew pale, thinking he had gone too far. But he soon discovered +that Jerry still breathed, and then he felt relieved. + +It was decided by the pair that they should place old Jerry beside +Dick in the brig, and this was quickly done. Then they put into the +prison a bucket of drinking water and a can of ship's biscuits, and +another of baked beans. + +"They won't starve on that," said Lesher. "And when they get out +they'll understand that I am as much of a master here as anybody." + +"It serves Dick Rover right," said Baxter. "He's the kind that ought +to be kept under foot all the time." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A HEAVY TROPICAL STORM + + +"Those girls will ask some awkward questions, I reckon," said Jack +Lesher, as the two prepared to leave the wreck. + +"We had better not say too much," answered Baxter. + +They were soon over the side and in the rowboat, which contained +the bundle of clothing and a number of other articles. Then an idea +struck the mate. + +"Wait; I am going back," he said, and disappeared on the deck one more. + +Dan Baxter imagined that Lesher had gone for more liquor. But he was +mistaken. When the mate reappeared, he carried a box containing half +a dozen pistols, two guns, and a quantity of ammunition. + +"I am going to hide this in the woods on the other side of this +island," he said. "The firearms may come in handy before long." + +"A good idea," replied Baxter, and helped him place the case in a +desirable spot, under some rocks, where the rain could not touch it. + +"We are going to have a storm before long," said the mate, as they +started to row back to the camp. "And if it is a heavy one we'll have +to wait till it clears off before we rejoin the rest of our crowd." + +The sky was growing dark, and by the time the beach in front of the +house was gained the rain was falling. + +"Where are Dick and, old Jerry?" asked Dora in quick alarm. She had +noted long before that only Baxter and the mate were in the rowboat. + +"They stayed behind on the wreck," answered Lesher. "Come, help get +the bundles out of the wet," he added to his companion. + +"Why did they stay?" asked Nellie. + +"Don't ask me," growled Lesher. + +He and Baxter took the bundle to the house and dumped it on the floor +of the living room. Then they brought in the other things from the +boat. By this time it was raining in torrents, and from a distance +came the rumble of thunder and occasionally the faint flash of lightning. + +Not wishing to remain out in the storm, the three girls came into +the house.--"Dora was very much disturbed, and Nellie and Grace were +also anxious. + +"It is queer that Dick and old Jerry remained behind," whispered Dora +to her cousins. "They were so anxious to protect us before." + +"I cannot understand it, Dora," returned Nellie. + +"There has been foul play somewhere," came from Grace. + +"Oh, do you think--" Dora could not finish. + +"See here!" burst in the voice of Jack Lesher. "We want some dinner. +Don't be all day getting it for us." + +The liquor he had imbibed was beginning to tell upon him.. He looked +ugly, and the girls trembled before him. + +"Dinner will be ready in a quarter of an hour," said Grace, who had +been doing the cooking. + +"All right." Lesher turned to the bully: "Baxter, join me in a glass +of rum for luck." + +"Thanks, I will," answered Dan Baxter, who did not particularly want +the liquor, but did not dream of offending the mate. + +Lesher produced a bottle he had brought away from the wreck, prepared +two glasses of rum, and drank with great relish. Then he threw himself +into a chair at the rude dining-table. + +"I am the master here, and I want everybody to know it!" he exclaimed, +banging his fist savagely. + +"There is dinner," said Grace, and brought it in. "You can help +yourself." And she went into the next room to join Nellie and Dora. + +"Aint going to wait on us, eh?" grumbled Lesher, with a hiccough. +"All right, my fine ladies. But I am master, don't you forget that!" + +He began to eat leisurely, while Dan Baxter began to bolt his food. +In the meantime the sky grew darker and the flashes of lightning more +vivid. The girls were greatly frightened, and huddled together, while +tears stood on Grace's cheeks. + +"Oh, if only somebody was with us," sighed Nellie. + +By the time Lesher and Baxter had finished eating the storm was on +them in all of its violence. The wind shrieked and tore through the +jungle behind them, and often they could hear some tall tree go down +with a crash. + +"This will tear our flag of distress to shreds," said Nellie. "And +just when we need it so much, too!" + +"I am thinking of the future as well as the present," said Dora. +"What a rough time there will be if Lesher brings those other sailors +here. Some of them were heavy drinkers like himself, and only two or +three were Americans." + +The storm had whipped the waters of the bay into a fury, and the rain +was so thick that to see even the island on which the wreck rested +was impossible. + +"Dick can't come now," said Dora. "A boat on the bay would surely go +down." + +Having finished the meal, Lesher and Baxter sat down in the living +room to smoke and to talk over the situation. The mate continued to +drink, and half an hour later he fell asleep, sitting on the bench, +and with his head on the table. + +"The beast!" said Dora, as she peeped out at him. "Well, there is +one satisfaction," she continued: "he cannot harm us while he is +asleep." + +"You girls better have your own dinner," called out Baxter. "I aint +going to eat you up." + +"We will get our dinner when we please," said Nellie, as she came +out. "We are not afraid of you, Dan Baxter." + +No more was said for a long time. The girls ate what little they +wished and washed up the dishes. The rain still continued to fall in +torrents, but the thunder and' lightning drifted away to the eastward. + +Dora was the most anxious of the trio, and at every opportunity she +tried to look through the driving rain toward the wreck. + +"I'd give almost anything to know if Dick is safe," she murmured. + +"Don't be discouraged, Dora," said Grace. "Perhaps he will return as +soon as the storm is over." + +The girls were huddled close to a window, looking out into the rain, +when Dan Baxter threw aside the pipe he had been smoking and approached +them. + +"See here, girls," he said, "why can't we be friends? What is the +use of being enemies in such a place as this?" + +"Dan Baxter, we want you to keep your distance," said Nellie coldly. + +"And if you do not, it will be the worse for you when the others come +back," put in Grace. + +"Humph! I reckon you think it is fine to ride such a high horse," +sneered the bully. "What are you going to do when we bring the rest +of the sailors over here? We'll be eleven to seven then." + +"Never mind what we'll do," said Dora. "I would rather have the +company of some of those sailors than your company." + +"That is where you make a mistake. The sailors are all rough fellows, +some of them worse than Jack Lesher. Now, if you are willing to count +me as a friend, I'll stand by you when the crowd comes over." + +"We don't want your friendship, Dan Baxter, so there!" cried Nellie. +"We know your past, and we know that you cannot be trusted." + +"Don't think I am as good as the Rovers, eh?" + +"We all know that you are not," answered Grace. + +"What have you done to Dick Rover?" questioned Dora. "He ought to be +here long before this." + +"Oh, I guess the storm is holding him back," said Baxter, shifting +uneasily as she gazed earnestly into his eyes. + +"If anything has happened to Dick, I shall hold you responsible," +said Dora. + +At that moment the fury of the storm cut off further talking. A sudden +rush of wind had come up, whistling through the jungle and bringing +down a palm close to the house with a crash. The fall of the tree +made Baxter jump in alarm. + +"The house is coming down!" he cried, and ran outside. + +The wind made the waves in the bay rise higher and higher until they +lashed furiously in all directions. Then came another downpour of +rain, which caused the bully to seek shelter again. + +"Hark!" said Nellie suddenly, and raised her hand for silence. + +"What did you hear?" asked Grace. + +"Somebody calling. Listen!" + +All were silent once more, and just then the wind fell a little. + +"I don't hear anything," said Dora. + +But then followed a distant voice--two voices calling desperately: + +"Help! help! Our boat is sinking! Help!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BAY + + +To go back to Tom, Sam, and Captain Blossom at the time that they +placed the two dead goats in their rowboat and prepared to return to +the camp. + +It was already raining by the time the shore of the bay was reached, +and scarcely had they begun to row when the water came pouring down +in torrents. + +"Gracious! I must say I don't like this!" cried Tom. "The rain is +running down my neck in a stream." + +"I move we row into shore over yonder," said Sam, pointing up the +coast. "There are some trees which will shelter both us and the boat +nicely." + +Captain Blossom was willing, and in a few minutes they were under +the trees and wringing out their clothes as best they could. + +"If I know anything about it, this storm is going to last for some +time," said the captain, after a long look at the sky. + +"Such a downfall as this can't last," said Sam. "Perhaps we can get +home between showers." + +It was dry under the trees for about half an hour, but then the water +began to reach them once more, and they had to shift their position +again. + +This kept up for some time, until all were wet through and thoroughly +uncomfortable, when Tom proposed that they start for home regardless +of the storm. + +"We can't get any wetter than we are," he declared. "And the sooner +we reach the house the sooner we'll be able to change our clothes." + +The others agreed, and when the worst of the lightning and thunder +had passed they set off once more, two rowing and the third steering +the boat and bailing out the water, which came in faster than was +desirable. + +"When it rains in the tropics, it rains," observed Tom. "Puts me in +mind of that storm we met when we were in Africa. Do you remember, Sam?" + +"Indeed, I do," answered his brother. "I thought we'd all be killed +by the trees that fell in the jungle." + +"Have you been in Africa?" came from Captain Blossom in astonishment. + +"Yes," answered Tom. "Our father got lost there once, and we went in +search of him," and he gave a few of the particulars, as already +related in another volume of this series, entitled "The Rover Boys +in the Jungle." + +"Well, you boys have had some ups and downs," said the captain. "But +I reckon you weren't cast away before like this." + +"Not like this," answered Sam. "But we were left on a lonely island +once in Lake Huron," and he related a few particulars of their exciting +experiences with the Baxters while on the Great Lakes. + +Another downpour of rain cut off the talking, and Tom was kept busy +bailing out the row-boat. With three persons and the two dead goats +the craft was pretty heavily loaded, and more than once the rising +wind swept some water over the bow. + +"I'd give a little to be ashore again," said Tom presently. "It seems +to me that the rain is shutting out everything." + +"We'll have to land again, lads," put in the captain, with a grave +shake of his head. "This wind is growing worse. We don't want to be +swamped." + +They turned to what they thought must be the direction of the nearest +shore, but though they pulled with might and main for nearly quarter +of an hour no land appeared. + +"We're mixed," cried Sam. "The storm has twisted us up." + +By this time the wind was blowing a regular gale on the bay. It took +off Tom's cap, and in a twinkle the headgear was out of sight. + +"My cap's gone!" groaned the youth. + +"The water is coming in over the bow!" came from Sam. "We will be +swamped!" + +"We must throw the goats overboard," said the captain, and overboard +went the game, much to the boys' sorrow. + +This lightened the craft a little, but still the waves swept over +the gunwale, and now both Sam and Tom set to bailing, while the +captain took both oars. Then came another blast of wind, worse than +before. + +"I see land!" cried Sam. + +"We are going over!" yelled Tom, and the wind fairly whipped the +words from his lips. Then came a mighty wave, and on the instant the +rowboat was upset, and all three found themselves in the waters of +the bay. + +As they went under the same thought was in the mind of each: Were +there any sharks around? + +"Help! help!" cried Sam, as soon as he came up. "Our boat is sinking. +Help!" And Tom soon joined in the cry. They had caught hold of the +overturned boat, but the craft, for some reason, failed to support them. + +Captain Blossom was close at hand, and he advised them to strike out +for the shore. + +"It's in this direction," he said, and led the way. + +"I--I can't swim very far with my clothes on," gasped Sam, yet he +struck out as best he could. + +"Hullo! Who calls?" came a cry from the shore, and, looking up, they +saw Dora standing there, with Nellie and Grace Laning close beside her. + +"It's Tom and Sam!" cried Nellie. + +"And Captain Blossom," added Grace. + +"Perhaps we can throw them a rope," came from Dora, and she ran to +get the article she had mentioned. + +But by the time she returned the three swimmers had reached a point +where they could touch bottom with their feet, and, watching for a +favorable opportunity, they rushed ashore, almost into the arms of +the girls. + +"Oh, Tom, how glad I am that you are safe!" cried Nellie, while Grace +caught hold of Sam and asked if he was all right. + +"Yes, I am--am all right, but--but pretty well fagged out," gasped Sam. + +"It was a close shave," said Captain Blossom. "And our guns are gone." + +"We had two dead goats, too," put in Tom. "They went overboard first, +and--goodness gracious--is that really Dan Baxter?" + +"Dan Baxter!" ejaculated Sam, and even Captain Blossom stared in +amazement. + +"I see you've had a rough time of it," said Baxter, coming forward +coolly. "How are you?" + +He shook hands with Captain Blossom, while the Rover boys continued +to stare at him. + +"Are you alone?" asked the master of the _Golden Wave_. + +"No, Jack Lesher is with me, and we left nine of the sailors on +another island." + +"Is that so? Where is Lesher now?" + +"In the house, asleep." + +"He is intoxicated," said Nellie. "We has been drinking ever since +he put in an appearance." + +"Humph! That's like Lesher," muttered the captain, and his brow darkened. + +All moved toward the house, and entered to get out of the wet. The +mate was still at the table, snoring loudly. + +"Might as well let him sleep it off," said the captain. "But when he +is sober I'll have a talk with him." + +Wet clothing was changed for dry, and then the captain and the boys +listened to what Baxter and the girls had to tell. The captain was +glad to learn that so many of his men had been saved, and asked for +the names. + +"I don't care much about Peterson and McGlow," he said. "They are +tough customers. I would rather have heard from Peabody, Dickson, +and Fearwell. You don't know anything about them?" + +"No," said Dan Baxter. + +"This news about Dick and old Jerry worries me," said Tom. + +"Dan Baxter, I think you know more than you care to tell," said Sam +boldly. + +The bully hardly knew how to reply. He could not now fall back on +Jack Lesher for support, and he had thought to be on his way to +rejoin the sailors ere this. The storm had upset all of his calculations. +It had been a foolish movement to attack Dick and old Jerry, and it +now looked as if he must suffer for it. + +"Well--er--I don't mind telling you that Dick and the mate had +something of a quarrel," he said hesitatingly. + +"How did it end?" asked Tom. + +"I can't say exactly." + +"Why not? You were with Lesher at the time." + +"No, I wasn't. He ordered me to get into the rowboat and wait for +him while he went back to get a pistol or a gun. I heard loud talking +on the deck of the schooner, and I knew a row was on. I was just +going back to the deck when the mate came and leaped into the rowboat. +He said the sailor and Dick were going to remain behind, and that we +wouldn't wait any longer. Then we rowed over here." + +"If that's the case I'll make Lesher tell us what happened," cried +Tom, and shook the mate roughly. "Wake up here!" he cried. "Wake up +and give an account of yourself!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +IN CLOSE QUARTERS + + +Slowly Dick came to his senses. He remembered little or nothing, and +only knew that all was dark around him, and that his head was spinning +like a top. + +For several minutes he remained quiet, trying to collect his thoughts. +Then he sat up and passed one hand slowly over his forehead. + +"Oh, how my heed aches!" he murmured. + +It was fully five minutes before he felt like moving around. Then he +arose and took a step forward and stumbled over old Jerry's body. + +"Oh!" he murmured, and felt of the body in the dark, "Who is this? +Can it be Jerry?" he asked himself. + +Then came a recollection of the cowardly attack. But what had followed +was a blank, and he could not imagine where he was. + +Dick remembered that he had a match safe in his pocket, and soon he +made a light. By this he caught sight of a lantern in the brig and +lit it. Then he bent over old Jerry, and saw that the sailor was +still alive, but suffering from his treatment. + +"He must have been attacked, too," murmured Dick. The bucket of water +was at hand, And he took a drink and bathed Captain Jerry's forehead. + +It was fully half an hour before the old sailor felt at all like +himself. Both sat down to review the situation. + +"The cowards!" said Dick. "What do you suppose they attacked us for?" + +"Can't say as to that," replied old Jerry. "Perhaps Lesher wanted to +show us he was master." + +"He'll settle with me if I ever get out of this hole, Jerry. What +place is this?" + +"The lock-up of the _Golden Wave_. I think it used to be an oil room." + +They gazed around them, and soon discovered the can of ship's biscuits +and also the beans. + +"They evidently meant to keep us prisoners for some time," said Dick. +"Hark, what is that?" + +Both listened, and made out the sounds of distant thunder and heard +the patter of rain on the deck. + +"A storm is brewing," said old Jerry. "It sounds as if it was putty +heavy, too." + +They tried the door to the brig, but found it locked and bolted. In +vain Dick kicked against it, and shoved with his shoulder. It refused +to budge. + +"This looks as if we'd have to stay here--at least for the present," +said Dick, with a sigh. "I must say I don't like the prospect." + +"How long do ye calculate we've been here, lad?" + +"There is no telling, unless by my watch." But when he looked at the +timepiece, he found that it had stopped. + +They ate some of the biscuits and drank some water and rested for a +while longer. Outside the wind blew furiously and they heard the rain +and the waves dash in all directions. Then some water came trickling +in slowly, at one corner. + +"It seems to me as if the wreck was shifting," cried Dick presently. + +"It won't shift very far in this bed o' sand, lad. But she may break +up and go to pieces," added old Jerry. + +"If she goes down, we'll be drowned like rats in a trap," said Dick. +"We must get out somehow." + +They talked the matter over and began a systematic examination of +their prison. The four walls were solid and so was the ceiling above +them. + +"The flooring has a couple of loose planks in it," announced. Dick. +"If we can get them up, where will the opening lead to?" + +"The forward hold, lad, and that is now half full of sand and water." + +"Never mind, I'm going to get the planks up if I can." + +With his head still aching Dick set to work and old Jerry helped him. +It was no easy matter to shift the heavy planking, but after a while +they got one plank up and then used this as a pry to bring up the second. + +A dark hole was revealed, covered at the bottom with water. Then Dick +took the lantern and let himself down cautiously. + +"The water is only about a foot deep," he announced. "I'm going to +make a search around with the lantern." + +"Hold on, I'll go with ye," cried old Jerry, and came down with a splash. + +With great caution they moved around the hold, wading through sand +and water, and climbing over boxes, barrels, and crates. + +"What a mixture of cargo," said Dick. "And what a pity so much of it +is going to ruin," and he pointed to some valuable mining machinery +which was rusting in the salt water. + +Fortunately old Jerry had been in the hold before the _Golden Wave_ +was wrecked, so he knew something of the surroundings. He led the +way to some boxes directly beneath the forward hatch. + +"I don't reckon the hatch is fastened down," he said. "An' if it aint +we may be able to shove it up by standing one box on top of another." + +This was tried, and after much difficulty the hatch was thrown to +one side, and they crawled to the deck of the schooner. + +"I'm glad I am out of that!" ejaculated Dick. "But how it's raining! +Let us go to the cabin for shelter." + +Once in the cabin they proceeded to make themselves as comfortable +as the state of affairs permitted. + +"With no boat it is going to be no easy matter getting back to the +house," said Dick. He was much worried concerning the girls. + +"We'll have to stay here until the storm is over," said old Jerry. + +But Dick demurred and at last it was decided to try getting to the +house by journeying from one island to the next. + +This was a dangerous proceeding, as we already know. They had to +build themselves a small raft and carry this from one crossing to +the next. + +By the time the last crossing was made the storm was clearing and +the day was drawing to a close. + +"We had best not show ourselves until we are sure how the land lays," +said Dick, as they came up the beach. + +Captain Jerry thought this good advice and they proceeded with caution +until they came in sight of the house. Then Dick set up a shout. + +"Tom, Sam, and Captain Blossom are back! Hurrah!" + +"They look as if they were having a row with Baxter and the mate," +came from old Jerry. + +A row certainly was in progress, and as they came closer they heard +Tom talking. + +"Yes, Lesher, I want to know all about this quarrel with my brother +Dick. I am sure he was not in the wrong." + +"See here, I know my own business," the mate growled. "You shut up +and leave me alone." + +"We won't leave you alone," came from Sam. "We want to know the truth." + +"Yes, tell us the truth, Lesher," said Captain Blossom sternly. + +"All against me, aint you?" + +"We want the truth," answered Tom. + +"Well, if you must have it, all right. He got cheeky and hit me on +the head with an oar. Then I hit back and knocked him down. Then he +got mad and so did Jerry Tolman, and both refused to come back in +the boat with Baxter and me." + +"I'll wager you started to boss things," said Sam. "Dick doesn't +raise a row without just cause." + +"Good for Sam," murmured Dick. + +"Your brother was entirely to blame," grunted the mate. He was still +far from sober. + +"Jack Lesher, you tell what is not so," said Dick loudly, and joined +the group, followed by old Jerry. + +Had a bombshell exploded, Lesher and Baxter would not have been more +astonished. Then stared at the newcomers as if they were ghosts. + +"How--er--how did you get here?" stammered Baxter, while the mate +continued to stare, in open-mouthed astonishment. + +"That is our affair," responded Dick. He strode up to Lesher. "You +miserable villain. How dare you say that I was to blame when you +attacked me without warning? Take that for what you did." + +And hauling off, Dick hit the mate a fair and square blow in the nose +which sent Lesher flat on his back. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +TRYING TO COME TO TERMS + + +As the mate went down the girls gave a scream, and even Tom and Sam +looked at Dick in wonder. Never had any of them seen the eldest Rover +so aroused. + +"My lad, that was a hard blow," observed Captain Blossom, as Jack +Lesher lay where he had fallen. + +"Not half as hard as the blow he struck me," answered Dick. + +"Not hard as hard as thet chap hit me," put in old Jerry, and turning +quickly he flew at Dan Baxter and bore him to the ground. + +"Hi! hi! let up!" roared the bully. "Let up! Take him off!" + +"I'll let up, when I'm done," panted old Jerry, and he gave him a +thump in the cheek, another in the eye, and a third on the chin. +"Now, then, Dan Baxter, see how you like that!" And then the old +sailor arose once more. + +"I'll--I'll--" began Baxter, in a terrible rage. "I'll--" + +"Shut up, Baxter, until we hear what they have to say," put in Tom. +"If you are not quiet, I'll give you a thumping on general principles." + +"No more fighting," commanded Captain Blossom. "Dick Rover, tell us +what happened on the wreck." + +Dick told his story, and then all listened to what old Jerry had to +say. In the meantime Jack Lesher arose unsteadily to his feet. + +"Where is that boy?" he roared. "I'll fix him." And then he made a +movement as if to draw his pistol, but discovered that the weapon +had been taken from him. + +"Who took my pistol?" he demanded. + +"Be quiet, everybody," said Captain Blossom. "Lesher, there will be +no shootng here, unless I have to make an example of somebody. You +had no business to attack Dick Rover on the wreck, nor attack Jerry +Tolman, either. It was a mean thing to do. If we are to remain on +these islands together, we ought to keep friendly." + +"I know my business," growled the mate. + +"And I know mine, Lesher. Please remember that I am captain." + +"And I am first mate." + +"Your being first mate doesn't count with us," came from Tom. + +"Not for a minute," added Dick. "If I had my own way, I'd pitch you +out of this camp in double-quick order." + +"And Dan Baxter with him," put in Sam. + +"Why cannot both of them go and live with the other sailors who were +saved?" asked Dora. "They could have their share of what is on the +wreck." + +"I see you don't care for their company," said Captain Blossom. "Well, +I can't say that I blame you, miss. After this they shall keep their +distance. They can either live on the wreck or build themselves their +own house, and so can the other sailors who were saved." + +"You are not my master!" cried Dan Baxter. "On these islands all are +equal." + +"That may be so, but you have got to let the others alone," answered +Dick. "If you don't--" + +"What will you do?" + +"We'll punish you in a way you least expect." + +After this there was a general talk which almost ended in another +all-around row. But the Rovers and Captain Blossom were firm, and at +last Dan Baxter and Jack Lesher said no more. + +"We ought to remain on guard after this," said Dick to Tom, when they +and Sam were alone. "I don't want to trust our enemies for a single +moment." + +And it was agreed that one or another should watch constantly. + +The storm cleared away as suddenly as it had come, and the next +morning the sun shone as brightly as ever. + +When Baxter and Lesher came to breakfast both were sullen. The mate +had wanted more liquor, but Captain Blossom had refused to give him +more than a single glass. + +"You had better return to the others at once," said the captain. +"Tell them they can come over here, and then we will make arrangements +as to how all hands shall live until some ship comes to take us away." + +The Rovers suspected that Dan Baxter wished to remain behind, leaving +the mate to go after the others. But Lesher would not go alone, and +off they started at noon, each carrying a good supply of food with +him, and also a pistol and some ammunition. + +"I wish they weren't coming back," murmured Dora. + +"I wish the same, Dora," said Dick. "But it can't be helped and we +must make the best of it." + +There was a general air of relief when the two had departed. Later +on each told his or her story once more, and a general conversation +ensued regarding the future. + +"Lesher is not the man I thought he would, be," said Captain Blossom. +"If he insists on getting drunk he will surely cause us a good deal +of trouble, and if I try to keep the liquor from him he will get +ugly. More than that, he has several sailors with him who are old +friends, and they like their liquor just as much as he does." + +It was seen that the flag of distress was down, as already mentioned, +and after Baxter and Lesher had departed, Tom and Dick set off to +put the flag up once more. + +The way was by no means easy, for the storm had washed the dirt and +stones in all directions and the path was strewn with broken branches +and torn-up bushes. On the way they picked up hard a dozen dead birds +and also saw three dead monkeys. + +When the spot where the flag had been was reached they found the tree +still standing. The halyard of the flag had snapped and the colors +lay in a mass of bushes a hundred feet away. + +To get to the bushes the boys had to leap over something of a gully. +Tom took the leap in safety, but Sam went down out of sight. + +"Help! help!" cried the youngest Rover. + +Tom looked back, to see Sam's fingers clutching at some brushwood +which grew at the edge of the gully. Then the hand disappeared and +he heard a crashing far below, for though the gully was not wide, it +was very deep. + +"Sam! Sam!" he called. "Are you hurt?" + +No answer came back, and much alarmed, Tom got on his knees and tried +to look into the opening. At first he could see nothing, but when +his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, he made out the form of +his brother lying on some broken brushwood which the storm had swept +into the opening. + +How to get down to Sam was a problem, and Tom was revolving the matter +in his mind when Sam let out another cry. + +"Are you hurt, Sam?" + +"N--not much, but m--my wind was kno--knocked out of me." + +"Can you climb up to the top?" + +"Hardly, Tom, the sides are very steep, and--yes, there is a regular +cave down here," went on Sam. + +"A cave?" + +"Yes." + +"Where does it lead to?" + +"I don't know. It's on the south side of the opening." + +Tom's curiosity was aroused, and bringing forth the new rope they +had brought along for hoisting the flag, he tied one end to a tree +and lowered himself to his brother's side. By this time Sam was on +his feet and inspecting some scratches his left hand had received. + +"Where is the cave, Sam?" + +"There," and the youngest Rover pointed it out. + +The opening was about two feet above the bottom of the gully. It was +perhaps four feet in diameter, but appeared to grow larger within. + +"If we had a torch we might investigate a bit," said Tom. "I'd like +to know if the cave amounts to anything." + +"It might have a pirate's treasure in it, eh?" + +"Not likely, Sam. I don't believe it has ever been used. But if it +was of good size it might prove handy for us at some time or another." + +They looked around, and finding some dry brushwood made two rude +torches. With these flaring brightly they entered the opening, the +flooring of which was of rock and tolerably smooth. + +"We could live in this cave, if it wasn't that the opening to it is +in the gully," said Sam as they advanced. + +"There may be another opening at the other end," said Tom. "It is +certainly quite long." + +They had advanced fully a hundred feet, and now found themselves in +a chamber forty or fifty feet square. The ceiling was arched and so +high that they could not touch it without jumping up. + +"This is as good as a house," said Tom. "See how dry the flooring +is. That proves that it is waterproof." + +From the large chamber there were several passageways, all leading +toward the bay. + +"Which shall we investigate first?" asked Sam. + +"Let us start at the right." + +"All right, Tom; the right ought to be right," answered Sam lightly. + +On they went once more, the flooring now sloping before them. Here +there was considerable moisture, and they had to walk with care for +fear of slipping down. + +Suddenly a number of bats flew out of a hole nearby, dashing against +the torches and against the boys themselves. The rush was so unexpected +that each youth dropped his light and put up his hands to protect +himself. + +"Get out! Let me alone!" spluttered Sam. + +"Whoop!" roared Tom. "Confound the bats anyway! Get along and let us +alone!" + +Lying on the flooring the torches soon went out, and in their efforts +to protect themselves from the bats the boys rushed blindly down the +passageway. Then of a sudden both slipped on the wet rocks, slid a +distance of several yards, and went down and down, landing into a +well-like opening with a loud splash! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE CAVE ON THE ISLAND + + +"Tom!" + +"Sam!" + +"Are you safe?" + +"Yes, but I wasn't looking for such a cold bath as this." + +"I guess we must have fallen into a regular well of spring water." + +"Never mind what we are in. The question is, how are we to get out?" + +"Can you touch the top of the opening?" + +"No." + +"Neither can I." + +Luckily the two boys could touch the bottom of the hole, so they were +in no danger of drowning. They were in water up to their waists and +calculated they had dropped a distance of two or three yards. All +was pitch dark around them and as silent as a tomb, save for some +water which trickled close at hand. The bats had departed, leaving +them to their fate. + +"This is cave-investigating with a vengeance," said Tom, with something +like a shiver. + +"Never mind, Tom, we won't die of thirst anyway." + +"Do you think this is a laughing matter, Sam?" + +"No, I don't. I'd give a good deal to be out of this hole and out of +the cave also." + +"I've got an idea. Let me climb on your shoulders and see if I can +reach the top that way." + +Sam was willing, and soon Tom was balancing himself as best he could. +He felt around with care, Sam moving from point to point as directed. + +"Here is a sharp rock; I think I can pull myself up on that," said +Tom. He tried with all of his strength and went up off Sam's shoulders. +Then the youngest Rover heard him crawling around the wet flooring +carefully. + +When Tom felt fairly safe he brought out his waterproof match safe +and lit a match. Then one of the torches was picked up and he lit +that, but kept it partly sheltered, fearing another attack from the +bats. + +By the aid of the torch, Sam was able to reach a sharp rock quite +low down in the well hole, and when Tom gave him a hand he came up +with ease. Both saw that the passage ended at the hole and hurried +back to the main chamber of the cave. + +"That's the time that right was not right," said Sam, wringing the +water from his trousers, while Tom did the same. "Let us try the left +after this." + +"I trust we don't get left by it," added Sam. + +The passageway was small and winding, but fairly level. There were +several sharp rocks to pass and then Tom gave a cry. + +"I see a light ahead!" + +"It must be an opening, Tam." + +"Exactly what I think." + +Both hurried forward. As they did this, the opening appeared to grow +larger and they saw a number of bushes ahead of them. They pushed +these aside and saw beyond a clear stretch of the bay and to the +northward the house they had built. The opening was twenty or thirty +feet above the beach and hidden in the rocks and bushes. + +"This is a short cut to the beach from the flagstaff," said Sam. "I +wish we had put up the flag. Then we could carry the news of the cave +to the others." + +"Let us hurry back, Sam. It won't take so very long to put up the +flag, with the tree still standing." + +When they reached the gully they were careful that no further mishaps +should befall them. Having picked up the flag they hoisted it once +more, stars down, and then went back through the cave to the beach. + +As they had imagined, the others were greatly interested in the news. +All left the house and visited the place. The girls did not go any +further than the main chamber, but the captain, Dick, and old Jerry +made a complete investigation, taking care not to fall into the +well-hole or any other unsafe place. + +"As the boys say, this cave may come in very handy some time," said +Captain Blossom. "In case of a very heavy wind storm it would be a +good place for shelter." + +"Why couldn't the sailors, Lesher, and Baxter live here?" asked Dick. +"We don't want them, and it will save them the trouble of building +a house, in case they don't want to live on the wreck." + +"No, I advise that we tell them nothing about the cave," said Tom. +"If we should have a fight and get the worst of it, we could hide +here and they wouldn't be able to find us very readily." + +"Do you think it will get as far as that?" asked Dora, and her face +showed she was much disturbed. + +"I hope not, Dora," said Dick. "But you must remember that we have +had some pretty sharp quarrels already." + +"I think Tom is right," came from Sam. "We'll not tell the others +anything about the cave. If they don't want to live on the wreck, +they can build a house or two, just as we did." + +On returning to the shore of the bay, Captain Blossom and Tom went +on a hunt along the beach and presently discovered the rowboat that +had overturned with them during the storm. + +The craft was but little damaged and they soon had it mended, and +then the captain brought it around to the anchorage in front of the +house. + +"I wonder when Baxter and Lesher will arrive with the sailors?" said +Nellie. + +"Not before to-morrow night," answered Tom. + +"Then do you know what I would do if I were you?" went on the girl. + +"What, Nellie?" + +"I'd bring some stores away from the wreck and hide them in the cave. +If you did that, it might save us a good deal of trouble. For all we +know, that mate might try to take command and refuse to let us get +anything more from the ship." + +"Do you think he'd do that while Captain Blossom was around?" came +from Grace. + +"Oh, he might do anything when he is half full of liquor," answered +Tom. "I think Nellie is right. I'll talk it over with the others." + +Tom lost no time in the matter, and Dick, Sam, and old Jerry agreed +that Nellie's idea was very good. Captain Blossom shrugged his +shoulders and looked ugly. + +"Jack Lesher shall not take the command from me," he said. "If he +tries it, he'll find himself in the biggest kind of a row." + +"But you must admit that there is grave danger," said Dick. + +"Yes, I admit that." + +"Then you are willing that we shall hide the stores?" + +"If you want to." + +"Won't you help us, Captain Blossom? Of course, we recognize the fact +that those things belong to you, since you remained on the ship up +to the time she struck the island." + +This speech pleased the captain, and he said he would help them +willingly. + +Without delay the two rowboats and the raft were called into commission, +and an hour later the men and boys were hard at work transferring +goods from the wreck to the beach in front of the cave. Five trips +were made back and forth, the boats and the raft bringing over each, +time as much as could be conveniently floated. + +By the time the last trip was made and the goods piled on the beach +and covered with a large tarpaulin, it was dark and all were utterly +worn out by their labors. The girls had prepared an extra good +supper, and of this they ate heartily and then sat around a little +while, when they went to bed. + +At the beginning the castaways had kept guard during the night, but +of late this had been done away with, everybody being satisfied that +no harm could befall them during the darkness. + +But as the doorway to the house was an open one it had been considered +the duty of one or the other to sleep directly in the opening. This +was Dick's night, and the eldest Rover lay there sleeping soundly +until about two in the morning. + +By this time the moon had disappeared and the stars were partly hidden +by some clouds. The night was quiet, save for the hum of insects in +the jungle back of the house and the soft lap-lap of the waves on +the beach of the bay. + +Suddenly Dick awoke with a start. He sat bolt upright, wondering what +had brought him to his senses so quickly. He listened intently, but +nothing unusual greeted his ears. + +"I must have been dreaming, or something," he thought. "But is queer +I should be so wide.. awake." + +At first he was on the point of lying down again, but then concluded +to get up and get a drink of water. + +He arose to his feet and stood in the open doorway, gazing into the +darkness. The faint light of a few stars shone in the waters of the +bay, and between the waters and himself he presently saw a dark form +stealing along, close to the ground. + +What could that be? Was it something real or only a shadow? Dick +rubbed his eyes and peered out more sharply than ever. It was not a +shadow, but a real form, slowly moving around to the rear of the house. + +"An animal, or else a man crawling along," said Dick to himself, and +reached for his gun, which stood close at hand. Then he made up his +mind to investigate, and stepped outside of the doorway for that purpose. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +A FIGHT WITH A WILD BEAST + + +As Dick stepped out of the house, gun in hand, the form disappeared +behind a small clump of bushes growing not fifty feet away. + +"It's gone," he said to himself, but waited patiently, with his gun +ready for use. + +The clouds were increasing, making it darker than ever. Almost holding +his breath, the youth took several steps forward. Then he waited again. + +At last the form reappeared, crouched lower than ever, so that it +was almost hidden by the rocks and low brushwood leading to the +jungle. At first Dick imagined the beast, or whatever it was, was +going to retreat to the timber, but soon it appeared to turn back, +as if to make another semicircle, this time around to the rear of +the house. + +It must be admitted that Dick's heart thumped madly in his breast. +The gun was raised and he kept his finger on the trigger. But he did +not dare to shoot until he was certain of the object of his aim. + +"I don't want to kill anybody," he reasoned. And he thought of a +story he had once read of a hunter shooting his companion who had +got the nightmare and was crawling around in his sleep. For all he +knew, it might be Sam or Tom, or one of the others. + +But now came a sound which was not to be mistaken. It was a low, +savage growl, followed by the rustling of a bushy tail among the +brushwood. It was a wild animal, and it was getting ready to make +a leap for the boy! + +Taking aim as best he could, Dick pulled the trigger. Bang! went the +firearm, and a snarl of pain and rage rang out. Then the beast made +its leap, striking Dick in the breast and knocking him over. + +"Hullo! what's the row?" The cry came from old Jerry, who had been +sleeping next to Dick. "Who fired that shot?" + +"Help!" answered Dick. "A wild beast has attacked me." + +"A wild beast!" came from several throats at once. + +"Let me get a shot," came from Tom, as he bounced out of the house, +pistol in hand, followed by Sam and Captain Blossom. + +By this time Dick had gotten to his knees and was trying to fight +off the animal which had fastened its teeth in the youth's trouser +leg, for the boys slept with part of their garments on them. + +"Shoot him! Hit him over the head with a club!" screamed the eldest +Rover. He expected every moment to have the beast fly at his throat, +and he knew that that would be his death. + +Old Jerry turned back to get a pistol or a club. As he did this Tom +rushed past him and up to Dick's side. Taking a hasty aim, Tom +discharged the pistol twice. + +Another growl rang out and the beast dropped back, shot through the +foreshoulder and the neck. Then Tom let drive once more and the beast +fell forward, shot through the left front leg. + +"Good for you, Tom!" cried Dick, as he arose. + +"What is it?" came from Captain Blossom, as he appeared with a shotgun. +A shot from this finished the beast and it rolled over and over in +its death agonies, and Sam finished it with a blow on the head with +a big club. + +By this time the girls were crowding outside, having clothed themselves +with whatever was handiest. Torches were lit, and a ship's lantern, +and all went to examine the creature. + +"It looks like a tiger," declared Tom. "Only it is not quite so large." + +"I should say it was a California puma," came from old Jerry. "He's +a bad one, too." + +"I think they call them jaguars out here," said Dick. "They all belong +to the same family, you know. Some old American hunters would call +it a painter." + +"Never mind what it is," said Dora, with a shudder. "I am thankful +that it is dead." + +"You can be thankful that it didn't chew Dick up," added Tom. "He +was in a tight corner, I can tell you that." + +"I didn't want to shoot until I was certain of what I was shooting +at," answered Dick. "Then, just as I fired, the beast leaped for me. +If I hadn't wounded it, it would have had me by the throat sure. But +my shot kind of made it fall back, and it caught me by the trouser leg." + +"Are you sure you are not hurt, lad?" asked the captain. + +"Not hurt in the least," answered Dick, and all were thankful that +this was so. + +The animal was dragged close to the cabin. It measured about five +feet in length, regardless of the tail, and was of a dull yellowish +color. Its teeth were long and sharp, and its face had a fierce, +blood-thirsty look about it that made all the girls shiver. + +"I must confess that I am surprised to find such a beast on these +islands," said Captain Blossom. "Usually they are to be found only +on the mainland or on large islands." + +"What I am wondering is, are there any more around?" came from Sam. + +"If there are, we'll have to be careful how we move around," put in +old Jerry. "I don't want any of 'em to leap out at me from behind a +rock." + +"We'll have to be on the watch," said Tom. "I'm sure I don't want to +furnish any tropical tiger cat with a square meal." + +"Oh, Tom, how awful to even mention it!" cried Nellie. + +"I think I know a way to keep 'em away from the house at night," said +old Jerry. + +"How?" questioned several. + +"Keep a camp-fire burning close to the door. All wild animals hate +a fire." + +"Jerry is right," said Captain Blossom. "We'll do it after this." + +"What shall we do with the beast?" asked Dick. "I don't think it is +good to eat." + +"Save the skin," said Dora. "That will surely make an elegant rug." + +"Leave the carcass until morning," said Captain Blossom. "We must +get some more sleep if we want to go to work to-morrow." + +"To-day, you mean," said Tom, looking at his watch. "It is already +three o'clock." + +A camp-fire was lit and then all but Jerry retired, it being agreed +that the old sailor was to turn in once more when the others arose +for breakfast. All but Dick slept soundly, but even the eldest Rover +was benefited by the additional rest. + +The first work in the morning was to skin the wild beast. This was +rather a difficult task since no one had had any experience, outside +of the Rover boys, on small game. Old Jerry said he would try a steak +cut from the best part of the the animal, but when he did he said it +was too tough to eat. Then the carcass was dragged away and flung +into a hole between the rocks. + +After breakfast, the men and boys began in earnest to place the stores +brought to the beach in the cave. It was hard work getting the boxes +and barrels up the incline to the mouth of the cave, and the work +took until the middle of the afternoon. Once at the entrance, the +stores were speedily shifted to the chamber previously mentioned, +and covered again with the tarpaulin. With the stores were placed a +cask of fresh water, some dry pine torches and a box of matches. +Captain Blossom left a gun and some ammunition in the cave, and the +Rover boys added two pistols and a couple of swords taken from the ship. + +"Now we will re-arrange the entrance to the cave as it was before," +said Dick. "Then the sailors will never suspect what we have done." + +By sunset the work was over and all hands were back at the house, +taking it easy. Supper was ready, but they waited hard an hour, +thinking that Baxter, Lesher, and their party would put in an appearance +at any moment. + +"I reckon they aren't coming just yet," said Captain Blossom, at +length. "Let us wait no longer." + +"I'm willing," said Tom. The extra work had sharpened his appetite +wonderfully. + +The evening passed quietly and soon one after another retired. As +agreed, the camp-fire was left burning, and each took his turn at +remaining on guard. + +In the morning it was Dora who made an announcement that startled +all of them. The girl had taken Captain Blossom's spyglass and was +looking across the bay in the direction of the wreck. + +"There are men on board of the _Golden Wave_" she announced. "I can +see them quite plainly." + +"Men on board of the wreck!" cried Dick. "Are you sure, Dora?" + +"Look for yourself, Dick." + +The youth did so and saw that Dora was right. Half a dozen figures +could be seen walking to and fro. + +"Who are they?" asked Tom. "Lesher and his crowd?" + +"That I can't make out," answered Dick, and handed over the glass to +his brother. + +All could see the men on the wreck, but at such a distance it was +impossible to make out any faces. + +"Maybe they are savages," came from Grace. + +"No, they are dressed like white people," said Captain Blossom.. + +"Perhaps another ship has come in!" ejaculated Tom. "If it has, we +are saved!" + +"I don't see any other ship," said old Jerry. + +"It may be on the other side of yonder island," came from Sam. + +"The best thing we can do is to row over and investigate," said +Captain Blossom. "If another ship has come in, the captain may claim +that wreck and everything on board." + +A hasty breakfast was prepared and eaten, and it was agreed that the +captain, Dick, and old Jerry should row over to the wreck in the best +of the boats. The three were soon on the way, wondering whom they +were to meet and what sort of a reception would be tendered to them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE MATE SHOWS HIS HAND + + +Captain Blossom had taken the spyglass along, and as they drew closer +to the wreck he gazed long and earnestly at the men walking the deck +of the _Golden Wave_. + +"They are my crew," he announced at last. "And they are in tatters." + +"They must have had a hard time of it since you were cast ashore," +said Dick. + +"Unless I am mistaken, not a one of them is sober," went on the +captain. "They are cutting up like a band of wild Indians." + +Before long they were within hailing distance of those on the wreck. +Then a voice from the rail hailed them. + +"Boat ahoy!" + +"Ahoy!" answered the captain. + +"What do you want?" demanded the sailor on the wreck. He could scarcely +talk straight. + +"We want to come on board." + +"Sorry, cap'n, but I can't let you come aboard," answered the sailor, +with something of a hiccough. + +"Can't let me come aboard?" repeated the captain. "Why not?" + +"Cause it's ag'in orders." + +"Whose orders?" + +"Captain Lesher's." + +"Captain Lesher!" ejaculated Captain Blossom indignantly. "How long +has he been a captain?" + +"We made him cap'n yesterday." + +"That's right," put in another sailor. "We 'lected him unan--nan-- +nan'mously; yes, sir, unan--nan--nan'mously." + +"You are drunk, Bostwick." + +"No, sir, aint drunk at all.--Lesher, he's drunk--but he's cap'n +all the same." + +"That's right," put in a third sailor. "Hurrah for Captain Lesher +and the rum he let us have!" + +"Got to keep off, I tell you," went on Bostwick. "If you don't, we +have--er--we have strict orders to fire on you, yes, sir." + +"To fire on us!" cried Dick.--"Do you mean to say you would fire on us?" + +"Now, see here, don't you put in your oar," said a fourth sailor. +"You don't count with us. It's the cap'n that was we're talkin' to." + +"I am captain still," said Captain Blossom firmly. "If you don't want +to obey me, you must leave the ship." + +"Aint going to leave no ship!" was the cry. "She belongs to us. You +keep off!" + +"Yes, yes, keep off!" added the others on the deck. + +"The ship is mine," said the captain. "If you refuse to let me come +on board--" + +At that moment two other figures appeared on deck. + +"Dan Baxter and Jack Lesher!" murmured Dick. + +"Captain Blossom, you had better keep your distance," said Lesher in +a voice that showed he was just getting over a spell of drunkenness. + +"So you too refuse to let me come on board?" + +"I do. The boys have made me their captain, and as such I am bound +to look after their interests. I have told them what you proposed to +do, and they don't intend to stand it." + +"Didn't I tell you we'd get square?" put in Dan Baxter, his evil face +glowing with triumph. "We have all that is on board, and we mean to +keep everything." + +"This is mutiny!" stormed Captain Blossom. + +"Call it what you please," answered Lesher recklessly. "I reckon I +and the boys know what we are doing!" + +"That's right!" cried the half-drunken sailors. "Hurrah for Cap'n +Lesher. He's a man after our own hearts!" + +"Supposing I demand to be let on board?" went on Captain Blossom. + +"Don't ye go, cap'n," whispered old Jerry. "They are in jest a fit +mood to kill ye. The rum has put the Old Nick in 'em." + +"You can't come on board, and that settles it," roared Jack Lesher, +drawing a pistol. "Keep your distance." + +"Yes, keep your distance," added Baxter, and also showed a firearm. + +"This is a fine way to treat us, after what we did for you," said +Dick. "But, wait, Baxter, the end is not yet." + +"Bah! I am not afraid," said the bully. "These men are all my friends, +and we know exactly what we are doing." + +"Do you expect to remain on the wreck?" asked the captain, after a +moment of silence. + +"That is our business," answered Lesher. + +"I think you will find that you are making a great mistake, men, to +follow Lesher when you ought to follow me. I have always treated you +fairly, and--" + +"Hi! none of that!" roared the mate. "We won't listen to it." + +"The men shall listen, if they will. I + +"Say another word and I'll fire!" cried the mate, and pointed his +pistol at Captain Blossom's head. + +"Do-do you mean that?" asked the captain, in as steady a voice as he +could command. + +"Of course he means it," said Dan Baxter. "He isn't a fool. We are +all going to stand by him, too," he added. + +"That's right," came from part of the crew. Dick noticed that a few +of the others looked doubtful. + +"I mean it, and I want you to leave right now," stormed Jack Lesher. +"I'll give you one minute in which to turn your boat around," and he +pulled out his watch. + +"Might as well go back," whispered old Jerry. "You can't reason with +a lot of half-drunken men." + +"Very well, we'll go back," said Captain Blossom loudly. "But, +remember, you haven't seen the end of this affair." + +"And remember another thing," added Dick, in an equally loud voice: +"Don't any of you dare to come anywhere near our house. If you do, +you'll be sorry for it." + +Then the three turned the boat around and rowed slowly back whence +they had come. + +"The rascals!" muttered Captain Blossom, when they were out of hearing. +"Lesher and Baxter have poisoned the minds of the crew against me, +and have bought over the men with liquor." + +"It's a mighty good thing ye put them stores in the cave," came from +old Jerry. "If ye hadn't we'd be a-wantin' a good many things in a +few days." + +"That is true," answered Dick. "Dora told me they must have another +barrel of flour by day after to-morrow." + +"How many at the cave?" + +"Two." + +"Well, it certainly was a good job done," said the captain. "But it +makes me boil to think they want to keep me off my own ship. On the +ocean that would be mutiny, and I could hang every mother's son of +them from the yardarm for it." + +"Lesher must have told 'em some putty strong stories," said old Jerry. +"Otherwise the men wouldn't be so dead set ag'in ye, cap'n." + +"No doubt he made out the strongest possible case." + +"I wonder if they will stick to the wreck all the time," said Dick. +"They'll find it mighty hot when the sun shines." + +"Oh, they'll most likely take some of the things ashore, and set up +a camp nearby, Rover." + +"We'll have to watch them closely." + +"I agree with you. Now we have two kinds of enemies--beasts and men," +and the captain laughed bitterly. + +The others were gathered on the shore awaiting their return, and they +listened attentively to what was told them. + +"Oh, Lesher wanted to be leader, you could see that right off," +declared Tom. "And Baxter will do anything to make it disagreeable +for us boys," he continued. + +"Well, there is one satisfaction," said Nellie. "We haven't Baxter +with us." + +"If only a ship would stop here and take us away!" sighed Dora. To +her it seemed like an age since they had landed on the seven islands. + +"After this we must keep a regular guard," announced Dick. "Unless +we do that, somebody may play us foul when we least expect it." + +Slowly the day wore away. By the aid of the spyglass they could see +the sailors still on the deck of the wreck. Nobody appeared to go ashore. + +That night it fell to Sam's lot to be on guard from nine to ten +o'clock. The camp-fire was left burning brightly, and the youngest +Rover sat near it on a log, a gun in his lap. + +"No wild beast shall surprise me," he told himself, and kept his eyes +on the jungle back of the house. + +His time for guard duty had almost come to an end when a noise down +on the beach attracted his attention. By the faint light he made out +a raft, which had just come in, bearing the figures of two sailors. + +"Stop!" he called out. "Do not come closer at your peril!" + +"Don't shoot!" called back one of the sailors. "Don't shoot! We mean +no harm." + +Sam had backed up toward the house, and now he called to those within. +He was soon joined by Captain Blossom, Dick, and several of the others. + +"Who is it?" asked the captain, as he came forth, pistol in hand. + +"Two of the sailors from the wreck, I think." + +"Don't shoot us, captain," called one of the men. "We are unarmed +and want to talk with you." + +"They are Gibson and Marny," said Captain Blossom. "They were generally +pretty good sort of fellows. I reckon we have nothing to fear from them." + +"Are you alone?" called out Dick. + +"Yes." + +"Then come up to the fire. But mind, no treachery." + +"We don't wonder at your being on guard," said the sailor named +Gibson, a tall, thin Yankee. "The others treated you like so many dogs." + +"We have deserted Lesher," put in Marny. "We came over here on the +raft to see if you wouldn't take us in." + +"Were you alone?" asked Captain Blossom. + +"No, we had Hackenhaven with us. But he fell overboard just after we +left the wreck, and the sharks caught him," answered Gibson, with a +bitter shake of his face. + +"What did Lesher say to your leaving?" asked Tom. + +"He didn't know it until after we were a hundred yards or more from +the wreck. You see, he and the others were drinking in the cabin, so +we got away without much trouble," answered Marny. "They might have +shot at us, but it was too dark for them. We had a hard pull to get +over here, and when poor Hackenhaven was gobbled up both of us felt +bad, I can tell you." + +It was now seen that both sailors were almost exhausted, and Captain +Blossom allowed them to rest, while Dick prepared a pot of coffee. +While they were drinking, Gibson told them the particulars of how +the mate had made himself leader of the sailors now left on the wreck. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE BURNING OF THE WRECK + + +"When Lesher and Baxter got back to where they left us they were very +bitter against you," began Gibson. "They told us that you had tried +to make them work like niggers, fixing up this house. They said that +they wanted to come right back and bring us here, but you wouldn't +let them go until the house was finished." + +"Which is not true, as all of us here know," said Captain Blossom. + +"Lesher also said that you were angry at us for leaving the ship +before the rest, and that you had said you would have us all tried +for mutiny the first chance you got. Baxter said the same, and also +told us that you were going to dump all the rum and other liquor into +the ocean, so that the mate and none of the others could get a drop +of it while they stayed on the islands." + +"I didn't say that, but I did say that Lesher Shouldn't have all he +wanted," replied the captain. + +"This sort of talk made most of the sailors wild," went on Gibson. +"Then Lesher made a speech to them, and they voted to stick by him +through thick and thin and not let you rule them. He promised them +all the liquor they wanted, and told them that if they stuck by him +the whole lot could swear in court that they had found the wreck +deserted, so that they could get whatever was coming in the way of +salvage. Then he handed around some liquor he had brought along, and +some pistols, and most of them said they would stick to him, as I +said before." + +"What about going directly to the wreck?" asked Tom. + +"That was Baxter's idea, and it wasn't thought of until we were on +our way to this spot. Baxter said that if we captured the ship we +would have you at our mercy, for sooner or later your provisions +would run out, and you'd be begging for something to eat." + +"The scoundrel!" cried Dick. "So he thought to starve us into +submission, eh? Well, he shan't do it." + +"I said I didn't think it would be fair on the young ladies," continued +Gibson. "But he told me he'd take care of the girls after he had +brought you to your knees." + +"He'll never take care of me!" cried Dora. + +"Nor me!" came from Nellie. + +"I'd rather die than leave this place in Dan Baxter's company," added +Grace. + +"Captain, I want you to understand that Gibson and I didn't agree +to what they wanted to do," came from Marny. "But we were overruled, +and we had to hold our tongues for fear of being knocked down or shot." + +"Do you want to join our crowd?" asked Dick bluntly. + +"We do, and if you'll take us in we'll promise to stand by you to +the end, no matter what comes. We know they've got the best of +it--having the ship's stores--but we don't care for that. They are +a drunken, good-for-nothing crowd, and we are done with them." + +"All right, men, I think we can trust you," said Captain Blossom. +"It's a pity that Hackenhaven was lost overboard and eat up by the +sharks. We could rather have spared Lesher." + +"Or Dan Baxter," observed Tom. + +"With three gone they have but eight men left on the wreck," said +Sam. "And we now number seven men and three ladies. If we stand our +ground, I can't see as we have much to fear from them." + +"It will be all right so long as they keep their distance," said +Captain Blossom. "But if they come over here in a body when they are +half full of drink, there is sure to be a row and probably some +shooting. Still, we needn't try to meet trouble halfway." + +The sailors gave some more of the details of their doings while in +Lesher's company, and then they were provided with additional clothing, +and each was given a pistol and some ammunition. Nothing was said to +them about the cave or the provisions stored there, Captain Blossom +deeming it best to wait and make sure if they were to be thoroughly +trusted. + +"You see," said he, "they may be straight enough, or they may be +spies sent by Lesher to find out just what we propose to do." + +"They look honest," said Dick. "I should trust them." + +The long pull on the bay had worn the two sailors out, and they were +soon sleeping soundly. The girls followed, and then the boys started +to turn in. + +Sam had just gone to rest, and Tom was following, when Dick, who had +stepped out on the beach, uttered a cry. + +"What's up?" asked Captain Blossom. + +"Look toward the wreck. What does that light mean?" + +The captain looked, and then ran for his spy-glass. + +"The _Golden Wave_ is afire!" he exclaimed. "That light is coming up +out of the cabin!" + +"The wreck is on fire!" shouted Tom, and this cry brought everybody +out once more. + +With remarkable rapidity the light grew brighter, until the heavens +and the entire bay were lit up by the conflagration. There was a +strong wind blowing, which carried the sparks to the jungle back of +the ship. Listening intently, they could occasionally hear the roaring +and crackling of the flames. + +"The ship is doomed, that is certain," said Sam. "I wonder if all +who were on board escaped?" + +"The fire has caught in the brushwood on the shore," announced Captain +Blossom, who had continued to use the spyglass. + +"Can you see any of the men moving around?" questioned Dora. + +"I thought I saw one or two, but I am not certain. Most of the men +must have escaped, but if they were drunk, as Gibson says, perhaps +some have been caught like rats in a trap." + +The flames continued to roar upward, and toward the island back of +the ship, for over an hour. During that time they heard two dull +explosions, caused by some barrels of chemicals catching fire. The +second explosion sent the bits of burning wood and rigging flying in +all directions. + +"That will leave the mutineers without a home and without stores," +said old Jerry. "They're in a poor fix now." + +"I'd like to know how the fire started," said the captain. "Can you +explain it?" he went on, to Gibson and Marny. + +"I've got an idea," said Marny. "Just before we came away old man +Shular went down in the hold with a light to look for some certain +brand of liquor we were carrying. He was more than half drunk, and +he most likely dropped his lantern and set something on fire." + +At the end of an hour and a half the flames had died down to the +water's edge. A few small bits of wreckage continued to burn, and +also a grove of trees and brushwood on the island. But before morning +every bit of the fire was out, and only a heavy smoke showed where +the _Golden Wave_ had once rested. + +No one had thought of retiring again, and sunrise found them all worn +out, and anxious to know what was going to happen next. + +"You can rest assured that some of them will be over here sooner or +later," said Dick. "Now they have no place to shelter them, and no +provisions, they will want us to help them out." + +"What will you do, Dick?" asked Dora. + +"That depends on Captain Blossom, Dora. Personally I want nothing to +do with any of them." + +"But some may be badly burnt, and they may need medicine and bandages," +came from Nellie. + +"We can send them whatever we can spare," said Tom. "But I object +strongly to letting anybody come here." + +It was decided to remain on guard during the day, and all were +cautioned to keep within call of the house. The bay was scanned for +the sight of a rowboat, but none put in an appearance. + +"I'll wager that those who did escape are sorry they quarreled with +us," said Sam. + +"Especially Dan Baxter," answered Grace. "He'll find that living out +in the woods isn't so pleasant as it looks." + +By nightfall all grew anxious, and sat in front of the house to +discuss the situation. + +"It can't be possible that all on board were burnt up," said Dick. +"That would be horrible." + +"Oh, some must have escaped," answered Captain Blossom. "But they +may be suffering from burns, or they may have no means of getting +here. With the ship burnt up, and all the tools gone, it would be no +easy matter to build even the roughest kind of a raft." + +"What do you think about some of us rowing over to what is left of +the wreck?" asked Sam. + +"I was thinking of that. But, if we do that, we had better wait until +to-morrow morning. You can't see much in the dark." + +"If I thought anybody was dying for the want of aid, I'd go over," +said Tom. "We all know what brutes Lesher and Baxter are. They wouldn't +hesitate to go off and leave some of the others to die where they +had fallen." + +"I think Tom is right, and some of us ought to go over," said Dick. + +"I'm willing to go," announced old Jerry. "We can move around like +cats in the dark, so they won't know we are near until we tell 'em." + +"You might take some medicines along, and some bandages," said Nellie. + +"Take a bottle of sweet oil and some flour," put in Grace. "They are +both good for burns." + +The matter was talked over until midnight, and then it was settled +that Dick, Tom, and old Jerry should take the largest rowboat and +some bandages and medicines and row over to the vicinity of the fire. +They were to land on the beach below what was left of the wreck and +crawl through the bushes on a tour of discovery. If they found that +they were not absolutely needed, they were to return without making +their presence known to the mutineers and Dan Baxter. + +The two boys and the old sailor were soon on the way. Care had been +taken to wrap cloth around the oars where they slipped in the row-locks, +so that the boat moved through the water, as noiselessly as a shadow. + +Once out in the bay the boys and old Jerry, pulled with a will, and +in less than half an hour the beach north of what was left of the +wreck was gained. They approached with great caution. + +"Do you see or hear anything?" whispered Tom. + +"No," answered Dick, and then the rowboat grated on the sand, and +all leaped ashore. + +With their medicines and bandages in their pockets, and pistols in +hand, they commenced to crawl through the bushes. Before long they +came to a point from which they could look toward the wreck. All was +dark and deserted and the air was filled with the smell of burnt +wood and water. + +"I don't see anybody, do you?" whispered Dick. + +"Nary a soul in sight," answered old Jerry. + +With equal care they moved around to the other side of the wreck, +over a mass of burnt brushwood. + +"Hark!" said Tom. + +They listened, and, from a distance, made out a faint groan. + +"That is somebody, and in great pain," said Dick. "Come on," and he +led the way. + +Around a pile of rocks they found a sailor. He was propped up against +a tree, and was suffering from some burns on his legs and feet. + +"Bostwick!" said old Jerry. + +"Oh! oh! Help me!" groaned Bostwick piteously. "Give me a drink of +water!" + +"Where are the others?" asked Dick. + +"Gone! They left me to take care of myself. Oh, the wretches! Please +help me; won't you, for the love of Heaven!" + +"Yes, we will help you," answered Tom. + +"You are certain they have all gone?" went on Dick, as he got out +some oil and bandages, while Tom ran for water. + +"Yes, yes!" + +"Where did they go?" + +"They went--oh, my legs and feet! How they smart! They went to +the--the--house! Lesher said you must have set the ship on fire, and +Baxter said the same. They--oh, what a pain! Please be careful!" +Bostwick gulped down the water Tom gave him. "That is good." + +"What did they say, Bostwick?" asked Dick, as he continued to work +over the hurt man. + +"They said they were going to pay you back. They all went armed; that +is, all but me and Shular. Shular was burnt up. They said they were +going to shoot you down on sight, and then run the house to suit +themselves. I said--oh, the pain. I--I--how weak I am!" + +And with those words the burnt sailor fell back in a dead faint. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +THE DEFENSE OF THE CAVE--SAVED! + + +"He has fainted, poor fellow!" said Dick, as he bent over the +unconscious form of Bostwick. + +"We ought to git back to the house at once!" put in old Jerry. "We +must warn the cap'n and the others of what Lesher and his crowd intend +to do." + +"That is true, but we can't leave this poor chap here. He might die +for the want of care," came from Tom. + +"We'll take him along," said Dick. "Come, lift him up." + +As carefully as they could they lifted the unconscious form up and +bore it to where the rowboat was lying. Soon all were on board, and +while Tom did his best to revive Bostwick, Dick and old Jerry bent +their back to the oars, pulling as they had seldom pulled before. + +The beach in front of the house was almost gained when they heard a +shot ring out, followed by several others. + +"Just as I feared!" groaned Dick. "Lesher and the others have begun +the attack!" + +"Then we'll have to be careful how we land," said old Jerry. "If we +aint, we may run right into 'em!" + +There was no moon, but the stars shone brightly, so the beach line +was dimly visible in the distance. Standing up in the bow, Tom saw +a flash of fire from the jungle below the house, and heard the crack +of a firearm. Then he saw some dark forms running along the beach. + +"Our party is making for the cave!" he cried. "We had better turn in +that direction." + +Several other shots followed, but they could not tell if anybody was +hit. In the distance several rum-crazed sailors were yelling like so +many Indians. + +Bostwick came to his senses just as the sand was reached. + +"Whe--where am I?" he asked feebly. "Oh, my feet!" + +"We have brought you with us, Bostwick," answered Dick. "Keep still, +and we will do what we can for you." + +As soon as possible they took the hurt man up, and all started for +the entrance to the cave. + +"Who goes there?" cried a voice out of the darkness. + +"Is that you, Sam?" called back Dick. + +"Dick! I am glad you are back. They attacked the house, and we are +going to the cave to--" + +"Yes, we know all about it, Sam. We have brought one of the sailors +along. He is badly, burnt. Are the girls safe?" + +"I guess so. We told them to go ahead," answered Sam. + +Carrying Bostwick between them, Dick and old Jerry soon reached the +cave, where they found the three girls standing in a group, each full +of dread over what was occurring. Hardly had they gotten inside when +Captain Blossom came up on a run, accompanied by Gibson and Marny. + +"Back, are you?" he said. "I am glad to see it. But it may put you +in a tight hole. Hullo, so you've got Bostwick with you, eh? Everybody +get into the cave, just as quick as you can." + +Once inside of the cave Captain Blossom commanded everybody to he +silent. The hurt sailor was carried to the inner chamber, where a +lantern was lit, for it would be impossible to see this light from +outside. Then the girls set to work to make Bostwick comfortable. + +"Has anybody been shot?" asked Tom. + +"I got a bullet scratch on the arm," answered the captain. "And Marny +got a few buck-shot in his shoulder. But neither of the hurts amount +to anything." + +"What do you think the mutineers will do next?" + +"Ransack the house first," said Sam. "Oh, but they are a bad crowd! +They came on like a lot of demons." + +"Of course Baxter was with them." + +"Yes, but he kept in the background, for fear, I suppose, of being shot." + +With caution one after another left the mouth of the cave to look in +the direction of the house. No one outside of their own party was +visible. + +Suddenly a glare lit up the scene, growing brighter each instant. + +"By the great boots!" ejaculated Captain Blossom. "They have set the +house on fire!" + +"That shows how crazy they are," declared Dick. "In their rage they +are liable to do anything. Ten to one they get to fighting between +themselves before this is over." + +The house, being built of semi-green logs, burnt slowly. As it was +consumed, they heard some of the sailors singing and yelling, and +heard several pistol shots and a scream of pain. + +"Some of them are coming now!" announced Sam, half an hour later. + +"Everybody get back out of sight," cried Captain Blossom. + +There was a wild scramble, and in the rush Tom tripped and fell. His +foot struck a stone, which went rolling down to the mutineers' feet. + +"Hi! hi! there they are!" came in a rough, thick voice. + +"Where?" roared back the voice of Jack Lesher. + +"Up there, among the rocks and bushes." + +"Let's go after 'em!" + +"Shoot 'em down, boys! They deserve it for burning up the ship!" + +Up the rocks came the hard-drunken sailors, accompanied by Lesher, +and with Dan Baxter in their rear. + +"Back! back! All of you, stand back!" cried Captain Blossom. "Come +a step nearer at your peril. We are all armed and ready to fire!" + +At these words the sailors halted for a moment. + +"Say, cap'n, why did you set the ship afire?" asked an unsteady voice. + +"We had nothing to do with that," answered Captain Blossom. "We were +all over on this island when the blaze started." + +"It's a lie!" came in the voice of Lesher. + +"Of course it's a lie," added Dan Baxter. "They did their best to +burn every one of us up. + +"It is the truth," cried Dick. "Now stand back, or we shall fire on you." + +"Come on!" yelled Lesher, and fired a pistol at those near the mouth +of the cave. + +"If ever I get the chance to have you tried, every one of you shall +be hung for mutiny and murder!" cried Captain Blossom, and then fired +in return. + +The bullet hit Dan Baxter in the arm, and he fell back with a shriek +of pain. + +"I am killed! I am killed!" he moaned, and ran down toward the beach. + +Then came a volley from the mutineers, followed by one from those in +the cave. + +"Oh, what a close 'shave!" muttered Tom. A bullet had grazed his ear, +cutting away one of his curly locks. + +Lesher was wounded in the shoulder, and in a moment more of the +mutineers ran off, feeling that they were at a disadvantage. + +"They can see us out in the open, while we can't see them for the +rocks and bushes," said one sailor. "Let us wait till morning "; and +so it was decided. + +Inside of the cave a council of war was held, and it was decided to +block up the entrance fronting the bay with large rocks, leaving only +two loopholes open, for watching and for possible shooting. + +All of the wounded ones were cared for, and then a watch was set. In +the meantime Bostwick was put at ease, and he told the particulars +of what happened on the burning wreck, and how Lesher and Baxter had +urged the mutineers to attack those at the house. + +The remainder of the night wore away slowly. Nothing more was seen +of the mutineers, who had retired to the jungle, drank more liquor, +and gone to sleep, Baxter with them, moaning and groaning over his +wound. + +"I am going to take a look around," said Tom, early in the morning. + +"A look around where?" asked Dick. + +"From where we have the signal of distress. I don't believe any of +the mutineers are in that vicinity." + +"I'll go with you," put in Sam, and so it was decided. + +It was an easy matter for the two boys to make their way to the gully +entrance, and with great caution they climbed out of the opening and +walked to where the flag of distress floated in the breeze. Not a +sight of the mutineers or Dan Baxter was to be had in any direction. + +"They are either sleeping, or else they are afraid we'll shoot at +them if they show themselves," said Tom. And he added: "I am going +to climb the tree and take a look around." + +"Be careful," cautioned Sam; nevertheless, he went up the tall tree +with his brother. + +Once in the tree, directly under the flag, they took a careful look +around the island and then out to sea. + +"My gracious, Sam, look!" screamed Tom suddenly, and pointed out to +the ocean. + +"A ship! A ship!" ejaculated Sam. + +"Yes, and do you see what kind of a ship it is? A warship, and an +American warship at that!" + +"Hurrah, Tom; we are saved!" + +"Yes! yes! They are sailing this way. Our flag of distress has been +seen! Hurrah!" + +"We must tell the others right away." + +Both slid down the tree with all haste. As they reached the bottom +a gun boomed out across the waves. + +"That is to let us know that our signal has been seen," said Tom. +"Won't the others be delighted when they know a ship, an American +ship at that, is so close at hand!" + +As quickly as they could they reentered the cave and ran to where +they had left the others. + +The good news spread like lightning. + +"A ship! an American warship is coming!" was the cry. + +"Oh, how thankful I am," came from Dora. + +"What shall we do next?" asked Nellie, with tears of joy streaming +down her cheeks. + +"We'll go to the shore and meet the small boat that is sent in," +answered Captain Blossom. + +Without delay he set out, accompanied by Dick and old Jerry, leaving +the others to defend the cave during his absence. + +It was nearly two hours before he returned. + +"The ship is the cruiser _Jefferson_," he said. "She is bound for +Honolulu, to await orders. The captain says he will take us on board +willingly, and he will do what he can to help us bring those other +fellows to justice." + +"Hurrah!" cried Tom. "If that is so, then our troubles as castaways +are over." + +"And we are not sorry," said Grace. "Not a bit sorry." + +And all of the others agreed with her. + + + +A few words more and I will bring to a close this story of the Rover +boys' adventures on land and sea. + +The captain of the warship was true to his word, and before nightfall +all who had been in the cave were safe on board of the Jefferson. +Those who were wounded or hurt were given the best of medical attention, +and everybody was made comfortable. + +"What attracted me to the islands was the bright reflection in the +sky when the wreck was burnt," said the captain of the cruiser. "I +thought perhaps that a volcano had become active. But at daybreak we +saw nothing unusual, and were about to turn away when the lookout +discovered your flag of distress." + +"What will you do about the mutineers and Dan Baxter?" asked Dick. + +"We'll bring them to justice, if we can, lad." + +When a visit was paid to the burnt house nobody was in sight. But +in the woods nearby a wounded sailor was discovered. He was badly +hurt, and, though given every care, died two days later while on +shipboard. + +"You'll have a job finding Lesher, Baxter, and the others," he said, +when being attended. "They said they wouldn't give in to anybody, +and when they learned the warship was here they rowed away in a boat +for one of the other islands, They'll hide away until after you are +gone." + +"If that's the case, let them stay here," said Captain Blossom. "It +will be punishment enough for them to live here without any stores." + +"They may find those at the cave," said Tom. + +"Even so, those stores won't last forever," said Dick. "Yes, they +will be punished enough, for there is no telling when another ship +will stop here and take them away." + +"More than likely they'll have to remain here a year or two," said +Captain Blossom. + +Everything of value was taken to the warship, and twenty-four hours +later the Jefferson steamed away on her journey to the Hawaiian Islands. + +"How glad mother will be to learn that I am safe!" said Dora to Dick. + +"It will be good news to all of our folks," answered Dick. "They will +welcome us as from the grave." + +"I hope we can get a steamer directly from Honolulu to San Francisco," +said Tom. "Our little vacation has proved unusually long." + +"Do you think that we will ever see Dan Baxter again?" questioned Sam. + +"I hardly think so," said Dick. "After what has happened he will not +dare to show his face again." But Dan Baxter did show himself, and +what he did to harm the Rover boys in the future will be told in +another volume of this series, entitled "The Rover Boys in Camp; or The +Rivals of Pine Island," in which we shall meet many of our old friends +again. It may be as well to mention here that Baxter and two sailors +escaped from the seven islands just one week after our friends left it. +The others, including Jack Lesher, lost their lives while in a quarrel +over the last bottle of rum which the mate had brought with him from +the burning wreck. Their taking off was an awful example of the evils +of intemperance. + +It was soon seen that Bostwick was not seriously burnt, and before +the trip to Honolulu was over he was able to sit up and to walk a +little. The wounds of those who had been shot proved slight. + +"We are well out of that adventure," said Tom one evening, as the +Rover boys and the girls sat on the deck in the starlight. "And I +don't know as I want to go through anything like it again." + +"All I am thinking of is home, sweet home," said Sam. + +"Just what was in my mind," answered Dick. "How father and Uncle +Randolph and Aunt Martha will welcome us!" + +"Let us sing," put in Dora, and in a moment more all were singing +the first verse of "Home, Sweet Home"; and here let us bid them +good-by. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rover Boys on Land and Sea +by Arthur M. 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