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diff --git a/30950-h/30950-h.htm b/30950-h/30950-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cad0355 --- /dev/null +++ b/30950-h/30950-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8329 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" > +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<meta name="generator" content="eppg.py 0.37 (19-Dec-2009)" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave by Ross Kay</title> +<style type="text/css"> +body {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%;} +p {margin-top:1ex; margin-bottom:0; text-indent:0; text-align:justify;} +p + p {margin-top:0; text-indent:1em;} + +h1,h2 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal;} +h1 {font-size:1.6em; margin-top:4ex; margin-bottom:2ex;} +h2 {font-size:1.4em; margin-top:4ex; margin-bottom:2ex;} + +a {text-decoration:none;} +div.toc a {text-decoration:underline;} +div.loi a {text-decoration:underline;} + +p.center {text-align:center; text-indent:0em;} +p.caption {font-size:smaller;} + +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; clear:both;} +td.tcol1 {text-align:right; padding-right:2ex; vertical-align:top;} +td.tcol2 {text-align:left; padding-right:10ex; vertical-align:top;font-variant:small-caps;} +td.tcol3 {text-align:right; vertical-align:bottom;} + +div.figcenter {text-align:center; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em;} +div.figcenter p {text-align:center;} + +div.bquote {font-size:1.0em; margin:5px 5%;} +div.bquote p {text-indent:0em; margin-bottom:4px; margin-top:4px;} + +div.titlepage {margin-bottom:4px; margin-top:4px;} +div.titlepage p {text-indent:0em; text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + +.tar {text-align:right;} +.tac {margin-left: auto; margin-right:auto; text-align:center;} + +.fss {font-size:smaller;} +.fsl {font-size:larger;} +.fs12 {font-size:1.2em;} +.fs14 {font-size:1.4em;} +.fs18 {font-size:1.8em;} +.mt05 {margin-top:5px;} +.mt20 {margin-top:20px;} +.mt30 {margin-top:30px;} +.mb05 {margin-bottom:5px;} +.mb10 {margin-bottom:10px;} +.mb30 {margin-bottom:30px;} +.mb60 {margin-bottom:60px;} +.mb120 {margin-bottom:120px;} + +.italic {font-style:italic;} +.bold {font-weight:bold;} +.sc {font-variant:small-caps;} + +hr.tb {border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; height: 1px; width: 60%; text-align: center; margin: 15px 20%;} +hr.b10 {border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; height: 1px; width: 10%; text-align: center; margin: 15px 45%;} + +hr.pb {margin:30px 0; width:100%; border:none; border-top:thin dashed silver;} +@media handheld { +hr.pb {border:none; page-break-after:always; margin-top:4em;} +} + +.footnote {font-size: 90%; } +.footnote .label {float:left; text-align:left; width:2em;} +.footnote a {text-decoration:none;} +.fnanchor {font-size: 80%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: 0.25em;} +div.footnote p {margin-bottom:1ex;} +hr.fn {border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; height: 1px; width: 10ex; text-align: left; margin: 10px auto 10px 0;} + +hr.tb10 {border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; height:1px; width:20%; text-align:center; margin:5px 40%;} + +div.adpage {} +div.adpage p {text-indent:0} +div.adpage p.ti2 {text-indent:2ex;} +div.adpage .fwb {font-weight: bold;} +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave, by Ross Kay + +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 Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave + +Author: Ross Kay + +Release Date: January 13, 2010 [EBook #30950] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GO AHEAD BOYS AND TREASURE CAVE *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank, D Alexander and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class='titlepage'> +<p class='mt30 fs18'>THE GO AHEAD BOYS</p> + +<p class='fs14'>AND</p> + +<p class='fs18 mb60'>THE TREASURE CAVE</p> + +<p>BY</p> + +<p class='fs12'>ROSS KAY</p> + +<p class='fss mb120'>Author of “Dodging the North Sea Mines,” “With Joffre on<br /> +the Battle Line,” “The Air Scout,” “The Go Ahead<br /> +Boys on Smugglers’ Island,” etc., etc.</p> + +<div style='margin:40px auto; text-align:center;'> + <img alt='emblem' src='images/i001.jpg' /> +</div> +</div> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='titlepage'> +<p class='fss'>Copyright, 1916<br /> +by<br /> +BARSE & HOPKINS</p> +</div> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='tac fsl'>PREFACE</p> + +<p>The love of adventure is inborn in all normal boys. Action is almost a +supreme demand in the stories they read with most pleasure. Recognizing this +primary demand, in this tale I have endeavored to keep in mind this requisite +and at the same time to avoid sensational appeals. The unusual is not always the +improbable. The Go Ahead Boys are striving to be active without being unduly +precocious or preternaturally endowed.</p> + +<p class='tar'>R<span class='fss'>OSS</span> K<span class='fss'>AY</span>.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<table summary='TOC'> +<tr><td colspan='3' class='tac fsl'>TABLE OF CONTENTS</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1 fss'>CHAPTER</td><td></td><td class='tcol3 fss'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_1'>I</a></td><td class='tcol2'>The Voyage Is Begun</td><td class='tcol3'>11</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_2'>II</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Plucky Feat</td><td class='tcol3'>20</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_3'>III</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Superstitious Cook</td><td class='tcol3'>29</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_4'>IV</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Code</td><td class='tcol3'>37</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_5'>V</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Tropical Storm</td><td class='tcol3'>46</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_6'>VI</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Adrift</td><td class='tcol3'>54</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_7'>VII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Desperate Struggle</td><td class='tcol3'>64</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_8'>VIII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Sorry Plight</td><td class='tcol3'>71</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_9'>IX</a></td><td class='tcol2'>In Search of Land</td><td class='tcol3'>81</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_10'>X</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Ashore</td><td class='tcol3'>89</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_11'>XI</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Serious Mishap</td><td class='tcol3'>98</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_12'>XII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A New Home</td><td class='tcol3'>107</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_13'>XIII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>An Iron Chest</td><td class='tcol3'>116</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_14'>XIV</a></td><td class='tcol2'>An Odd Discovery</td><td class='tcol3'>124</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_15'>XV</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Sam Remembers Something</td><td class='tcol3'>133</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_16'>XVI</a></td><td class='tcol2'>The Riddle</td><td class='tcol3'>143</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_17'>XVII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Underground Work</td><td class='tcol3'>151</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_18'>XVIII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>In the Water</td><td class='tcol3'>159</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_19'>XIX</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Shark</td><td class='tcol3'>167</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_20'>XX</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Talking It Over</td><td class='tcol3'>176</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_21'>XXI</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A New Member</td><td class='tcol3'>184</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_22'>XXII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>A Clue</td><td class='tcol3'>193</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_23'>XXIII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Progress</td><td class='tcol3'>201</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_24'>XXIV</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Solved</td><td class='tcol3'>211</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_25'>XXV</a></td><td class='tcol2'>On the Beach</td><td class='tcol3'>220</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_26'>XXVI</a></td><td class='tcol2'>The Spot Is Marked</td><td class='tcol3'>230</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'><a href='#link_27'>XXVII</a></td><td class='tcol2'>Conclusion</td><td class='tcol3'>240</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h1>THE GO AHEAD BOYS AND THE TREASURE CAVE</h1> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_1'></a>CHAPTER I<br /><span class='fss'>THE VOYAGE IS BEGUN</span></h2> +<p>“A-a-ll ha-a-ands! Up anchor! A-ho-oy!”</p> +<p>Instantly all was bustle and action on board the brig +<i>Josephine</i>. The sailors ran hither and thither, the sails were +loosed and the yards braced. The clanking of the windlass soon told +that the anchor was being raised.</p> + +<p>“Whew! I never saw so much excitement and hurry in all my +life,” exclaimed a boy, who with three companions stood on the +deck of the brig and looked on at these activities without actually +taking part in them themselves. The speaker was Fred Button. He was a +tiny little fellow, known affectionately among his friends as Stub, or +Peewee or Pygmy. This last name was frequently shortened into Pyg, much +to Fred’s disgust, though he had learned better than to lose his +temper because of teasing or little things that did not just suit him. +He had given up such foolishness long ago.</p> + +<p>With his three companions he had embarked on the <i>Josephine</i> +for a voyage to Buenos Aires in South America. The lure of the sea had +attracted these four boys and the desire to see something of foreign +lands had spurred them on. They were on board in the capacity of +passengers though it was also their desire to help the crew in whatever +way they were able.</p> + +<p>Standing beside Fred Button was John Clemens, a boy who was as +unusually tall as Fred was short. He was extremely thin, however, and +with his six feet three inches of height he looked like a string, +according to his friends. In fact that was what they usually called +him.</p> + +<p>Next to him was Grant Jones. Grant was about eighteen, the same age +as the other three boys though he was their leader in a great many +ways. No matter what he attempted he always did it well. In school work +he usually led his class and on the athletic field he far outshone the +others. His talents had won him the nickname of Socrates which, +however, was usually shortened to Soc. “Old Soc Jones” was +always a favorite.</p> + +<p>The fourth member of the group was George Washington Sanders. He was +always good natured and his witty remarks had made him intensely +popular with all who knew him. In honor of the name he bore he +sometimes had been referred to as the father of his country, which +appellation, however, had finally been corrupted to Pop.</p> + +<p>“It certainly is busy around here, isn’t it?” +exclaimed Grant Jones in response to Fred Button’s remarks +previously referred to.</p> + +<p>“And it’s all mystery to me,” added John Clemens. +“These orders being shouted and the strange things the men are +doing are getting me bewildered.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve been standing here expecting some one of the +sailors to mistake you for a mast and hang a sail on you any minute, +String,” said Pop Sanders slyly, at the same time nudging Fred +Button.</p> + +<p>“Is that so?” exclaimed John Clemens quickly. “At +any rate, I’d rather be the shape of a mast than a bag of +ballast.”</p> + +<p>“That’s the way, String,” said Grant Jones +encouragingly. “Don’t let him get the better of +you.”</p> + +<p>“He never has and he never will,” said John +complacently.</p> + +<p>“Stop arguing,” exclaimed Fred Button, “and tell +me what kind of a boat this is that we are on.”</p> + +<p>“It’s a sailing boat,” said Pop Sanders. +“Did you think it was a steamer?”</p> + +<p>“I mean what kind of a sailing boat is it. Is it a schooner or +a bark, or what?”</p> + +<p>“It’s a brig,” said Socrates Jones. “You can +always tell a brig from the way she is rigged. She has two masts and is +square rigged.”</p> + +<p>“I thought that was a brigantine,” protested Fred.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Grant. “A brigantine is very much the +same though. She has two masts and is square rigged on the foremast, +but schooner rigged on the other.”</p> + +<p>“Which is called the mainmast,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“Quite right,” agreed Grant. “I’ll make a +sailor of you yet.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Josephine</i> was now sliding through the waters of New York +Bay. The Statue of Liberty was just ahead on her right (or rather her +starboard side) while on the port side was Governor’s Island, +with its old fort and parade ground plainly to be seen. Two big ocean +liners loomed up a short distance away. One was just completing her +voyage from Europe while the other was only starting. Saucy little tugs +rushed hither and thither. Ferryboats passed, bearing their precious +burdens of human freight. Great barges loaded to the water’s edge +were towed slowly along. Ahead could be seen many steamers lying at +anchor in the lower bay off the quarantine station, while now and again +a sailing vessel similar to the one on which the Go Ahead boys were +embarked could also be seen. They were not very numerous, however.</p> + +<p>“Well, what do you think of it, boys?” demanded a bluff, +hearty voice behind them. It was Captain Roger Dodge, the commander of +the <i>Josephine</i>, who spoke to them. His face was bronzed by the +sun and wind and his drooping mustache was faded to a straw color. His +gray eyes were the features that struck any one who observed him +closely, however. A merry twinkle could be seen in them, but at the +same time their expression denoted that their owner was a man who would +never be afraid of anything on land or sea.</p> + +<p>“We think it’s fine,” exclaimed Fred Button +speaking for the others.</p> + +<p>“It’s a wonderful harbor all right,” said Captain +Dodge. “I think it’s just about the finest in the world and +I’ve seen most of them too.”</p> + +<p>“What one do you like next to this, captain?” inquired +Grant. Old Soc Jones was always eager to learn something.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the captain slowly, “I guess the +harbor at Sydney, Australia, next to this. Still San Francisco has a +wonderful harbor, too. That golden gate out there is a sight worth +seeing.”</p> + +<p>“I wish I could see it,” said Grant, wistfully. +“Some day I hope to do it, too. Still, there are so many +wonderful places in the world it’s hard to say which ones +you’d rather see first.”</p> + +<p>“That’s very true,” agreed the captain. +“I’ve seen a good many, but I always want to see more. +I’ve knocked around the world so long that I don’t believe +I could settle down and be happy now. I guess I’ve got the +wanderlust all right.”</p> + +<p>“It’s easy to get,” exclaimed Pop Sanders, serious +for once. “We’ve all got it ourselves.”</p> + +<p>“How long have you been a sailor, captain?” asked John +Clemens.</p> + +<p>“Thirty years. I started in as a cabin boy when I was fourteen +years old and I’ve been at it ever since.”</p> + +<p>“You ought to know about all there is to know about it, I +should think,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“Without boasting at all, I can safely say that I do know a +lot about the business,” said Captain Dodge, smilingly. +“I’ve done about all there is to do on a ship, I +guess.”</p> + +<p>“And you’ve had some wonderful experiences,” +suggested Grant.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I have,” said the captain smilingly.</p> + +<p>“Will you tell us about them sometime?”</p> + +<p>“I should be glad to,” said the captain readily. +“Not now, though, for, as you can see, I am pretty busy,” +and the bluff sailor hurried away, shouting orders to his men, who all +seemed to like him and take delight in carrying out his commands as +quickly as possible.</p> + +<p>“Captain Dodge isn’t much like the sea captains we used +to read about in the old story books, is he?” remarked Grant +Jones.</p> + +<p>“Why not?” demanded Pop Sanders. “He certainly +looks like a sailor.”</p> + +<p>“I know that,” agreed Grant, “but I meant the kind +of a man the crew all hated and feared and who used to give them the +rope’s end every time they did anything he didn’t +like.”</p> + +<p>“That day has passed, I guess,” laughed John Clemens. +“Perhaps it’s lucky for us, too, for we might get it +ourselves.”</p> + +<p>“Any one would have to be a pretty good shot to hit you with +anything, String,” said Pop Sanders teasingly.</p> + +<p>“Huh,” snorted John, but he made no other reply.</p> + +<p>At this moment Captain Dodge approached.</p> + +<p>“We’ve got to anchor, boys,” he said. “The +wind is dead ahead of us here in the narrows and I think I’ll +wait till it shifts.”</p> + +<p>“We might all go to Coney Island then,” exclaimed Fred +Button eagerly.</p> + +<p>“And the wind might change almost any minute and we’d +sail off and leave you behind,” laughed Captain Dodge. +“Coney Island is just around that point, though, and you could +row there in a little while.”</p> + +<p>“I guess we’ll stay aboard if you’re thinking of +leaving us,” said Fred. “I’d rather go to Buenos +Aires than Coney Island.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what I say,” exclaimed John Clemens.</p> + +<p>“Can’t we do something to help around here?” asked +Grant. “We’re only amateur sailors, but we’re anxious +to do what we can.”</p> + +<p>“I know you are,” said Captain Dodge. “I expect +you to take your regular turns on watch with the rest of the crew. Just +now I want the sails taken in, though. Do you suppose one of you could +go up that foremast?”</p> + +<p>“I could,” cried Fred quickly. “Let me +go.”</p> + +<p>“Think you can take in that topsail?”</p> + +<p>“I can help.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all I want, of course. There’ll be a +sailor up there with you to tell you what to do and perhaps you can be +of assistance to him.”</p> + +<p>“I’d like to try it, anyway,” said Fred +eagerly.</p> + +<p>“All right,” said the captain. “Mr. +Johnson,” he called to the first mate, who was a big +blonde-haired Swede, “this young man wants to go aloft. Will you +let him help your man take in that fore-topsail?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir,” came the quick reply, and Fred ran to the +foot of the mast, where Mr. Johnson, the mate, and a sailor named +Petersen were standing.</p> + +<p>“Follow me,” said Petersen, and he began to climb. Up +the rigging he went, with Fred close behind him. It was hard work for +the inexperienced boy to keep pace with the hardy sailor, and he was +well-nigh exhausted when at last they stood upon the yards.</p> + +<p>“That’s hard work,” panted Fred.</p> + +<p>“You’ll get used to it,” smiled the sailor. +“There’s a knack about it.”</p> + +<p>“What do we do now?” demanded Fred.</p> + +<p>“Wait till we get our orders. The captain will bring ’er up +into the wind in a minute and that’s when we get to +work.”</p> + +<p>“What shall I do?”</p> + +<p>“You grab all the loose sail you can, right in your arms, and +try to hold it there. They’ll let go below.”</p> + +<p>Fred felt dizzy, standing so high above the decks, and he clung to +the ropes which were all about him, for dear life. He heartily wished +that he was once more with his comrades, but it was too late now. He +must go through with it, and he was determined, if possible, not to +betray his nervousness.</p> + +<p>“Stand by!” came the faint call from below.</p> + +<p>“Hang on now,” cautioned Petersen. “They’re +going to bring ’er ’round.”</p> + +<p>The steersman put the helm hard over and the <i>Josephine</i> swung +rapidly around with her bow into the wind. In spite of the warning Fred +did not hold on as tightly as he should. He felt himself slipping. He +clutched madly at the maze of ropes which entirely surrounded him. He +tried to call out, but no sound came. Desperately he strove to save +himself, but his efforts were unavailing.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> <h2><a id='link_2'></a>CHAPTER II<br /><span +class='fss'>A PLUCKY FEAT</span></h2> + +<p>Fred’s three companions on the deck below watched their friend +with horrified eyes. They had felt envious of his good fortune until +now, and every one of them had wished that he was in Fred’s +place.</p> + +<p>“It must be great up there,” Grant exclaimed as he +looked at Fred standing up against the topmast, far above the +decks.</p> + +<p>“That’s the place to be, all right,” said String +enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>“If you were up there it would look like two masts instead of +one,” said Pop Sanders.</p> + +<p>“Say,” said John in disgust. “You got off that +same joke just a few minutes ago. It was all right the first time, but +it’s a pretty poor one now.”</p> + +<p>The three boys had stood below bantering one another and envying +Fred until the <i>Josephine</i> came about and they saw that their +comrade was dizzy and in danger of falling.</p> + +<p>He swayed dangerously for a while that seemed a century long. He +waved his arms wildly in the air and then clutched frantically for some +rope or brace to save himself. He seemed to grab hold of plenty of +ropes but to hang on to none. Moreover, a rope was the cause of his +fall, for one swung violently around and catching the unfortunate boy +around the ankles tripped him up and pulled him from the precarious +spot on which he stood.</p> + +<p>He toppled backward and fell. His three companions with one accord +uttered a groan of horror and shut their eyes to keep out the awful +sight of what was about to happen. To think that their wonderful trip +was to be spoiled at the very start in this way! They turned their +backs to the scene, afraid to look. Every boy expected to hear a thud +on the deck and see the mangled body of their companion at their +feet.</p> + +<p>To them it seemed as if they waited hours and yet they did not hear +the expected sound. Instead of that they heard a shout.</p> + +<p>“Hold him!” some one cried, and opening their eyes and +daring to look about them, the three boys on the deck saw something +that was as unexpected as it was welcome.</p> + +<p>Fred hung head downward from the yard, a rope twisted tightly around +his feet. The same rope that had thrown him from his position was now +holding him suspended in the air. But how securely did it hold him? +Could it support him until help could come? That was the question.</p> + +<p>“Go to him, somebody!” cried Grant in an agonized voice. +Even as he spoke a sailor ran swiftly along the deck to the base of the +foremast and began to climb rapidly. To those who watched him, however, +it seemed as if he progressed at a snail’s pace.</p> + +<p>“He’s going to drop!” groaned String.</p> + +<p>“Maybe not,” said Pop Sanders, trying to appear +cheerful.</p> + +<p>“What can he do if he does reach him?” demanded +Grant.</p> + +<p>“Wait and see,” cautioned Pop.</p> + +<p>Higher and higher climbed the sailor. From above Petersen, the man +who had accompanied Fred to the top, leaned down and took hold of the +rope which was all that kept the unfortunate boy from falling.</p> + +<p>“Don’t pull on that,” begged Grant. +“It’ll surely come loose.”</p> + +<p>The sailor had now approached within a few feet of Fred. A moment +later and he was by his side. He made no move to help the boy who hung +so perilously out into space. Instead he shouted something to Petersen +which could not be heard on the deck below.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with him?” demanded Pop +angrily. “Why doesn’t he do something?”</p> + +<p>“Let him alone,” cautioned Grant. “I guess he +knows his business.”</p> + +<p>“But Fred’ll fall.”</p> + +<p>“I guess not. That sailor can see how firm a hold that rope +has on his ankles. He won’t take any chances.”</p> + +<p>“He called for a rope,” exclaimed John Clemens. +“See, that sailor who went up with Fred is letting one +down.”</p> + +<p>“And he’s making the other one fast to the yard,” +added Grant.</p> + +<p>“They’re going to haul him up, I guess,” said +Pop.</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” exclaimed Grant. “See, +he’s tying the other end around Fred’s chest. They’ll +have him fixed all right in a minute.”</p> + +<p>“If he doesn’t fall before,” String reminded +them.</p> + +<p>“You’re certainly a pessimist, String,” exclaimed +Pop. “Don’t you ever have a cheerful thought?”</p> + +<p>“Of course I do, but I’m worried.”</p> + +<p>“So am I. I try to be cheerful now and then, +though.”</p> + +<p>“He’s all right now,” exclaimed Grant as the +sailor finished tying the rope around Fred’s body. “He +couldn’t fall now to save his life.”</p> + +<p>The sailor scrambled quickly up the mast until he stood alongside +Petersen. Then the two men bent low, and hauling in hand over hand, +soon pulled Fred up to the yard on which they stood. They did not untie +the rope from around his waist, however, but rather made the loose end +of it fast around the mast so that the accident could not be repeated. +A great cheer from those who had assembled below greeted the result of +this work.</p> + +<p>“I guess Fred’s awfully dizzy just now,” remarked +Grant. “I don’t believe it’s much fun hanging by your +heels way up there.”</p> + +<p>“And now how are they going to get him down?” demanded +Pop. “He certainly can’t do it by himself. He’d be +sure to fall.”</p> + +<p>At this moment Captain Dodge joined the three boys. “A pretty +close call for our sailor friend,” he remarked grimly.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” agreed Grant, “it certainly was. I +don’t suppose he’ll want to do much climbing for quite a +while now.”</p> + +<p>“I hope not,” said the captain heartily.</p> + +<p>“How are you going to get him down?” asked Pop.</p> + +<p>“That’s easy,” said the captain, smiling. +“We’ll take a very long rope, one that will reach all the +way from the deck up to where he is and back again. We’ll tie one +end around your friend and we’ll hang on to the other down here +on the deck. The rope will go over the yard and he will be on one end +and we will be on the other. Then we’ll lower away slowly and the +first thing you know he’ll be right down here with us +again.”</p> + +<p>“And mighty glad to get here, I guess,” exclaimed +Grant.</p> + +<p>“I’ll send a man up with the rope now,” said the +captain, and he started to walk away.</p> + +<p>“Wait,” cried Grant suddenly. “What’s Fred +trying to do?”</p> + +<p>“He’s untying the ropes,” exclaimed String. +“Is he crazy?”</p> + +<p>“I guess he is,” said Pop. “It looks as if he was +getting ready to climb down the way he went up.”</p> + +<p>“Yell at him,” exclaimed String excitedly.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you do it,” cautioned Captain Dodge +quickly. “Don’t distract his attention from what he is +doing for a second. It’s too late now, anyway.”</p> + +<p>Fred now stood free and clear of the ropes. It was evident that the +two men with him were arguing with him not to attempt the descent, but +apparently their efforts made no impression on the daring youth, for he +could be seen to shake his head. Then he gingerly lowered himself from +the yard and began the perilous journey to the deck.</p> + +<p>“Pretty nervy,” muttered Captain Dodge under his breath, +and murmurs of admiration could be heard from all the members of the +crew gathered nearby. No one spoke, however, for all eyes and all +interest were focused on the feat Fred was performing.</p> + +<p>Slowly and carefully he proceeded at first, but as he gained in +confidence he increased the speed of his descent. Before he had covered +half of the distance he was swinging along as freely and apparently as +carelessly as any sailor. A moment later and he reached the deck.</p> + +<p>“Good boy,” cried Captain Dodge, springing forward to +shake hands with Fred, and at the same time a hearty cheer was given by +the crew.</p> + +<p>As soon as Fred touched foot on the deck, however, a change came +over him. His face became deathly pale and he swayed dizzily. He put +out his hand to save himself, but before Captain Dodge could reach him +he collapsed and sank to the deck in a limp heap.</p> + +<p>“Fainted,” remarked Grant simply.</p> + +<p>“Well, I don’t blame him,” exclaimed Pop Sanders. +“It’s the reaction from the strain probably.”</p> + +<p>The three boys rushed to the side of their comrade and found that +Grant’s surmise had been correct. Fred had fainted.</p> + +<p>“Bring some water,” directed Captain Dodge. +“He’ll be around presently.”</p> + +<p>Fred soon opened his eyes after a few treatments of cold water, +splashed directly in his face. He looked about him and smiled +weakly.</p> + +<p>“How do you feel?” asked Captain Dodge.</p> + +<p>“Fine,” said Fred, but he didn’t look so.</p> + +<p>“You better get in your bunk for a while,” said the +captain. “That’s all you need just now. I’ll tell the +cook to bring you a little hot soup.”</p> + +<p>Leaning on Grant and George Washington Sanders, Fred made his way +below. He was very weak after his ordeal and it was with a great sigh +of relief that he sank into his bunk.</p> + +<p>“What made you climb down?” demanded Pop.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Fred, “I just had to. I knew that if +I didn’t do it then I never would have the nerve to try again. I +felt so foolish to have caused all the trouble I did and I knew +they’d all think me an awful landlubber. I felt as if I ought to +square myself.”</p> + +<p>“You did that all right,” said Grant heartily. +“The whole crew is crazy about you now, and String and Pop and I +are certainly in the shade.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t mind that part of it,” said Pop. +“All I say is, don’t do it again. I couldn’t stand +another ten minutes like those.”</p> + +<p>“And I tell you one thing,” said Grant. +“It’s lucky for you that the <i>Josephine</i> had been +brought up into the wind. If we had been tacking or beating or +something like that you’d never had hung so quietly as you +did.”</p> + +<p>“Are we anchored now?” asked Fred.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Grant. “We’re going to stay here +until the wind changes.”</p> + +<p>“When do you suppose that will be?”</p> + +<p>“The captain says it’ll probably swing around to the +west to-night. As soon as it does we will get under way +again.”</p> + +<p>“They can’t do it too soon to suit me,” exclaimed +String. “I want to be out on the ocean, where you can’t see +a bit of land in any direction.”</p> + +<p>“That’ll happen soon enough, once we get started,” +said Grant. “Then we’ll probably wish we were on shore +again.”</p> + +<p>At this moment the cook appeared with a bowl of smoking hot soup for +Fred. The cook was named Sam and was as black as ebony.</p> + +<p>“Wh’ars dat high diver?” he demanded as he entered the +cabin.</p> + +<p>“You mean me?” smiled Fred.</p> + +<p>“I sho’ do,” said Sam. “You suttinly is some +acrobat.”</p> + +<p>“Not again, I hope,” said Fred fervently. “I hope +my troubles are over.”</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact his troubles and his companions’ had +scarcely begun.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_3'></a>CHAPTER III<br /><span class='fss'>A +SUPERSTITIOUS COOK</span></h2> + +<p>“Ah’s afraid ob dis heah boat,” said Sam as he +handed the soup to Fred and settled himself on the side of the bunk +opposite.</p> + +<p>“Afraid of it?” exclaimed Fred. “Why?”</p> + +<p>“She’s got de hoodoo,” said Sam decidedly.</p> + +<p>“Why, Sam,” said Fred. “What do you mean by +that?”</p> + +<p>“She’s got de hoodoo, dat’s all.”</p> + +<p>“What makes you think so?”</p> + +<p>“Because Ah feels dat way.”</p> + +<p>“But why do you feel that way?”</p> + +<p>“Dey’s a Jonah on board.”</p> + +<p>“You think so?”</p> + +<p>“Ah sho’ do,” said Sam, nodding his ebony head +violently up and down. “Ah seen him come abo’d and Ah +knowed right away dat we was gwine ter hab hard luck dis +cruise.”</p> + +<p>“You know who the Jonah is, then, do you?” inquired +Grant, somewhat amused by the black man’s superstitions.</p> + +<p>“Ah done tol’ you all Ah seen him come +abo’d,” said Sam.</p> + +<p>“Who is he?”</p> + +<p>“Dat Finn.”</p> + +<p>“What Finn?” demanded Fred. “What is his +name?”</p> + +<p>“Ah doan’ know his name, but he am de Jonah all +right.”</p> + +<p>“What does he look like?” asked Fred.</p> + +<p>“Like all de Finns,” said Sam. “Big, wid light +hair.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t mean Mr. Johnson, the mate, do you?” +said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Suttinly not. Mr. Johnson am a Swede.”</p> + +<p>“Who can it be, do you suppose?” asked Grant of Fred and +String and Pop. The four friends were much interested in what Sam had +to say.</p> + +<p>“Dey calls him Pete,” said Sam.</p> + +<p>“Not Petersen?” exclaimed Fred. “The man who went +up the mast with me?”</p> + +<p>“Dat’s de one,” said Sam with great conviction. +“He am a Jonah. Jus’ so long as he is on dis boat we is +boun’ to hab hard luck. He was de one who was responsible +fo’ you all doin’ dat dive.”</p> + +<p>“How silly,” laughed Fred. “You don’t think +he pushed me, do you?”</p> + +<p>“Ah ain’t sayin’ as how he done actually pushed +you,” said Sam mysteriously. “All de same he was +’sponsible.”</p> + +<p>“Why do you suspect him, Sam?” asked String +curiously.</p> + +<p>“Because he am a Finn,” said Sam.</p> + +<p>“Is that the only reason?”</p> + +<p>“Ain’t dat enuff?” exclaimed Sam. +“He’s a Finn, ain’t he? Well, doan’ you all +know dat Finns is hard luck?”</p> + +<p>“I never knew it,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“Well it’s de truth jus’ de same,” said +Sam.</p> + +<p>“Why is that?” asked Fred.</p> + +<p>“Ah doan’ know nothin’ about why it is,” +said Sam. “All Ah knows is dat Finns is hard luck on boats +an’ always has been.”</p> + +<p>“What can they do?”</p> + +<p>“Dey say,” whispered Sam in a low voice and leaning +forward after a glance around the cabin, “dat dey can make de +wind blow or dey can make it stop blowin’. Dey can make de storms +come and if dey tries real hard dey can wreck de whole ship.”</p> + +<p>“By doing what?” asked Grant.</p> + +<p>“By doin’ nothin’,” replied Sam confidently. +“Dey jus’ sits in de cabin and thinks and thinks and +wha’soever dey thinks about is boun’ to happen.”</p> + +<p>“It wouldn’t do to get one of them mad at you then, +would it?” remarked Pop.</p> + +<p>“Ah should say not,” exclaimed Sam with great +conviction.</p> + +<p>“Haven’t you ever sailed with Finns before?” asked +Grant.</p> + +<p>“Once, an’ dat time we had nothin’ but head winds +an’ calms all de blessed time. Dat proves what Ah say about dem +Finns, doan’ it?”</p> + +<p>“You think the Finn was responsible, do you?”</p> + +<p>“Ah is sho’ of it.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll hope you’re wrong, Sam,” laughed Pop. +“Certainly we’re not looking for hard luck. We’re out +for fun.”</p> + +<p>“Ah hopes yo’ all has it,” said Sam, but he shook +his head doubtfully and muttered to himself as he took the empty soup +bowl from Fred’s hands and carried it off into the galley.</p> + +<p>“He’s a queer one,” said Pop laughing as he +watched the cook’s disappearing figure. “Imagine accusing +all Finns of being hard luck.”</p> + +<p>“It’s pretty tough on the race, I should say,” +said String.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” laughed Pop, “and just imagine what would +happen if we were over in Finland. There certainly must be a lot of +hard luck there.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Sam doesn’t know any better,” said Grant. +“He’s ignorant and like all darkies is superstitious. +Sailors are too, and as Sam is a combination of both he is worse than +usual.”</p> + +<p>“He’s made me feel sort of queer though,” said +Fred. “Of course it’s silly and I suppose it’s partly +because I’m nervous after fainting but I feel as if something was +hanging over us.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be foolish, Fred,” exclaimed Grant.</p> + +<p>“I’ll get over it all right,” said Fred lightly. +“At the same time Sam’s talk has gotten me stirred up +some.”</p> + +<p>“Forget it,” urged Pop briefly. “Come on up on +deck and see what’s going on.”</p> + +<p>“I think I’ll stay here in my bunk a little +while,” said Fred. “I haven’t quite recovered my +nerve yet. You fellows go on up.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” said Grant. “We’ll see you +later.”</p> + +<p>They made their way up on deck and found that the <i>Josephine</i> +was still at anchor and that the wind instead of changing was blowing +in the same direction and seemed fresher than formerly.</p> + +<p>“The Finn’s giving us head winds,” said Pop in a +low voice to his companions.</p> + +<p>“There’s Petersen over there now,” remarked +String. “He certainly looks harmless enough.”</p> + +<p>“And I guess he is,” added Grant.</p> + +<p>“Fred isn’t sure of it any more.”</p> + +<p>“He’ll feel differently about it when he has recovered +from the shock he had,” said Grant confidently.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps,” String admitted doubtfully. “Fred gets +queer notions though.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s ask Captain Dodge about it,” exclaimed +Grant. “There he is now.”</p> + +<p>“How’s the patient?” asked the captain cheerily as +the boys approached.</p> + +<p>“All right,” said Grant. “He finished all the soup +that Sam brought him, I noticed. We were talking to Sam down in the +cabin and he has gotten Fred excited.”</p> + +<p>“What about?” demanded the captain curiously.</p> + +<p>“He says there is a Jonah on board and that we’re going +to have hard luck all through the voyage.”</p> + +<p>“Sounds just like Sam,” laughed the captain. “Who +did he say the Jonah is?”</p> + +<p>“Petersen, the man who went up the mast with Fred.”</p> + +<p>“Because he’s a Finn?” asked Captain Dodge.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Grant. “What’s the matter with +Finns anyway?”</p> + +<p>“Why,” said Captain Dodge, “there’s an old +superstition among sailors that they bring bad luck. I had almost +forgotten it, but as soon as you said that Sam suspected Petersen I +remembered that he is a Finn and that Sam would probably believe in the +old story.”</p> + +<p>“I hope it’s not true,” said John Clemens.</p> + +<p>“I guess we needn’t worry about it,” said the +captain, smiling. “It doesn’t bother me any but if you boys +want to go ashore it isn’t too late yet.”</p> + +<p>“We don’t feel as bad about it as that,” laughed +Grant. “I guess we’ll risk it.”</p> + +<p>“I’m all right anyway,” exclaimed Pop Sanders. +“I’ve got my compass.”</p> + +<p>“What do you think of him, captain?” exclaimed John. +“He always carries a compass on a string around his +neck.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all right,” said Captain Dodge. “In +case he is shipwrecked he can tell in which direction he is going +anyway. Not that that knowledge would do him very much good.”</p> + +<p>“And my diary,” added Pop. “Don’t forget +that. I always carry a diary in my hip pocket with a little pencil in +it so that I can jot things down just as soon as they happen or rather +when I think to do it. You see when you have it with you you are more +apt to keep it up to date.”</p> + +<p>“A good idea,” said the captain warmly. “I see +that you are a very methodical young man and probably I shall get you +to keep the log for me.”</p> + +<p>“I guess you wouldn’t want me to do that,” laughed +Pop. “I’m afraid it wouldn’t be done very +well.”</p> + +<p>All day long the boys lolled about on the deck. Fred had joined his +companions and the four friends discussed what they should do when they +arrived at Buenos Aires, the beautiful South American city of which +they had heard so much. They talked of a sailor’s life and all +its hardships and its pleasures. Like everything else it is a mixture +of good and bad and too much of either is harmful anyway.</p> + +<p>After supper that evening the wind died down. The water became +almost as quiet as a mill pond and more than one of the four friends +whispered to his comrades that the Finn was at the bottom of it all. +George Sanders mentioned this to Captain Dodge in a joking way but the +captain only laughed and said, “Wait. Unless I am very much +mistaken we’ll have a fine favoring wind inside of two +hours.”</p> + +<p>His prophecy was soon fulfilled too, for in a short time a damp +night-breeze sprang up out of the west. Up came the anchor, the sails +were set, and the <i>Josephine</i> slid ghost-like down through the +narrows, around Sandy Hook and out into the open sea.</p> + +<p>“We’re off, String,” exclaimed George Sanders +joyously. The two boys were standing near the forward hatchway looking +out across the black water. If Pop had known what awaited them perhaps +he would not have been quite so light hearted.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_4'></a>CHAPTER IV<br /><span class='fss'>A +CODE</span></h2> + +<p>The breeze held strongly and the <i>Josephine</i> made splendid +progress. The life on shipboard had endless attractions for the four +young boys. They learned the parts of the ship, the names of the sails +and how to navigate. Sailors taught them to splice ropes and how to tie +the hundred and one knots familiar to those who follow the sea. The +weather was ideal and as everything went well, all on board were in +excellent spirits.</p> + +<p>“I guess Sam was wrong about this hard luck business,” +remarked John Clemens one day to Grant Jones. The two boys were +standing near the bow of the brig, watching two of Mother Carey’s +chickens, those friendly little birds that follow and play around boats +even out in the middle of the ocean.</p> + +<p>“It certainly looks so, String,” said Grant. “We +can’t hold much against the Finn so far, can we?”</p> + +<p>“I should say not. Let’s hope it keeps up.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see how it can,” said Grant. “So +far it has been almost too good to be true, and I don’t see how +it can last.”</p> + +<p>“I think it will though.”</p> + +<p>“Sam says not. He says that maybe we have escaped so far but +he still insists we’re going to have something happen to us +before we’re through.”</p> + +<p>“He’s cheerful, isn’t he?” laughed John. +“I’m not worrying though.”</p> + +<p>“Mr. Johnson says that we’re almost bound to strike bad +weather when we get into the gulf-stream.”</p> + +<p>“Why’s that?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know except for what he said. He says that +sometimes you can see the low banks of clouds over the gulf-stream and +that you may run from a clear sky and light wind, with all sail, into a +heavy sea and cloudy sky where you’ll need double +reefs.”</p> + +<p>“Isn’t that queer,” exclaimed John. “I +wonder when we’ll reach it.”</p> + +<p>“Fairly soon, I should say,” said Grant. “We must +be getting pretty far south by now.”</p> + +<p>“We are. Captain Dodge told me we’d be in the West +Indies before long.”</p> + +<p>“I wish we could stop.”</p> + +<p>“You want to see everything,” laughed John. +“We’re going to South America, aren’t we? What more +do you want?”</p> + +<p>At that moment Fred and George Sanders approached the two boys.</p> + +<p>“We ought to be Sons of Neptune in a few days,” +exclaimed George gayly as he and Fred came up to the place where their +two friends were standing.</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by that, Pop?” asked John +curiously.</p> + +<p>“Just what I say, String, my boy,” said George. +“You don’t mean to tell me that you don’t know what a +Son of Neptune is! Every man that sails any of the seven seas ought to +know that.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be funny, Pop,” warned John, assuming a +threatening attitude. “Tell me what it means and be quick about +it.”</p> + +<p>“You swear you don’t know?”</p> + +<p>“You heard what I said, didn’t you?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” grinned Pop, “but you know I don’t +believe half what you say.”</p> + +<p>“Throw him overboard, String,” urged Fred. +“Don’t fool with him any longer.”</p> + +<p>“That’s just about what I had decided to do,” said +John.</p> + +<p>“Wait,” cried Pop, stepping forward and holding up his +hand dramatically. “Spare my life and I will tell all.”</p> + +<p>“Be quick about it then,” warned John. “I +shan’t fool with you much longer.”</p> + +<p>“I know it,” said Pop, pretending to be greatly alarmed. +“I know it, String, and I must say I am awfully +frightened.”</p> + +<p>John stepped forward and raised his hands as if he was about to +seize George W. Sanders by the neck. He had no opportunity to do so, +however.</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell. I’ll tell,” cried Pop +quickly.</p> + +<p>“I’ll give you till I count three,” said John. +“One, two–”</p> + +<p>“A man becomes a Son of Neptune,” said George, +“when he has crossed the equator on a boat. Now will you promise +not to hurt me? Not that you could do it if you tried,” he added, +but he muttered the words so softly to himself that no one else heard +him.</p> + +<p>“Is that what a Son of Neptune is?” exclaimed John.</p> + +<p>“Yes, String, that’s what a Son of Neptune is,” +said George, imitating as nearly as possible his friend’s tone of +voice.</p> + +<p>“Who told you?” demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“What has that got to do with it?”</p> + +<p>“Who told you?” repeated Grant sharply. +“We’ll have to take some of this freshness out of him +pretty soon, String,” he added.</p> + +<p>“We surely will,” agreed John readily. “I’m +ready at any time.”</p> + +<p>The four friends loved to tease and banter one another and +oftentimes an outsider might have thought from their conversation that +they had lost their tempers. Such, however, was never the case. They +knew one another too well and all had too much sense for any such +foolishness. In particular they all liked to tease and threaten Pop +Sanders, though in any contest of wits he usually held his own and the +threats of his comrades had no effect upon him whatever.</p> + +<p>“For the third and last time, who told you?” demanded +Grant.</p> + +<p>“Petersen told me.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve been talking to the Finn, have you?” +exclaimed Fred.</p> + +<p>“Yes, and he’s a nice fellow, too.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe you’ll get his hard luck away from him,” +laughed Grant.</p> + +<p>“I guess he’s had hard luck himself all right,” +said Pop seriously. “That doesn’t mean he’ll give it +to others though.”</p> + +<p>“What hard luck has he had?” asked John.</p> + +<p>“Well, his father died when he was a baby and he was left with +a big family of children to be brought up by his mother. She had no +money and of course had an awfully hard time of it. Two of his sisters +died of scarlet fever, a younger brother was drowned and finally his +mother got pneumonia and she died. I call that pretty tough luck +myself.”</p> + +<p>“So do I,” agreed Grant readily.</p> + +<p>“If Sam heard all those things he’d surely say it was +because it was a family of Finns,” said Fred. “He’d +say they brought hard luck to one another.”</p> + +<p>“He probably would,” laughed Pop. “Still I feel +sorry for a fellow who has had all that trouble.”</p> + +<p>“What did his father do?” asked John.</p> + +<p>“He was a bad character principally, I guess,” said Pop. +“He was also a sailor at times.”</p> + +<p>“You must have had quite a long talk with Petersen, +Pop,” said Grant. “How did he happen to get so +confidential?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. We just got talking, that’s all, +and the first thing I knew he began to tell me the story of his +life.”</p> + +<p>“His father left the family no money, I imagine,” said +Fred.</p> + +<p>“Certainly not. He left debts. The only thing he left was a +bad reputation and this thing which Petersen gave to me,” and as +he spoke Pop reached in his hip pocket and brought out what appeared to +be a dirty piece of old paper, folded up.</p> + +<p>“What’s that?” demanded Grant quickly.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said George. “See for +yourself.”</p> + +<p>He handed the object in question to Grant who straightway unfolded +it and glanced at it eagerly.</p> + +<p>“It’s nothing but a lot of numbers,” he exclaimed +disappointedly.</p> + +<p>“I know it,” said George. “Just a lot of old faded +numbers written on a piece of parchment.”</p> + +<p>“What’s it supposed to be?” asked John +curiously.</p> + +<p>“Petersen thinks it’s some sort of a code. Maybe it is +but I think myself it is nothing at all, and that it might as well be +thrown overboard.”</p> + +<p>“What makes him think it’s a code?” said +Grant.</p> + +<p>“Nothing much that I know of,” replied Pop. “He +said it was found sewed inside the lining of a coat his father used to +have and so he thought it must be valuable. He said that the neighbors +used to tell some kind of weird stories about his father having been +connected with buried treasure or something like that, and he is sure +this has something to do with it. Personally I think he is mistaken +about it.”</p> + +<p>“If he thinks it so valuable why did he give it to you?” +demanded Fred.</p> + +<p>“He didn’t really give it to me to keep. He wanted me to +try and decipher the code and tell him what it says.”</p> + +<p>“Did you do it?” laughed John.</p> + +<p>“No, you Son of Neptune,” exclaimed George. “I did +not. I offered to read the numbers to him, but he said he could do that +much himself.”</p> + +<p>“Where’s this treasure buried?” asked Fred.</p> + +<p>“That’s just what Petersen wants to find out,” +said Pop. “That certainly was an awfully smart question to ask, +Fred.”</p> + +<p>“I thought he might know the island or whatever it is where +the stuff is supposed to be buried, but not the exact location of the +jewels on the island.”</p> + +<p>“How do you know it’s jewels?”</p> + +<p>“It always is, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know anything about it,” said Pop. +“For all we know Petersen may be playing a joke on us. +We’re all landlubbers of course and the crew might have decided +to initiate us a little.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps,” agreed John. “The parchment looks old +though.”</p> + +<p>“What are the numbers, Grant?” asked Fred. “Read +them out.”</p> + +<p>“Twenty,” began Grant when he was interrupted.</p> + +<p>“Add ’em up, you fellows,” laughed George. +“The total tells how old Anne is.”</p> + +<p>“Let him read them, Pop,” urged John. “Give him a +chance.”</p> + +<p>“Twenty, one, eleven, five, one, three, fifteen, twenty-one, +eighteen, nineteen, five.” Grant paused. “That’s a +funny thing” he said. “Every number is distinctly separated +from the next one. It certainly seems as if it must mean +something.”</p> + +<p>“All right, I’ll tell Petersen that you are going to +solve the mystery, Socrates, my boy,” laughed Pop. “Shall +I?”</p> + +<p>Before Grant could answer there was a shout. A few sharp orders were +given and immediately everything on board the <i>Josephine</i> was +bustle and hurry. The crew came rushing out on deck, and scattered +hither and thither all over the brig in obedience to the orders that +were being given so rapidly. An anxious look was on the faces of all +the men.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_5'></a>CHAPTER V<br /><span class='fss'>A TROPICAL +STORM</span></h2> + +<p>“What’s all this?” exclaimed Grant, startled by +the sudden change that had come over the boat.</p> + +<p>The four boys looked about them in surprise, unable to account for +the transformation. Petersen was forgotten; jewels and treasure were +forgotten; even the strange code was forgotten and Grant +absent-mindedly thrust it into his trouser’s pocket.</p> + +<p>“What is it, do you suppose?” he exclaimed again.</p> + +<p>“Look over there and you’ll see,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>He pointed to the westward and as his three friends gazed in the +direction he had indicated they soon saw the cause of all the +commotion. Far off on the western horizon appeared a cloud. That in +itself was no special reason for alarm, but it was a very peculiar +looking cloud. It was grayish-black in color and shaped like a funnel. +Long ragged strips had separated themselves from the main body and hung +like long wisps from the sky.</p> + +<p>“Do you think it’s a tornado?” exclaimed John, in +a low voice.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know, String,” said Pop. “It looks +bad though, doesn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“It does to me all right,” said Fred grimly. “The +captain must think it is pretty serious too from all the preparations +that are being made.”</p> + +<p>“They’re taking in some of the sails,” remarked +Grant.</p> + +<p>“I’m glad of that,” exclaimed Fred. “When +that storm hits us I don’t want any more canvas spread than is +necessary.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps it won’t hit us,” said George +hopefully.</p> + +<p>“You’re an optimist, Pop, I’m afraid,” said +Fred. “I think it’ll hit us all right.”</p> + +<p>“The breeze is going down,” said John suddenly.</p> + +<p>“It surely is,” agreed Grant. “The lull before the +storm.”</p> + +<p>“Look at that cloud now,” exclaimed Fred. +“It’s spreading all over the sky and see how fast it is +going. It’ll be dark in a few minutes.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t they take the rest of the sails in?” +demanded John nervously. “I must say I don’t like +this.”</p> + +<p>“They’ve taken in the topsails and the mizzen,” +said Grant. “That’s a big part.”</p> + +<p>A lull had now come over the crew and the four young friends were +unconsciously affected by it. Now there was not a breath of air +stirring; the sails hung heavy and motionless from the yards. Blacker +and blacker grew the sky; the stillness all about became appalling. No +one spoke a word, but every one stood around as though waiting for +something serious to happen. The crew was gathered about the forward +hatchway silently watching the approach of the storm.</p> + +<p>Mr. Johnson, the mate, went forward and gave some order in a low +tone. More sails were taken in, all in a solemn and quiet manner. The +brig now lay motionless on the water while an uneasy expectation of +something threatening seemed to hang overhead. The suspense was +terrible. Captain Dodge paced silently up and down the deck but he +spoke to no one and no one spoke to him. It was now so dark it was +almost impossible to see the length of the ship.</p> + +<p>Again Mr. Johnson came forward and gave another low-voiced command. +Two sailors, one of whom was Petersen, started up the mast to clew down +the main top-gallant sail. They had just reached the fore-top-gallant +yard when a strange thing happened.</p> + +<p>“Look,” cried John, in an awe struck voice.</p> + +<p>“What is that?” demanded Fred in a frightened +whisper.</p> + +<p>“A corposant,” said Grant. “I’ve read about +them.”</p> + +<p>Over and directly above the heads of the two sailors appeared a +light. It was in the shape of a ball and hung to the very top of the +mast.</p> + +<p>“What’s a corposant?” whispered John.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” replied Grant, “except that +that’s what they call a ball of light like that one. If it goes +up it’s supposed to be good luck, but if it comes down it’s +bad.”</p> + +<p>“I wish Petersen wasn’t up there,” muttered +Fred.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be silly, Fred,” exclaimed Grant sharply. +The tension was affecting every one’s nerves. It was almost pitch +dark on the <i>Josephine</i> now.</p> + +<p>“I can’t help it,” insisted Fred. “I wish it +was some one else up there.”</p> + +<p>“It’s gone,” remarked John suddenly.</p> + +<p>“No, it isn’t,” George corrected. “There it +is, down on the yard.”</p> + +<p>“It came down then,” said Fred. “I knew it +would.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t blame Petersen,” exclaimed Grant. +“It’s not his fault.”</p> + +<p>The two sailors had climbed down quickly after their task was +completed and now joined the rest of the crew. All together they stood +and watched the strange light until after playing about the mast for +some ten minutes or so it disappeared as suddenly as it had come.</p> + +<p>Somebody passed the spot where the four boys stood. It was too dark +to make out who it was but the young sailors could hear him moaning and +groaning to himself. “Dat Finn,” he groaned. “Oh, +Lawdy, dat Finn. Ah knowed it all de time. We sho’ is goners +now.”</p> + +<p>“There goes Sam,” whispered Fred.</p> + +<p>“Let him go,” said Grant shortly.</p> + +<p>“Here comes the rain,” exclaimed John suddenly.</p> + +<p>A few huge drops fell upon the deck and at the same time the +darkness seemed to grow even deeper than before.</p> + +<p>“There’s thunder too,” said George. A few low +rumbles were heard, while off to the southwest appeared some random +flashes of lightning.</p> + +<p>“Where’s the storm?” demanded Fred. “So far +nothing has happened. This stillness and darkness are getting on my +nerves.”</p> + +<p>“Wait,” counseled Grant, and scarcely had he spoken when +there was a blinding flash of light. Almost at the same instant came a +deafening peal of thunder. The sky directly overhead seemed to open up +and down came the water in torrents.</p> + +<p>Unconsciously the four boys drew closer together, so startled were +they by this unexpected happening. It seemed as if the brig must have +been struck but evidently it had escaped, for a second later there was +another flash and report and the bare masts could be seen outlined +against the inky sky.</p> + +<p>Flash followed flash in quick succession. The whole ocean was +lighted up by the constant blaze of light. Peal after peal rattled +overhead with a noise so violent that it seemed as if the whole earth +must be shaken. After a few moments the deluge of rain abated but the +thunder and the lightning continued incessantly. So far there had not +been a breath of air stirring; the <i>Josephine</i> lay motionless on +the surface of the ocean and seemed to the people on board of her an +excellent and easy target for the fury of the elements.</p> + +<p>Several times one of the boys started to speak but his words were +lost in the roar of the storm. They were almost blinded by the +lightning but no one thought of going below. This was their first +experience in a tropical storm and they were frightened. They would not +have been ashamed to admit it either. They did not care to go to their +bunks, for every one wanted to be on deck where he could see what was +going on.</p> + +<p>The lightning played all about the ship and it seemed a miracle that +she was not hit. It seemed to run up and down the masts, across the +yards and over the anchors, but thus far the <i>Josephine</i> had +escaped. All this time there had been no wind; the brig lay motionless +and powerless to move.</p> + +<p>Suddenly there was a blinding flash and a ripping, tearing sound +accompanied by the smell of burnt wood. So severe had been the blaze of +light that every one was temporarily blinded by it and for a few +seconds everything looked red. A moment later, however, when the crew +had recovered somewhat from the shock a great shouting and running to +and fro began.</p> + +<p>“We’re hit,” cried Grant, the first to regain his +senses.</p> + +<p>“The ship’s on fire,” shouted Fred excitedly.</p> + +<p>As he spoke a few red tongues of flame appeared from the hatch. +Orders were instantly given and a brigade to fight the fire was formed +almost at once. It was difficult work, however, for the night was so +dark that it was nearly impossible to see one’s way around the +deck. The flashes of lightning were about the only help afforded to the +emergency firemen.</p> + +<p>The four young friends were among the first to join in this work. +Buckets were passed from hand to hand and the men worked feverishly. No +one shirked for an instant and in fact no one dared to do so, for +without their ship the men were nearly helpless, left to the mercy of +the ocean.</p> + +<p>“The wind’s coming up,” exclaimed Grant +suddenly.</p> + +<p>What he said was true. It was also raining hard once more, though +the thunder and lightning had somewhat abated.</p> + +<p>“The wind means our finish,” said Fred grimly. +“We’ll never stop this fire now.”</p> + +<p>“We must,” cried John doggedly. “We’re lost +if we don’t.”</p> + +<p>Every one redoubled his efforts but the fire gained steadily. Higher +and higher leaped the flames and farther and farther astern they crept. +The crew worked like demons but their task was hopeless. The fire was +too mighty for them and it was soon evident to every one on board that +the <i>Josephine</i> was a doomed ship.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_6'></a>CHAPTER VI<br /><span +class='fss'>ADRIFT</span></h2> + +<p>Captain Dodge stood near by urging on his men. Nor did he shirk any +of the work himself. He fought the flames with all the fury of a +determined man, but it soon became plain that it was an unequal +struggle and that the <i>Josephine</i> would never reach Buenos Aires +or any other port for that matter.</p> + +<p>“Man the boats!” shouted the captain.</p> + +<p>The lifeboats were loosened on the davits and made ready to launch. +A stock of provisions was placed on board of every one of them and +preparations were made to embark. The four Go Ahead boys were assigned +to one boat, together with Sam the cook and Petersen the Finn +sailor.</p> + +<p>“That’ll never do,” said John in a low voice to +Grant. “Sam and Petersen in the same boat are bound to have +trouble.”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid so myself, String,” said Grant, +“but what can we do? Captain Dodge gave the orders and we must do +as he says.”</p> + +<p>“Wouldn’t he change them?”</p> + +<p>“He might, of course, but I’m not going to ask him +to.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said John ruefully, “I don’t suppose +we could do that. I guess we’ll have to put up with +it.”</p> + +<p>The wind had been steadily increasing in violence since the fire +started and now was blowing almost a gale. It whipped the waves into +foam and whistled and shrieked through the rigging. The fire, fanned by +the breeze, now roared menacingly while its volume increased steadily. +It was only too evident that it would be impossible to remain on board +the <i>Josephine</i> many moments more.</p> + +<p>“We’d better get away from here,” said Fred +nervously, as he watched the mass of flame and smoke which now +enveloped the whole forward part of the ship.</p> + +<p>“When we do leave we won’t be much better off,” +said Pop gloomily.</p> + +<p>“Just the same I’d rather take my chances with the ocean +than with this fire,” exclaimed Grant.</p> + +<p>“Where are we going!” demanded John.</p> + +<p>“How do I know!” said Grant. “We must leave, +that’s sure. What we are to do after we leave is another +matter.”</p> + +<p>“Stand by to lower away!” came the order.</p> + +<p>The four boys sprang to their positions. Petersen and Sam joined +them a moment later. The negro cook was half-crazed with fear and still +kept mumbling to himself, “Dat Finn, dat Finn.” Undoubtedly +he did not understand that Petersen was to go on the same boat with him +or he would not have consented to step aboard. Now, in the darkness it +was almost impossible to recognize anybody and Sam probably had no idea +who any of his companions were to be.</p> + +<p>“Lower away.”</p> + +<p>The boats descended rapidly and soon rested upon the water where +they danced and bobbed about like corks on the angry waves.</p> + +<p>“Get aboard, Sam,” urged Grant.</p> + +<p>Making no objection, the negro quickly lowered himself into the +waiting boat. Fred, John, Grant and George followed in order, leaving +only Petersen on board the brig. He stood with the painter in his hand, +awaiting the word to leave.</p> + +<p>“Unship your oars,” he called.</p> + +<p>“All right,” answered Grant.</p> + +<p>There were two pairs of oars in the boat and every one of the four +boys took charge of one of them. Sam cowered in the bow of the boat +shuddering and still murmuring over and over again, “Dat Finn, +dat Finn.”</p> + +<p>At the sound of Petersen’s voice from the deck above, however, +he half raised himself. “Who dat talkin’?” he +demanded.</p> + +<p>“One of the sailors,” said Grant carelessly, knowing +what was passing in the black man’s mind.</p> + +<p>“Dat Petersen,” said Sam. “Am he comin’ on +dis heah boat?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” Grant answered evasively.</p> + +<p>“He bettah not. He bettah not,” said Sam fiercely. +“We’s had enough hard luck on account ob dat man +already.”</p> + +<p>“It wasn’t his fault,” said Grant trying to quiet +the excited negro.</p> + +<p>“It was! It was!” Sam fairly shouted, at the same time +trying to stand up in the skiff.</p> + +<p>“Sit down, Sam,” ordered Fred sharply.</p> + +<p>“Ah won’t sit down,” the cook cried menacingly. +“Ah won’t do nothin’ if dat Finn am gwine git in dis +heah boat. Ah tells yo’ all we’s had enough hard luck on +account of dat man.”</p> + +<p>“You’ll sit down or get out of the boat,” said +Grant threateningly. “We won’t take any fooling here +either.”</p> + +<p>Sam subsided, but he still mumbled to himself incessantly.</p> + +<p>“All right, get aboard,” John called to Petersen, though +he took care not to call him by name.</p> + +<p>Petersen threw the painter and jumped into the stern of the +life-boat. The four oarsmen dug their blades into the water and the +little craft shot forward. The other boats had also left and the +<i>Josephine</i> was now a blazing mass of wood. Sparks shot high into +the air and in all directions only to fall with a hiss into the angry +waters of the sea. The roar of the flames could be heard even above the +noise of the storm which seemed to be increasing in intensity.</p> + +<p>The four boys rowed a couple of hundred yards away from the burning +brig and then rested on their oars and watched the destruction of the +ship on which they had expected to go to South America. She was +entirely enveloped in flames now and presented a wonderful but terrible +sight as she was rapidly being devoured by the hungry fire.</p> + +<p>All the occupants but one of the boat watched the fire. That one was +Sam. He still remained huddled in the bow and never once did he look +back. He moaned and groaned and raved until the rest of the party began +to think that perhaps he was losing his mind.</p> + +<p>Farther and farther from the burning ship drifted the tiny boat. All +that the crew of it could do was to keep the stern straight into the +waves and straighten her out when a great roller sent them flying. +Lower and lower appeared the hull of the <i>Josephine</i>, when an +occasional glimpse could be had of her from the crest of some huge +wave. At length she disappeared, entirely burned to the water’s +edge, and thus came the end of another brave ship. One more was added +to the great ocean graveyard, already thick with the bones of many a +gallant merchantman.</p> + +<p>“She’s gone,” said George soberly.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said John, “and what’s going to +happen to us?”</p> + +<p>“We may be picked up,” exclaimed Fred hopefully.</p> + +<p>“And we may not,” added Grant.</p> + +<p>“Do you know where we are?” he asked of Petersen.</p> + +<p>“I’ve no idea,” was the answer. “Somewhere +near the West Indies, or maybe we’re right in them now for all I +know.”</p> + +<p>“Then we’ll soon find land,” said Fred as +cheerfully as was possible under the circumstances.</p> + +<p>“I hope it isn’t the land that’s at the bottom of +the ocean,” said George.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be so pessimistic, Pop,” urged Fred. +“What’s the matter with you lately?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing. We’re in a bad fix, that’s +all.”</p> + +<p>“Look out for this wave!” warned Grant suddenly as a +great mountain of water loomed up behind them.</p> + +<p>The little boat was driven along at the speed of a race horse for +many, many yards, but fortunately she remained right side up. The four +boys managed their oars skillfully and Petersen steered marvelously. +Now and then some water was shipped but aside from that no harm came to +them.</p> + +<p>Gradually the wind died down and the storm abated. Night had now +come upon them, however, and they were in a sorry plight.</p> + +<p>“Where are the other boats?” asked Grant when an hour of +silence had elapsed.</p> + +<p>“I’ve no idea,” said Fred. “Has any one seen +them?”</p> + +<p>No one had. At least every one denied it but Sam, and as he had not +once looked around him there was no chance that he had seen anything. +Now he was asleep. He had made no move to help in any way and seemed to +take it for granted that the others would look after him. His last +words before he had closed his eyes were, “Dat Finn.”</p> + +<p>“We’ve got some provisions, anyway,” said +John.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” agreed George, “but how long do you think +they’ll last?”</p> + +<p>“Plenty long enough to keep us going until we are picked +up.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be so sure of that,” George advised. +“At any rate, we have no water, and that’s even more +important than food.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, we have, too, Pop,” corrected Fred. +“It’s right under my feet.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, salt water, though,” grumbled George.</p> + +<p>“Not at all. There’s a cask of fresh water right here in +the bottom of the boat.”</p> + +<p>“Give me some, then,” exclaimed George eagerly. +“I’m half dead with thirst as it is now.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t drink it now, Pop,” urged Grant. “We +may be hard pressed for water, as you say, and I think we’d all +better wait till morning. Then we can take stock of just what we have +here.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Grant,” agreed John heartily. +“Don’t you think so, too, Petersen?”</p> + +<p>“I do. We can surely get along without food and water until +light comes, but in a day or so we may need it very badly.”</p> + +<p>“You think we’ll be out here that long?” demanded +Fred.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. Still you never can tell, and it’s +always well to be prepared.”</p> + +<p>“You’re right,” acknowledged George. “At any +rate, I don’t want any water.”</p> + +<p>It was a characteristic of these four boys that they were usually +cheerful under any and all conditions. No matter how hard a thing might +be, they bore it willingly if it was necessary. They made complaints if +they thought it was unnecessary, but when they knew it was the only +thing to be done they never raised a murmur. No sportsman ever +complains of a thing that is fair, and what is best for the most people +is always fair.</p> + +<p>Hour after hour dragged by. To the little band on board the +life-boat it seemed as if morning would never come. The storm had +passed, but the water was still rough and the night still inky dark. +Now and again the boys dozed off and caught a few winks of sleep. No +attempt to row had been made for several hours. Petersen steered the +boat and was the only one who did not rest. Incessantly through the +long night he guided the little craft and watched over the safety of +those on board.</p> + +<p>At last morning came. The first faint streaks of light thrust their +rosy fingers up over the eastern horizon and soon the whole sky was +covered with an orange glow. Little by little the faint outlines of the +occupants of the life boat became visible. What a sorry looking crew it +was, too. Disheveled, dirty and unkempt, they plainly showed the +effects of their harrowing experience.</p> + +<p>As the light crept over the ocean it showed some of the party +asleep. The others were haggard and worn looking and seemed to have but +small concern as to what happened to them. They lolled on the cross +seats in a listless way, not at all interested in the beautiful +sunrise. They were more concerned in their own welfare than in the +beauties of Nature.</p> + +<p>“Oh, hum,” yawned Sam, raising himself from the position +in which he had lain all night. “We sho’ has had a powerful +lot of hard–”</p> + +<p>He caught sight of Petersen and suddenly ceased talking. A change +came over his face as he recognized the man to whom he charged the hard +luck that had overtaken them. Hate spread itself over the features of +the superstitious negro and his breath came in short gasps as if some +one was choking him.</p> + +<p>“Dar yo’ are!” he exclaimed fiercely. “Dar +yo’ are, yo’ hard luck Finn. I’ll fix +yo’,” and he started to make his way towards the stern of +the boat to the spot where his enemy was seated.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_7'></a>CHAPTER VII<br /><span class='fss'>A DESPERATE +STRUGGLE</span></h2> + +<p>“Sit down, Sam! Sit down!” cried Fred, who was placed +nearest him. “What’s the matter with you? Are you +crazy?”</p> + +<p>Sam, however, made no answer. He strode forward toward the object of +his hatred, paying no attention to Fred’s words and showing an +absolute disregard of the danger of falling overboard. Fortunately in +this peril the boat was heavy and very steady.</p> + +<p>“Get back there!” cried Fred in alarm, trying to grab +Sam’s arm.</p> + +<p>“Lemme go,” said Sam roughly, knocking Fred’s hand +aside.</p> + +<p>“Grab him, John. Grab him,” shouted Fred as the excited +negro made his way past the seat where he was located.</p> + +<p>“Lemme go,” said Sam darkly, and seeing the look on his +face John drew back instinctively.</p> + +<p>“Hold him, Grant! Grab him, Pop!” shrieked Fred, at the +same time rising to his feet and attempting to catch Sam from +behind.</p> + +<p>He was too late, however. Sam, seeing that he might be balked in his +purpose, took no more chances. He made one flying leap almost over the +heads of Grant and George, who were waiting to seize him. This was done +so unexpectedly that the two boys were taken by surprise, and though +they tried to do as Fred had begged them, they were unsuccessful. Sam +tripped and fell forward, but when he landed he fell squarely on top of +his enemy.</p> + +<p>The boat rocked dangerously. Fred was thrown from his feet and fell +headlong to the bottom of the boat. In falling his head struck one of +the thwarts, so stunning him that he was unable to move.</p> + +<p>“Separate ’em, Grant!” cried John. “Stop +that fight!”</p> + +<p>Grant threw himself upon the contestants and tried to pinion +Sam’s arms behind his back. The negro and the sailor were both +powerful men, however, and Grant was thrown violently backward as +though he had been a mere fly. George caught him just in time to +prevent his going overboard.</p> + +<p>“I can’t stop them,” he gasped.</p> + +<p>“Hit him on the head,” cried John. “Do anything. +Make ’em stop. Here, let me get down there,” he begged.</p> + +<p>“Sit down,” shouted George. “Sit down, John, or +you’ll have us all upset.”</p> + +<p>“No, I won’t, either. Let me get by.”</p> + +<p>“Sit down, String,” begged Grant. “Keep your +seat.”</p> + +<p>“Take this oar, then,” cried John. “Hit that coon +on the head with it.”</p> + +<p>“It’s too big,” exclaimed Grant. “Give me +something smaller and I’ll hit him all right.”</p> + +<p>The two men in the stern of the boat were locked in each +other’s embrace. Sam had had the advantage, for he had landed on +top of his adversary. Petersen, however, had muscles of steel, hardened +by years of service and labor on shipboard. He tried to grab the black +man by the throat. The two slipped to the bottom of the boat, where +they struggled for the mastery until the veins stood out on their +temples and the sweat rolled from them in streams. Their breath came in +gasps. It was a strange sight that the early tropical sun looked down +upon.</p> + +<p>They wrestled and writhed about on the bottom of the boat, first one +on top and then the other. It seemed miraculous that they did not go +overboard. The space in which they struggled was so limited that it was +next to impossible for any one of the boys to get himself in a position +to separate the fighters. Several times Grant tried, but he was always +driven back, and after several narrow escapes from falling into the +water he gave up the attempt. Fred still lay quietly in the bow, too +dazed to be of assistance.</p> + +<p>“We must stop this,” cried John. “They’ll +kill each other.”</p> + +<p>“I know it, String,” agreed Grant, “but what can +we do?”</p> + +<p>“Hit Sam over the head. He’s the one that started +it.”</p> + +<p>“I can’t get to his head. His feet are pointed this way +and every time I try I get a few swift kicks and nothing +more.”</p> + +<p>“But we must do something to stop them,” urged +George.</p> + +<p>“All right, Pop,” said Grant grimly. “You suggest +something.”</p> + +<p>“Isn’t there a club in the boat?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see any.”</p> + +<p>“Throw water on them.”</p> + +<p>“We might do that,” exclaimed Grant. “Hand me that +canvas bucket, String.”</p> + +<p>Grant filled it to the brim with water and then soused it as nearly +as he could into the faces of the fighters. The only effect it seemed +to have was to revive them both and the struggle was continued with +renewed fury.</p> + +<p>“That won’t do,” cried Grant.</p> + +<p>“It seems to be a question of who will weaken first,” +remarked John, grimly. “I guess we’ll have to sit and watch +until that time.”</p> + +<p>“Not at all,” exclaimed George. “I say we all pile +on and make them quit.”</p> + +<p>“And all go overboard if we try that,” said Grant. +“You forget that we’re in a boat, Pop.”</p> + +<p>“Let me up there, then,” urged George. “I’m +sure I can end the fight.”</p> + +<p>Grant gave way to his comrade, only too willing to let some one else +try his hand at the problem. They changed places carefully and George +prepared to put his plan into execution.</p> + +<p>“You better stay here beside me, Grant,” he exclaimed +suddenly.</p> + +<p>“What for?”</p> + +<p>“We’ll each grab a foot and pull for all we’re +worth.”</p> + +<p>“What good will that do?”</p> + +<p>“If we can pull one of them away it ought to stop the fight, +oughtn’t it? A man can’t fight with himself.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” agreed Grant. “We’ll see what +we can do, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“Be careful now,” advised George as Grant took his place +beside him. “This is pretty ticklish business.”</p> + +<p>The two boys knelt side by side on one of the seats. They leaned +forward, eagerly waiting for a chance to seize the infuriated negro by +his feet. This was no easy task, however, for his feet flew in all +directions and kicked viciously backward, so that a few bruises were +the sole results of the first attempts of the two boys.</p> + +<p>“Hit him on the shins,” advised John. +“That’ll fix him.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll try this first,” said Grant doggedly. His +knuckles were bleeding and his forearms were sore from the treatment he +had received from Sam’s boots. The pain made him angry and more +determined than ever to accomplish his purpose.</p> + +<p>The fight was now desperate, even more so than before. No human +beings could continue at such a killing pace for long, however. Sam +still had the advantage which he had held from the beginning. His great +powerful hands were now feeling for Petersen’s throat, and from +the expression in the Finn’s eyes it was evident that he could +not hold out much longer. Help must come to him and come quickly.</p> + +<p>“I’ve got him,” cried Grant suddenly as he caught +hold of one of Sam’s feet. “Grab the other one, Pop. +Quick.”</p> + +<p>George grabbed all right, and held on, too. He received a blow over +an eye which opened up an ugly cut, but still he hung on +desperately.</p> + +<p>“Now, pull!” shouted John. “Pull with all your +might!”</p> + +<p>Both boys exerted themselves to the utmost. They braced themselves +and pulled with all the strength that was in them. It was difficult for +them even to hang on, however, for Sam struggled desperately and the +two boys were thrown all about. Still they retained their hold.</p> + +<p>“You’ve got him,” encouraged John. “Hold +him.”</p> + +<p>Suddenly Sam doubled up his legs, drawing both Grant and George +forward, almost on their faces. Then quick as a flash he shot out with +both feet, striking the two boys each full in the chest. Their grip was +torn loose and they were sent sprawling backward, over the seat onto +John, who too was bowled over so that all four boys lay in a heap on +the bottom of the boat.</p> + +<p>Grant was the first to regain his senses, and a strange sight +greeted his eyes. Sam and Petersen were now on their feet, still locked +in each other’s arms. Suddenly the Finn wrenched an arm free and +drawing back struck the negro a stunning blow squarely between the +eyes. Sam’s arms half dropped to his sides and he reeled +drunkenly. Then quick as a flash he once more seized his enemy in his +embrace and a moment later the two men went overboard.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_8'></a>CHAPTER VIII<br /><span class='fss'>A SORRY +PLIGHT</span></h2> + +<p>There was a great splash. The sturdy life-boat rocked dangerously +and then all was still.</p> + +<p>John and George had now lifted themselves from their fallen position +and all three boys peered eagerly about.</p> + +<p>“Where are they? What happened?” demanded John.</p> + +<p>“They went overboard,” exclaimed Grant.</p> + +<p>“But where are they?”</p> + +<p>“There they are, over there,” cried George. “Get +out the oars.”</p> + +<p>A dark head appeared for an instant and then sank beneath the +surface of the water once more.</p> + +<p>“That’s Sam,” cried John excitedly. “Swing +the boat around.”</p> + +<p>“I’m doing my best,” panted George as he dipped +one oar deep into the water and pulled with all his might. In response +to his efforts the boat came around until it was directly over the spot +where Sam’s head had appeared. John and Grant hung over the sides +ready to seize the negro the moment he was seen again.</p> + +<p>“There he is,” cried Grant suddenly, and he made a lunge +at Sam, who had come to the surface for the second time.</p> + +<p>“Get him?” demanded John.</p> + +<p>“Yes. Help me, somebody!”</p> + +<p>John sprang to his assistance and a moment later the two boys +dragged the half-drowned negro over the side into the boat.</p> + +<p>“Where’s Petersen?” demanded Grant, loosing his +hold on Sam and allowing him to sink to the bottom of the boat. +“Have you seen him, Pop?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said George, “I haven’t. I’ve +looked everywhere for him, too.”</p> + +<p>Fred had now recovered somewhat from the blow he had received and he +joined the others in their search for the missing sailor. The four boys +stood up in the boat and peered about them anxiously in every +direction.</p> + +<p>“Are you sure he didn’t come up, Pop?” asked +Grant.</p> + +<p>“I told you I’ve been looking for him,” said +George. “I haven’t seen him at all.”</p> + +<p>“But he must have come up,” protested John.</p> + +<p>“Maybe he did,” acknowledged George. “I +don’t believe it, though, for I’ve certainly been on the +lookout.”</p> + +<p>“What shall we do?” demanded John in dismay.</p> + +<p>“What can we do?” said George.</p> + +<p>“But he’ll drown.”</p> + +<p>“He probably has already,” said Grant. “Think how +long he’s been under.”</p> + +<p>“And you mean to say we’ll never even find his +body?” said John, almost unnerved by the sudden catastrophe.</p> + +<p>“We’re going to look, anyway,” said Grant +decidedly.</p> + +<p>“Suppose we row around in a circle for a while,” Fred +suggested.</p> + +<p>“We can try at least,” said Grant, and fitting the oars +into the oarlocks the four boys rowed slowly about, all the time +keeping a sharp lookout in all directions. Meanwhile Sam lay motionless +on the bottom of the boat. For at least half an hour the search was +continued, but not one glimpse of the missing Petersen did they +secure.</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid it’s no use,” exclaimed Grant at +last.</p> + +<p>“I guess not,” agreed John. “It wouldn’t do +us any good if we did find him now. He’s surely drowned by this +time.”</p> + +<p>“No doubt of it,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“And there’s the fellow who did it,” exclaimed +George, pointing to Sam, who still lay huddled in a heap in the stern. +No one had paid the slightest attention to the negro since he had been +hauled aboard. He was exhausted, but in no danger, as could be plainly +seen from his regular and heavy breathing.</p> + +<p>“We ought to throw him overboard, too,” said John.</p> + +<p>“He’s not entirely to blame,” said Grant. +“He’s ignorant and superstitious and doesn’t know any +better, but we do, and we must act accordingly.”</p> + +<p>“He committed a crime, though,” said John, “and we +ought to hand him over to the authorities.”</p> + +<p>“What authorities?” said Grant with a grim smile. +“Just look around you. There isn’t even a boat or a bit of +land in sight, let alone authorities.”</p> + +<p>“Then we ought to punish him ourselves,” insisted +John.</p> + +<p>“Who are we to do a thing like that!” said George. +“We’ve no right to take the law into our own +hands.”</p> + +<p>At this moment Sam stirred and finally sat up. He was soaking wet +still and very weak. He blinked at the sun, which was now shining +brightly, and looked dazedly about him. The four boys watched him in +silence.</p> + +<p>“Where is I?” demanded Sam at length.</p> + +<p>“Where do you think you are?” exclaimed John. +“You’re in a boat.”</p> + +<p>“De <i>Josephine</i>,” muttered Sam. “Where am de +<i>Josephine</i>?”</p> + +<p>“As though you didn’t know,” said John scornfully. +“You needn’t try to bluff us.”</p> + +<p>“What dat?” said Sam in a puzzled way. “What dat +you say?”</p> + +<p>“I said you knew just as well as we do where the +<i>Josephine</i> is,” said John, “and that you +needn’t try to bluff us, either.”</p> + +<p>The black man looked straight at John as though he did not +understand a word that was said to him. His face was an absolute blank +and if he was acting, he certainly did it well. He glanced down at his +clothes.</p> + +<p>“Ah’s all wet,” he murmured to himself.</p> + +<p>“I suppose you don’t remember jumping into this boat and +being out here all night,” exclaimed John skeptically, though he +was nettled by Sam’s appearance of innocence.</p> + +<p>Sam merely looked at him and shook his head.</p> + +<p>“How about your fight with–”</p> + +<p>“Keep quiet, John,” said Grant sharply. +“Don’t mention that yet.”</p> + +<p>“What dat?” asked Sam, looking curiously from one boy to +the other.</p> + +<p>“Nothing, Sam,” said Grant quickly. “Don’t +you remember the fire?”</p> + +<p>“De fire?” said Sam, completely mystified. +“Wha’ fire?”</p> + +<p>“On the <i>Josephine</i>,” exclaimed John. +“Don’t you know that she burned to the water’s +edge?”</p> + +<p>“Ah does remember dat fire now,” said Sam eagerly, a +gleam of understanding showing in his face. “She done come out ob +de hatchway, didn’t she?”</p> + +<p>“It did,” agreed Grant. “After that don’t +you remember how we all jumped into the boats and rowed away? +Don’t you remember that?”</p> + +<p>“’Deed Ah don’t,” said Sam. “Ah don’t +remembah a thing about dat ar.”</p> + +<p>“Are you sure?” demanded John sharply.</p> + +<p>“Sho’ Ah is,” exclaimed Sam sincerely. It did not +seem to the four boys that he could be fooling, his manner seemed so +earnest.</p> + +<p>For some moments no one on the little boat spoke a word. The boys +sat and looked at Sam, and he sat and looked at them and at the boat +and the boundless ocean stretching on every side as far as the eye +could see. Not a sign of life could be seen on it anywhere. There was +no trace of the other boats that had set out from the burning brig and +it was impossible to conjecture what had happened to them.</p> + +<p>Finally Sam sighed deeply and he sank back against the stern of the +boat as though he was exhausted. His eyes half closed and he yawned +sleepily.</p> + +<p>“Ah’s tired,” he murmured, and straightway fell +asleep once more.</p> + +<p>“What do you think of it?” demanded John a moment +later.</p> + +<p>“Think of what?” asked Fred.</p> + +<p>“Do you think that Sam really doesn’t remember all that +happened?”</p> + +<p>“It’s possible, all right,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“But how could it be?” John insisted.</p> + +<p>“Well, I’ll tell you,” explained Grant. “Sam +was scared to death in that storm; you all know that. He was moaning +and groaning around the boat and when the fire started he might easily +have gone out of his head. Perhaps he was even stunned by the +lightning. Since that time he has been in a state of unconsciousness, +and now he doesn’t remember a thing that he did. Oh, I think +it’s perfectly possible.”</p> + +<p>“It’s certainly strange,” mused George.</p> + +<p>“It surely is,” exclaimed John. “Still if he +wasn’t telling the truth he certainly is a fine actor.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve heard of such things happening before,” +remarked Fred.</p> + +<p>“What do you mean?” said John.</p> + +<p>“Why, people being in sort of a blank state when they do +things that they don’t remember at all later.”</p> + +<p>“What made Sam that way?” said John.</p> + +<p>“I told you,” exclaimed Grant. “He was so +frightened it probably drove him temporarily out of his head. +Unconsciously he blamed it all on poor Petersen so that when he saw him +right here in the same boat, his one idea was to get +revenge.”</p> + +<p>“Can we blame him then?” said Fred. “If a man +doesn’t know what he is doing, is he responsible?”</p> + +<p>“I’d hate to decide that,” said Grant. “At +the same time I don’t see how we can hold it against him, +especially when he doesn’t know what it was.”</p> + +<p>“When we get back to civilization we may have to tell on him +though,” remarked John. “Don’t you think we’ll +have to do that?”</p> + +<p>“Wait till we get there,” advised Grant. “From the +look of things right now, it doesn’t seem that we are going to +get there very soon.”</p> + +<p>“It’s funny we don’t see any boats,” said +George.</p> + +<p>“Or land,” added John.</p> + +<p>“How about some food?” exclaimed Fred. “We +haven’t eaten in a long time you know.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” Grant agreed. “We can eat +something anyway. Somebody open up the food, and the water +too.”</p> + +<p>Ample provisions for several days were found to have been placed +aboard and the taste of food worked wonders with the unfortunate boys. +They were sparing of it, however, and even more careful of their water +supply. While in all probability they would be picked up before long by +some passing steamer, it was deemed advisable to go slowly. The rations +apportioned were divided into five equal parts, the four boys quickly +consuming their shares while Sam’s was kept out for him until he +should awaken.</p> + +<p>“Don’t a good many steamers pass this way?” said +Fred.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Grant grimly. “Where +are we?”</p> + +<p>“Somewhere near the West Indies, I suppose,” said +Fred.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps we are,” Grant agreed. “Personally I +don’t know.”</p> + +<p>“Shall we row?” suggested John.</p> + +<p>“What’s the use?” exclaimed Fred. “We +don’t know which way to go.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve a compass, you know,” said George.</p> + +<p>“That won’t help us now, I’m afraid,” said +Grant. “If we knew where we were, it might.”</p> + +<p>“We’re in the tropics all right from the feeling of that +sun,” said John.</p> + +<p>All day long the little party drifted idly about on the ocean. The +water was almost still, as there was hardly a breath of air stirring. +Not a sail appeared to break the monotony of the scene and the boys +began to feel worried. The sun was scorching and they had no protection +at all. Finally, night came with a welcome fall in temperature, but +otherwise they were not one whit better off. They seemed just as far +from rescue as ever.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_9'></a>CHAPTER IX<br /><span class='fss'>IN SEARCH OF +LAND</span></h2> + +<p>When next the sun rose it shone upon a very disconsolate and +discouraged little band. The four boys and their negro companion were +becoming very downhearted. Thus far they had not seen a sign of a boat. +It almost seemed as if they were on a desert ocean, for in these days +of world-wide commerce there are few nooks and crannies of the seven +seas not visited by the merchant fleets.</p> + +<p>Sam was the most cheerful person on board. Food and sleep had +restored his spirits wonderfully and with the characteristic trait of +his race, he was almost satisfied as long as he had those two things. +No one had mentioned his fight with Petersen to him. If he did not +remember it, there was no use in telling him about it. The four boys +decided to watch him closely, however, in case he was acting a part. If +such was the case he would surely betray himself sooner or later.</p> + +<p>The sun was just a little way above the horizon and a scanty +breakfast was being served on board the boat. John had just arisen from +his seat to help himself to a big sailor-cracker. He turned and glanced +at the newly risen sun and suddenly stopped short, the cracker half way +to his mouth.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter, String?” demanded Fred, +noticing his friend’s action.</p> + +<p>“Land!” cried John, excitedly.</p> + +<p>“Where?” exclaimed the others in one breath, at the same +time springing to their feet utterly regardless of whether the boat +upset or not.</p> + +<p>“Right over there,” said John, pointing. “I see +hills and palm trees.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I don’t,” exclaimed George a moment later. +“You’re dreaming, String.”</p> + +<p>“I am not,” said John insistently. “Don’t +any of you fellows see it?”</p> + +<p>“It’s a mirage,” said Grant. “You +don’t see anything, String.”</p> + +<p>“Mirage, nothing!” cried John hotly. “I see land +and if you all weren’t so stupid you’d see it +too.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe you can see it because you are so much taller than we +are,” suggested Fred.</p> + +<p>“Stand up on one of the seats then,” said John. +“That’ll make you as tall as I.”</p> + +<p>George quickly followed this advice, but he could see no land. +Grant, too, tried it but he was no more successful. They all began to +make fun of John.</p> + +<p>“Something has gone to your head, String,” teased +George. “You’re seeing things.”</p> + +<p>John, however, was so angry by this time that he would not pay the +slightest attention to such remarks. His face was flushed and he still +stared sullenly out across the water in the direction of the rising +sun. Suddenly his jaw dropped, and a look of amazement spread itself +over his features. His eyes were round with surprise.</p> + +<p>“It’s gone,” he exclaimed in consternation.</p> + +<p>“Ha, ha,” laughed George, derisively. “I told you +it was a mirage.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps, the wind blew it away,” suggested Fred.</p> + +<p>“You all think you’re pretty smart,” said John, a +half-foolish grin on his face. “I swear I thought I saw land over +there.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I tell you what we do,” suggested Grant. +“String thought he saw land over in that direction, but +it’s gone now. Just the same I say we row that way and see what +we can see.”</p> + +<p>“What’s the point in that?” demanded Fred. +“You don’t really think he saw anything, do you?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t. At the same time we can’t be any +worse off than we are now, and String’s seeing the mirage may +have been an omen. Perhaps there is land somewhere over there after +all.”</p> + +<p>“I’m willing,” agreed George. “What do you +say?”</p> + +<p>“Let’s try it,” exclaimed Fred. “As Grant +says we can’t be any worse off than we are now. Perhaps +we’ll be better.”</p> + +<p>“Ah think dat’s a fine idea,” said Sam +enthusiastically. “Ah can row, too.”</p> + +<p>“No, you steer,” directed Grant. “Give me your +compass, Pop, and set a course for him. You follow it exactly, +Sam.”</p> + +<p>“Ah sho’ will,” agreed Sam, delighted at the idea +of having no work to do and the responsibility of steering the +boat.</p> + +<p>“I guess I’m not a pretty handy sort of a fellow to have +around,” George remarked with a grin as he took the compass from +around his neck and handed it to Sam. “I haven’t written in +my diary lately, though.”</p> + +<p>“Have you still got that with you, Pop?” exclaimed +John.</p> + +<p>“Surely. You don’t think I’d lose that, do +you?”</p> + +<p>“I thought you might in all this mixup.”</p> + +<p>“No, indeed,” said George warmly. “I +wouldn’t lose my diary for anything.”</p> + +<p>“Give Sam the course to steer,” exclaimed Grant. +“You all talk so much.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” laughed George, and setting the compass on +the bottom of the boat between the negro’s feet he directed him +to steer a little south of east. This was the direction in which John +had seen his phantom island.</p> + +<p>“I have a plan,” said Fred. “I say we all row +steadily for an hour without looking around. At the end of that time +we’ll all stand up and I feel sure we’ll see land not far +away.”</p> + +<p>“How are you going to tell when the hour is up?” +inquired John. “There isn’t a watch in the whole crowd that +will run. I’m afraid it’s too warm for even the sun to be +on time.”</p> + +<p>“Then we’ll have to guess at it. Is everybody +agreeable?”</p> + +<p>“Suppose a boat appears ahead of us,” suggested George. +“We might never see it.”</p> + +<p>“Sam is facing that way,” said Fred. “He will see +it and can tell us. Unless he sees a boat, though, he is not to say a +word.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a go,” said Grant. “Is everybody +ready?”</p> + +<p>The word was given and the life-boat shot forward on its course. The +game being played served to cheer up the members of the little party +and as a matter of fact no one had remained greatly worried about their +condition for any length of time. Youth is always hopeful and every one +on board had always had the feeling deep in his heart that they would +be rescued before long. Lack of food and water had not assailed them as +yet.</p> + +<p>“The hour must be nearly up,” remarked George at +last.</p> + +<p>“Huh,” snorted Fred. “I don’t believe +we’ve been going over twenty minutes.”</p> + +<p>“Certainly not an hour,” agreed Grant. “Stick to +it a while longer, Pop.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” sighed George, “but I know +we’ve been working at least an hour.”</p> + +<p>“You never worked an hour in your life,” said John. +“How do you know how long it is?”</p> + +<p>“I warn you not to talk like that,” said George, +pretending to be angry. “I am sitting right behind you, you know, +and it would be no trouble at all for me to give you a good, swift +punch in the middle of the spine.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Pop,” exclaimed Fred. “How bloodthirsty +you’re getting.”</p> + +<p>“I’m thirsty for a drink of water, that’s +sure,” exclaimed George.</p> + +<p>“You’ll have to wait until the hour is up,” said +Grant.</p> + +<p>“I say it’s up now.”</p> + +<p>“The rest of us say not, though,” reminded Grant. +“Besides that, we’re three to your one, so we can make you +do pretty much as we please.”</p> + +<p>“Is that so?” exclaimed George haughtily. “Well, +if I want to turn my head around I don’t know who could stop +me.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t try it,” warned Fred, who pulled the bow +oar. “You’ll be sorry.”</p> + +<p>“How about Fred up there?” demanded John.</p> + +<p>“We’ve all got our backs turned to him and he may look +around every minute for all we know.”</p> + +<p>“Sam can see him,” exclaimed Grant. “Has he looked +around yet, Sam?”</p> + +<p>“Ah ain’t seen him if he has,” replied Sam, +grinning from ear to ear and showing a double row of ivory teeth.</p> + +<p>“If he does, you just tell us,” said Grant, “and +we’ll fix him.”</p> + +<p>“Yas, sah,” grinned Sam. “Ah’ll report all +right.”</p> + +<p>“Seen any boats yet, Sam?” demanded George.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Sam before Grant could stop him.</p> + +<p>“Look here, Pop,” exclaimed Grant hotly, “you +ought not to have asked him that question. We made an agreement not to +look around, but what’s the use if you aren’t going to live +up to it?”</p> + +<p>“Did I look around?” demanded George.</p> + +<p>“No, but–”</p> + +<p>“Well, that’s all I agreed to.”</p> + +<p>“I know, but–”</p> + +<p>“Seen any land, Sam?” asked George. He knew how angry he +was making Grant, but one of his main objects in life was to tease +people.</p> + +<p>“Ah ain’t sayin’,” said Sam warily. +“Yo’ all ain’t gwine to ketch me nappin’ +again.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Sam,” exclaimed Grant; +“don’t you answer a single question that any one asks +you.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Grant,” mocked George, at the same time pitching +his voice like a girl’s. “I think you’re just +horrid.”</p> + +<p>“Hit him, somebody!” exclaimed Fred laughingly. +“Don’t let him live.”</p> + +<p>At this moment, however, George, who had been paying more attention +to the conversation than the rowing, caught a crab. He lost his balance +completely and toppled over backward, sprawling at full length on the +bottom of the boat. As a consequence the whole crew was disorganized. +The agreement not to look around was entirely forgotten and all heads +were turned to look at George.</p> + +<p>Suddenly John stood up in the boat and cheered at the top of his +voice.</p> + +<p>“Look there!” he cried. “There’s land this +time, all right!”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_10'></a>CHAPTER X<br /><span +class='fss'>ASHORE</span></h2> + +<p>All eyes were immediately turned in the direction in which John +pointed. Sure enough, and every one saw it this time, land appeared far +off on the distant horizon. It could be seen only faintly, but there +was no mistaking it. The low-lying shore and the outline of a few hills +were plainly visible.</p> + +<p>“What do you think of that?” exclaimed Grant joyously. +“It certainly looks as if our luck had turned.”</p> + +<p>“Sho’ it has,” said Sam readily. “Soon as we +lef’ dat hard luck Finn Ah knowed we’d be all right. Ah +suttinly is glad Ah is not in de same boat wid him.”</p> + +<p>These words of Sam threw a sudden damper upon every one in the boat. +The four boys looked at one another in consternation and much of their +joy at the sight of land was taken away by the recollection of the +tragic end of their shipmate Petersen. Sam, however, seemed entirely +unconscious of having said anything out of the way. His face was +wreathed in smiles and showed nothing but satisfaction, now that he was +separated from Petersen. If any doubt had still lingered in the +boys’ minds as to Sam’s sincerity that doubt was now +dispelled. There was no question at all that the negro recalled nothing +of his tragic deed.</p> + +<p>“What’s de mattah wid you gentlemen?” demanded +Sam, noticing the strange behavior of the four young sailors.</p> + +<p>“Nothing at all,” said Grant quickly.</p> + +<p>“Let’s row for shore,” exclaimed John, doing his +best to change the subject.</p> + +<p>“That’s what I say,” agreed George, who had now +picked himself up and had taken hold of his oar once again. “I +want to feel some good old earth under my feet for a change.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” said Grant. “Let’s not +waste any time.”</p> + +<p>They dug their oars into the water and with renewed energy set out +for the distant shore. Now and again they turned around and looked +ahead in an effort to discover the character of the land they were +approaching. It was still far away, however, and not much idea could be +had of it.</p> + +<p>“It’s an island all right,” said John +confidently.</p> + +<p>“Probably,” agreed Grant. “I don’t think we +were very near the mainland when the <i>Josephine</i> +burned.”</p> + +<p>“Look there,” cried Fred all at once. “Look back +of the boat there.”</p> + +<p>Every one immediately stopped rowing and craned his neck to see what +Fred was pointing out.</p> + +<p>“What is it, Fred?” demanded George. “What do you +see?”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you see that fin?”</p> + +<p>“Dat Finn!” exclaimed Sam. “Where dat +Finn?”</p> + +<p>“Not the one you mean,” said Fred, smiling in spite of +his evident excitement. “I mean the fin of a fish.”</p> + +<p>“I see it,” cried John suddenly. “What is +it?”</p> + +<p>“What is it,” repeated Fred. “Don’t you +know?”</p> + +<p>“A shark?”</p> + +<p>“Of course it is,” said Fred. “It must be a +whopper, too.”</p> + +<p>Every one else saw the fin now and involuntarily a shiver passed +over most of those on the little boat. The great black fin sailed +easily and steadily along, just cutting the top of the water. Gruesome +and forbidding it looked and straightway recalled to the minds of the +four boys the stories they had so often heard of the hordes of +man-eating sharks that infested the waters of the West Indies.</p> + +<p>“There’s another,” cried Grant suddenly.</p> + +<p>Sure enough another fin joined the first and one ahead of the other +the sharks cruised around the waters near the life-boat.</p> + +<p>“Zowie!” exclaimed George. “I guess I’m glad +I’m not in the water just now.”</p> + +<p>“Same here,” said Fred thankfully. “I wonder what +they’d do to you.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m not curious enough to find out,” said +George grimly. “They can’t touch us here in the boat, +anyway.”</p> + +<p>“That’s true enough,” said Grant. “I say we +don’t waste any more time looking at them, either. Personally, +I’d rather be ashore.”</p> + +<p>Once more the oars were dipped into the water and the voyage was +continued. The sharks also came along and their fins could be seen +first on one side of the boat and then on the other; sometimes they +appeared in front and sometimes astern. Relentlessly they followed, +however, all the way to the shore.</p> + +<p>As the boat came nearer the land the boys got more of an idea of the +place they were approaching.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see any houses,” remarked John.</p> + +<p>“Nor I,” agreed Fred. “It doesn’t look as if +there was a human being on the island. It looks fertile enough, +though.”</p> + +<p>“Well, we’ll know all about it before long,” said +Grant. “Where shall we land?”</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with that little harbor straight +ahead?” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“All right,” exclaimed Grant. “Steer us in there, +Sam.”</p> + +<p>“No matter what kind of a place it is I’ll certainly be +glad to get on shore again,” said George eagerly. +“I’ve had about all I want of boats for a while.”</p> + +<p>“I agree with you, Pop,” said Fred. “I’ve +had enough, too.”</p> + +<p>“I wish we’d see a steamer,” sighed John.</p> + +<p>“I wish a steamer would see us,” said Grant. “I +think that would be more to the point.”</p> + +<p>“We’ve simply got to be picked up soon,” said +John. “Our food won’t last a great many days +longer.”</p> + +<p>“It’s good for a week, anyway,” said Fred. +“Some one will surely find us by that time. We can hoist a flag +on top of that hill up there. A passing steamer would be sure to see +it.”</p> + +<p>“There may be people on the island for all we know,” +said Grant. “We can’t see it all from here and it must be +at least a mile long.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll know soon, anyway,” exclaimed John. +“Don’t run us onto any rocks on the way in, Sam.”</p> + +<p>“No, sah,” grinned Sam. “Jes’ leave dat to +me.”</p> + +<p>The shore of the island was low and sandy. Wide white beaches ran +down to the water’s edge, while a short distance back were many +palms and other trees of which the boys did not know the names. As Fred +remarked, the island certainly looked fertile. Great excitement filled +the breasts of every member of the party as they neared the shore.</p> + +<p>“The sharks have gone,” exclaimed John suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Sure enough,” said George. “I had forgotten all +about them.”</p> + +<p>“There they are out there,” said Grant indicating a spot +some fifty yards astern of the boat. “They’re not alone, +either.”</p> + +<p>Ten or a dozen great fins could be seen weaving in and out in the +place Grant had indicated.</p> + +<p>“It must be shallow in here,” remarked Fred. +“That’s probably why they don’t come in any closer. +Look out for going aground, Sam.”</p> + +<p>“Not de leas’ dangah of dat,” replied Sam +confidently and whether he knew what he was talking about or not, the +fact remains that a few moments later the bow of the boat grounded +softly on the white sand, only a few feet from the shore.</p> + +<p>“First ashore,” cried George leaping overboard and +dashing up on the beach.</p> + +<p>“Hey, there! Wait a minute,” shouted Grant. +“We’ve got to pull this boat up and we’ll need +everyone’s help.”</p> + +<p>“We’d better take the provisions out,” said Fred a +moment later when they had hauled the boat some distance up on the +shore.</p> + +<p>“What for?” demanded George who was always opposed to +doing any more work than was absolutely necessary.</p> + +<p>“Put them somewhere in the shade I say,” exclaimed Fred. +“Take out that cask of water, too. Those things have been +broiling in the sun too long already.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s take everything out except the oars,” said +Grant. “We’ll probably be here for a couple of days and we +might as well do it now as any time. I don’t believe we’ll +be picked up before then; at least there is a good chance that we +won’t.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” agreed George. “Take everything out +then. As soon as that’s done though, I’m going to see what +the other side of this island looks like.”</p> + +<p>“We all will,” said John. “Let’s do this +first though.”</p> + +<p>They all fell to work with a will and soon had the the boat +unloaded. The contents were placed under a sheltering grove of mangrove +trees a short distance away. The boat was hauled a little farther up on +shore and then the boys prepared to start on their tour of inspection. +Sam followed as a matter of course.</p> + +<p>“Say, this is a pretty fine island,” exclaimed George as +they started out.</p> + +<p>“Pineapples,” cried Grant, excitedly. “What do you +think of that?”</p> + +<p>“Are they ripe?” demanded George as the little band +swooped down upon the cluster of plants.</p> + +<p>“They certainly are,” said Grant, who quickly produced +his jackknife and cut off the top of one of the pineapples. +“Watch me eat it,” and he began to eat the juicy fruit with +great relish. He was not far ahead of the others, however, for soon +they were all busily engaged in the same way.</p> + +<p>At last they had their fill of pineapples and moved on. Banana trees +were discovered, standing in rows as if they had been planted.</p> + +<p>“Somebody lives on this island, or used to anyway,” +remarked Grant. “Those trees never grew wild like +that.”</p> + +<p>“Of course not,” said John. “It doesn’t look +as though they’d been cultivated lately though.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll find out before long anyway,” said Fred. +“If there are people here all I hope is that they’re not +cannibals.”</p> + +<p>“Dey no cannibals heah,” said Sam so seriously that +every one laughed.</p> + +<p>“I hope not, Sam,” said Fred, smiling. “I’d +hate to be eaten.”</p> + +<p>They crossed the island which was not more than a half-mile wide at +this point, and that seemed to be the average most of the way. The view +was the same as on the opposite side; not a thing to be seen but the +boundless ocean with not a speck of a sail or a bit of land within +sight. It was a little kingdom all of its own. A quarter of a mile from +shore the low rollers broke ceaselessly on a coral reef, while +overhead, the gulls swept around and around, their plaintive whistle +being very distinct at times.</p> + +<p>In silence the boys stood and gazed at the ocean.</p> + +<p>“Looks as if we were alone in the world, doesn’t +it?” said Fred at last.</p> + +<p>“It surely does,” said George. “I somehow feel as +if there ought to be some sort of a big black king sitting under one of +these palm trees with about twenty slaves standing around fanning +him.”</p> + +<p>“Speaking of black,” remarked John. “What has +happened to Sam?”</p> + +<p>“He went back to the boat,” said Fred, but as he spoke +Sam suddenly appeared, running towards the little group at full speed. +That he was greatly excited about something could be plainly seen from +his manner.</p> + +<p>“What is it, Sam?” demanded Grant as the erstwhile cook +came puffing and blowing up to the spot where the four boys stood. +“What’s the matter?”</p> + +<p>“De boat,” gasped Sam. “De boat am +gone.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_11'></a>CHAPTER XI<br /><span class='fss'>A SERIOUS +MISHAP</span></h2> + +<p>“The boat gone!” exclaimed Grant in amazement. +“What do you mean?”</p> + +<p>“What Ah say is dat de boat am gone, dat’s all,” +said Sam.</p> + +<p>“How could it get away though?” demanded John excitedly. +“Who is there to take it?”</p> + +<p>“Ah don’t know, sah,” said Sam. “It +sho’ is gone though.”</p> + +<p>“There must be some one on the island then,” exclaimed +John. “I don’t see how it could disappear any other +way.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe,” admitted Grant. “It certainly is +queer.”</p> + +<p>The four boys stood amazed, too surprised by this sudden catastrophe +at first to do anything. It seemed almost impossible to think that such +a thing could be.</p> + +<p>“Are you sure you went to the right place, Sam?” +demanded Fred.</p> + +<p>“Sho’ Ah is,” said Sam. “Dey is no doubt ob +it.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s all go and have a look,” George +suggested.</p> + +<p>“The first sensible idea yet, Pop,” exclaimed Grant. +“Come on, everybody.”</p> + +<p>Helter skelter and making as fast time as they could, the little +party set out to retrace their steps to their landing place. Fear +filled their hearts, not only on account of the disappearance of their +boat, but also because there was the chance that some one else was on +the island who might have stolen it. Not that the boys would not have +been glad to see other people, but because they feared that the +strangers might turn out to be enemies. Certainly, if they were +friends, it seemed queer they should steal the boat.</p> + +<p>It was not long before they came to the little harbor. Grant was the +first to reach the water’s edge and he looked about him eagerly, +for traces of the missing boat.</p> + +<p>“Here’s where it was,” exclaimed Fred.</p> + +<p>“There isn’t even a mark on the beach where it was +pulled up,” said John. “That’s a queer thing it seems +to me.”</p> + +<p>“You’re sure this is the spot?” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“I know it is,” said George, confidently. “There +is no doubt of it.”</p> + +<p>“See any footprints around?” asked Fred.</p> + +<p>“None at all,” replied John. “What do you think of +it all?”</p> + +<p>“What do you think, Grant?” inquired George. Grant was +always the one to whom the other boys turned when there was any +question to be settled.</p> + +<p>Grant stood on the beach and gazed fixedly out to sea.</p> + +<p>“What are you looking at?” demanded John.</p> + +<p>“I’m looking at our boat,” replied Grant +quietly.</p> + +<p>“What!” exclaimed Fred. “Where is it?”</p> + +<p>“Right out there,” said Grant, pointing to a white speck +that could be faintly seen far out on the water.</p> + +<p>“But how did it get there?” insisted Fred.</p> + +<p>“It floated,” said Grant quietly, “and I’ll +tell you how. You know we pulled it up on the shore, but I’m +afraid we didn’t pull it far enough. While we were away, the tide +must have come in and floated it off. There it goes, and here we stay, +I guess.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be so sure of that,” exclaimed George, and +he began to divest himself of his few remaining clothes as rapidly as +possible.</p> + +<p>“What do you think you’re going to do, Pop?” +demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“I’m going after that boat.”</p> + +<p>“By swimming?”</p> + +<p>“Of course. How else could I reach it?” and by this time +George was almost stripped to his skin.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be silly, Pop,” exclaimed Fred. “That +boat is at least a half-mile from shore and you couldn’t possibly +catch it. It’s getting farther away all the time.”</p> + +<p>“It’s worth a try, isn’t it?” demanded +George. “You don’t want to stay here the rest of your life, +do you?” He was a splendid swimmer and had won many prizes in +this line of sport. At the same time what he proposed to attempt now +was most ambitious.</p> + +<p>“You’re crazy, Pop,” said Grant earnestly. +“You can’t possibly make it.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you that later,” said George doggedly, +and he made as if to start down the beach. John, however, seized him +and held him firmly.</p> + +<p>“Please don’t try it,” he begged. +“You’ll only drown.”</p> + +<p>“Let me go,” exclaimed George.</p> + +<p>“Think ob dem sha’ks,” said Sam. “Dey’s +millions ob dem out dar.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Pop,” cried Grant. “Think of +those sharks. Even if you could swim that far the sharks would get +you.”</p> + +<p>“Put your clothes on again,” said Fred. “We need +you worse than we do the boat.”</p> + +<p>The argument about the sharks had more influence on George than +anything else. He did not mind the ocean, but the thought of its hungry +inhabitants was too much for him. He yielded to the pleas of his +comrades and slowly began to put on his clothes.</p> + +<p>“What’ll we do?” he said dazedly. “It looks +as if we were stranded.”</p> + +<p>“I guess we are,” agreed Grant grimly. +“We’ll have to sit here and wait until some steamer happens +by and picks us up.”</p> + +<p>“But how will any one know we’re here?” said +George.</p> + +<p>“We’ll hoist a flag.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all right, but where are we going to get a +flag?”</p> + +<p>“I’ll show you,” exclaimed Grant, and he made his +way to the spot where their stores and provisions were piled. A moment +later he returned with the canvas tarpaulin that had been used as a +cover. “Here’s our flag,” he said, waving the heavy +piece of canvas around his head.</p> + +<p>“It’s too heavy,” objected John. “It would +take a gale to make that stand out.”</p> + +<p>“It is heavy,” admitted Grant. “I don’t know +of anything else we can use though.”</p> + +<p>“Except my shirt,” said George quickly. +“That’ll make a real flag.”</p> + +<p>“But what will you wear?” said John.</p> + +<p>“Nothing maybe,” replied George, cheerfully. “In +this climate I don’t believe any one would suffer much from lack +of clothes.”</p> + +<p>“Probably not,” Grant agreed. “Why use your shirt +in preference to any one else’s though.”</p> + +<p>“Because I offer it first.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” laughed Grant. “Pass it +over.”</p> + +<p>George handed his shirt to Grant and soon the seams were ripped so +that it covered the largest amount of possible space. “Now for a +flag-pole,” exclaimed Grant.</p> + +<p>“I’ll attend to that,” exclaimed Fred and he +straightway fell upon a nearby tree with his jackknife. He cut off one +of the longest and straightest branches after considerable trouble, and +presented it for his companions’ approval. “How’s +that?” he demanded proudly. “It’s about thirty feet +long and stuck up on top of that hill, it could be seen for a long, +long distance.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll now go up and raise the flag,” cried Grant, +and leading the way he set out for the top of the hill.</p> + +<p>“Look at the brook,” exclaimed John suddenly, after they +had covered about half the distance to their destination.</p> + +<p>“It’s not a very big one,” remarked George as he +stepped across the tiny stream. “I wonder where it comes +from.”</p> + +<p>“We can follow it and see,” said Grant. “If the +water is good to drink, we are in luck, for we may need it desperately +before long.”</p> + +<p>“It looks clear enough,” said Fred. “I’ll +taste of it.”</p> + +<p>“Wait till we find the source,” advised Grant. “We +can tell better then whether it is good or not.”</p> + +<p>They soon discovered the origin of the little stream. Set in among a +grove of scrub palmetto trees was a spring. The water bubbled merrily +out into a little pool, the bottom of which was covered with shining +white pebbles.</p> + +<p>“That looks all right to me,” exclaimed Fred eagerly and +a moment later he was flat on his stomach, taking long draughts of the +clear water.</p> + +<p>“Whew, that’s fine,” he said enthusiastically, as +he rose to his feet once more and sighed with satisfaction.</p> + +<p>“Is it cool?” asked John.</p> + +<p>“It’s almost cold,” said Fred. “Why +don’t you try it?”</p> + +<p>John did try it and so did every one else. All pronounced it to be +just as Fred had described it. “We can live for a long while on +that water and the fruit that’s here,” remarked Fred. +“We won’t have to worry about starving anyway.”</p> + +<p>“Just the same we want to get our flag up,” exclaimed +Grant. “Let’s do it now and get it over with.”</p> + +<p>Without further delay they proceeded to the top of the hill. There +were no trees on the summit and for a space of two or three hundred +yards, the ground was bare and unobstructed. The very highest point on +the island was selected and there a hole was dug. Sticks and knives and +fingers and anything that could be found was used in the task, for no +tools had been put in the life-boat.</p> + +<p>“If we only had the oars,” said George, “we could +have tied them all together and made a real flag pole.”</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with this?” demanded Fred. +“It may not be very beautiful, but it’ll do the work all +right. It’s limber too, so that if a high wind comes up it will +bend and not break.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” exclaimed George, “put the flag on +and we’ll set it up.”</p> + +<p>The sleeves were torn from George’s sacrificed shirt. The +sleeves in turn were torn into strips and with these the rest of the +shirt, or rather the flag, was tied securely to the pole.</p> + +<p>“Hoist it up,” cried George. “I must say I never +expected to have my shirt used for a flag on some deserted island +though.”</p> + +<p>“It makes a good one all right,” said Grant. “That +ought to be visible for a good long distance.”</p> + +<p>“Do you suppose any one would take the trouble to investigate +if he did see it?” inquired John skeptically.</p> + +<p>“Any one would certainly investigate a flag like that,” +laughed George. “They’d think it was a Chinese laundry or +something.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe they’ll take it for a pirate flag,” +suggested Fred.</p> + +<p>“This island looks like a good place for pirates all +right,” remarked John.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_12'></a>CHAPTER XII<br /><span class='fss'>A NEW +HOME</span></h2> + +<p>That night the shipwrecked little band slept out in the open with +nothing but the stars over their heads. In fact they had no other +shelter, but the night was mild and clear and no one suffered any +discomfort.</p> + +<p>Thus far the boys had had no chance to explore their new home, but +the first thing the next morning they determined to do so. A plunge in +the waters of the little bay put every one in good humor. No one went +very far out, however, for in spite of the fact that they knew there +was slight chance of any shark venturing anywhere so near the shore, +the knowledge that the giants were lurking not far away cured every +desire to swim out any distance.</p> + +<p>Sam decided he would not join the exploring party. He had an idea +that he would be very much better off, dozing in the sun at the foot of +some palm tree. The four boys separated, Fred and Grant going together, +and John and George pairing off.</p> + +<p>“You two go one way,” directed Grant, “and +we’ll go the other. If we follow the shore we’ll meet +around on the other side of the island somewhere.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” agreed John. “We’ll see you +later.”</p> + +<p>“After we see what the shore of the island is like, I say we +explore the interior,” said George, as he and John walked off +down the beach.</p> + +<p>“That’s what I say,” exclaimed John. “That +part looks more interesting.”</p> + +<p>“It does to me, too. There are lots of birds here.”</p> + +<p>“Do you know the names of them?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t. All I know is that they are certainly +beautiful. Look at that one there,” exclaimed George suddenly, as +there was a flash of scarlet showing for an instant among the trees to +their left.</p> + +<p>“I wonder if there are any parrots here.”</p> + +<p>“Wouldn’t you like to have one?”</p> + +<p>“I certainly would. I’d like to take it home with +me.”</p> + +<p>“If we ever get there.”</p> + +<p>“Of course we’ll get there,” said John +confidently. “Don’t worry about that for a second. +It’s only a question of how soon it will be.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be so sure about that, String. We don’t +know where we are and it certainly seems queer that we haven’t +seen a single boat. That’s what worries me. If many boats went by +this way, I wouldn’t worry, but if no boats come along, how are +we to be picked up?”</p> + +<p>“But some will come.”</p> + +<p>“They haven’t yet.”</p> + +<p>“It seems to me we ought to have a lookout,” said John. +“A boat might go right by and we’d never see it at +all.”</p> + +<p>“I know it,” said George. “I think we ought to +take turns up on top of the hill where the flag is.”</p> + +<p>“I’m willing. We’ll talk about it to Grant and +Fred, when we meet them.”</p> + +<p>“Look at that rock,” exclaimed George suddenly.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with it?”</p> + +<p>“Look at its shape.”</p> + +<p>“It is queer,” admitted John. “It looks like a +fish.”</p> + +<p>“Doesn’t it? Maybe it’s a petrified +shark.”</p> + +<p>“I guess not that,” laughed John. “Still it is +shaped more like a shark than anything else, isn’t it? +Isn’t it queer?”</p> + +<p>The odd shaped rock made a great impression on the two boys, and it +was a queer freak of nature. Black in color and about thirty feet long +the great bowlder stood out as a remarkable evidence of nature’s +handiwork. It lay in a small opening in the midst of a grove of palm +trees. The two boys drew near to investigate more closely and were +amazed at the smoothness of its surface and the way it glistened in the +sunlight.</p> + +<p>“This is certainly strange,” exclaimed George. “It +looks as if it might have been under water for hundreds of years and +was worn smooth this way by the waves.”</p> + +<p>“It’s so different from the other rocks, too,” +said John. “I wonder what made it black this way.”</p> + +<p>“Do you notice,” remarked George, “that it +doesn’t look so much like a shark when you are close to it? When +we first saw it, it certainly did though.”</p> + +<p>“Didn’t it? Let’s go back to that spot +again.”</p> + +<p>They retraced their steps and once more viewed the odd shaped rock +from the place where they had first caught sight of it. More than ever +were they impressed by its weird resemblance to a giant shark.</p> + +<p>“We’ll certainly have to tell Grant and Fred about +this,” said John. “We’ll bring them down here to look +at it too.”</p> + +<p>The two friends resumed their walk along the shore and before many +moments had passed they caught sight of Fred and Grant.</p> + +<p>“What do you think they’re looking at?” exclaimed +George.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know, Pop,” returned John. “They +certainly seem interested in something though, don’t +they?”</p> + +<p>Fred and Grant were lying face downward on a rock which overhung the +water. Their gaze and attention seemed riveted on what they saw below +them, so that they did not even hear their friends approach.</p> + +<p>“What are you two looking at?” demanded George +curiously.</p> + +<p>Grant looked up at the sound of his comrade’s voice but he did +not answer. He merely beckoned with one finger and then pointed to the +water below. John and George were not long in taking their places +alongside the other two and soon they were just as engrossed in what +they saw as were their companions.</p> + +<p>The water was deep right up to the shore. It was also as clear as +crystal so that everything in it could be seen with remarkable +distinctness. Sand was mixed with coral on the bottom and the water was +populated with fish, and such strange fish too. All sizes, shapes and +colors they were; some almost flat with strange little pig-like mouths; +others chunky and with flat backs as though some one had hammered them +out. All of them, however, were wonderfully provided with marvelous +coloring, some of them with shades that changed from time to time. A +brilliant green ray, shaped like an eel, lay coiled about a piece of +coral; he opened his mouth with its wicked looking teeth and sucked in +the water which he could be seen to expel a moment later from his +gills.</p> + +<p>For a long time the four boys lay and watched these things in +silence. It was like a fairy story to see all these strange inhabitants +of the tropic seas.</p> + +<p>“Whew,” sighed Fred at length, “that’s a +wonderful sight.”</p> + +<p>“I should say so,” exclaimed John heartily. “This +is a wonderful island too. I am almost glad we were stranded +here.”</p> + +<p>“I’d be too,” said George, “if I was only +certain we were going to get off all right.”</p> + +<p>“Guess what Fred and I found this morning,” said +Grant.</p> + +<p>“It wasn’t any more wonderful than what Pop and I +saw,” retorted John.</p> + +<p>“What did you see?” demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“A rock that’s shaped just like a shark.”</p> + +<p>“Huh,” snorted Fred. “That’s not half as +good as what we found.”</p> + +<p>“Tell us what it was then,” said George.</p> + +<p>“Tracks,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Tracks. What kind of tracks?”</p> + +<p>“Can’t you guess?”</p> + +<p>“Not railroad?” suggested George and he put up his arm +as though he expected to have to ward off a blow.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be silly, Pop,” exclaimed Grant. “Of +course they weren’t.”</p> + +<p>“Man tracks?” queried John.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Fred. “They were goat +tracks.”</p> + +<p>“Is that right?” exclaimed George. “Did you see +any goats?”</p> + +<p>“No, but we saw a good many tracks.”</p> + +<p>“I told you this was a wonderful island,” said John +heartily. “You see we’ve even got a herd of goats +here.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know what good they’ll do us +though,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“Why not?” demanded John. “If we can catch one we +can have it to eat.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all right,” said Fred, “but how are +you going to cook it without fire?”</p> + +<p>“We’ll build one of course.”</p> + +<p>“Without matches?”</p> + +<p>“Pop has some matches. Haven’t you, Pop?” inquired +John.</p> + +<p>“Why, certainly,” said George with a great air of +importance. “I have everything of that kind. Wasn’t I the +fellow who had the compass too? I keep a diary and I have a compass and +I have some matches in a waterproof box. Who says that I’m not a +good man to have on any party?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you’re a fine fellow all right,” laughed +Grant. “Personally I don’t know what good your compass will +do us though. Your matches are all right and I advise you to be very +careful with them.”</p> + +<p>“Leave that to me,” said George. “I’ll be +careful all right.”</p> + +<p>“Who’s going to catch these goats?” demanded +Fred.</p> + +<p>“We haven’t gotten as far as that yet,” said Grant +laughingly. “I guess we’ll have to put salt on their +tails.”</p> + +<p>“Not at all,” exclaimed John seriously. +“We’ll make spears and get them that way. To-morrow +we’ll have a goat hunt.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe we will,” said George skeptically. “Just at +present though, I say we do a little more exploring. We haven’t +seen much of the interior of the island yet.”</p> + +<p>“Come along then,” cried Grant. “We’ll all +go.”</p> + +<p>With Grant in the lead, they started. Every moment added to the new +delights the little island afforded. The tropical foliage was brilliant +and the bird-life seemed endless in its variety. The sides of the small +hill which the exploring party was ascending, however, were rocky and +when they were about halfway up, Grant suddenly stopped short in +surprise.</p> + +<p>“Look there,” he exclaimed. “There’s a +cave.”</p> + +<p>A dark opening in the rocks showed just ahead and there was a mad +race to see which boy should arrive at the spot first. It was a steep +ascent, but just in front of the cave was a flat ledge of rocks some +ten or fifteen feet wide which made a sort of front yard.</p> + +<p>Grant was the first to reach the entrance and even before he looked +into the cave he stopped and picked up two objects from the ground at +his feet.</p> + +<p>“What have you got?” demanded John.</p> + +<p>Grant held the two articles in question up to view. “An old +flint-lock pistol and a powder-horn,” he said.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_13'></a>CHAPTER XIII<br /><span class='fss'>AN IRON +CHEST</span></h2> + +<p>“Say,” exclaimed George, “where do you suppose +they came from?”</p> + +<p>“Somebody dropped them here, I suppose,” said Grant +dryly.</p> + +<p>“Of course,” said George, ignoring his friend’s +sarcasm, “but who was it? It must have been a long time ago +though. See how that pistol is all rusted and eaten away. I don’t +believe they’ve used that kind of a pistol in two hundred years, +either.”</p> + +<p>“Well, John said this island looked like a good one for +pirates,” remarked Fred. “Maybe pirates left these things +here.”</p> + +<p>“Do you suppose so?” exclaimed George eagerly. “If +there were pirates here do you think they could have buried any +treasure on the island?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know, I’m sure,” laughed Grant. +“Even if they did, I don’t see just how it would do us any +good.”</p> + +<p>“Can’t we look for it?” demanded George.</p> + +<p>“Where shall we look?”</p> + +<p>“Maybe they left directions as to where it was +buried.”</p> + +<p>“Say,” exclaimed John, “speaking of directions, +what happened to that code we were looking at on board the +<i>Josephine</i>? I suppose it burned up with the ship.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no it didn’t,” said Grant. “It went +right into my hip pocket and that’s where it has been ever since +and where it is right now.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you decipher it, Grant?” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” said Grant grimly, “why don’t I? +It’s so easy you know.”</p> + +<p>“Well, it can be done,” insisted Fred firmly.</p> + +<p>“Of course it can,” laughed George. “The only +trouble is we don’t know how.”</p> + +<p>“We don’t even know it is a code,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Petersen said it was,” Fred objected.</p> + +<p>“I know it,” said Grant, “but he wasn’t sure +of it. That was only his opinion.”</p> + +<p>“Didn’t the water and everything hurt it?” asked +George.</p> + +<p>“Not a bit. Here it is; you can see for yourself,” and +Grant produced the piece of parchment from his pocket. He unfolded it +while his three companions crowded eagerly around him to inspect the +strange document once again. No light was thrown on its secret, if it +had one, however, and the same baffling maze of numbers confronted the +boys.</p> + +<p>“Put it away,” cried John impatiently. “I think +it’s a combination to a safe.”</p> + +<p>“No, it isn’t either,” said Fred. +“It’s a code I tell you and I think that some one of us +ought to be able to read it.”</p> + +<p>“What good would it do if you did?” demanded John. +“Certainly it can’t apply to this island, and I say we +forget it and inspect this cave now. That is much more to the +point.”</p> + +<p>“Put it away, Grant,” said Fred. “To-morrow +though, I’m going to get to work on it and see if I can’t +make something out of it.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll help you,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“That’s the way,” cried Fred enthusiastically. +“Grant and I will find the money and Pop and String won’t +get a cent.”</p> + +<p>“Is that so?” exclaimed George. “Well, if you can +find any money and not give me my share you’re a much better man +than I think you are.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s not fight about the money just now,” +advised Grant. “We haven’t found it yet, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“I know it,” exclaimed John. “I never heard such a +lot of crazy talk before either. Who’s coming into the +cave?”</p> + +<p>The entrance was about ten feet wide and was high enough so that +even John could walk in without stooping. Far down towards the back of +the cave a patch of light shone on the floor showing that somewhere +else besides the spot where the boys stood, there was an opening.</p> + +<p>“I can’t see very well,” said Fred as they stepped +into the cave.</p> + +<p>“Neither can I,” George agreed. “I’m not +very anxious to go walking around in strange dark caves +either.”</p> + +<p>“What can hurt you?” demanded John. “There +isn’t another soul on the island besides ourselves and +Sam.”</p> + +<p>“That may be,” admitted George. “Still there may +be holes in the floor or some kind of animals living here.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m going down to where that spot of light +is,” said John. “Is any one coming with me?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’ll go all right,” exclaimed George quickly. +“All I said was that I didn’t like it much.”</p> + +<p>“Go slow,” cautioned Grant. “We don’t want +to run any risks.”</p> + +<p>“I can see better now than I could,” said John who was +in the lead. “My eyes are becoming more used to the dim +light.”</p> + +<p>“So are mine,” said Fred. “The floor looks +perfectly flat to me too, and I think I see a box or something up ahead +there.”</p> + +<p>“I guess you do,” John agreed. “I see something +myself.”</p> + +<p>They proceeded cautiously on their way until they came to the box in +question.</p> + +<p>“It’s a chest,” exclaimed John, bending over. +“It’s iron, too,” and he gave it a kick. The clang of +the metal echoed and reëchoed through the cave producing a weird sound +and sending the shivers coursing up and down the spines of the +boys.</p> + +<p>“It sounds hollow,” said Grant in a low voice.</p> + +<p>“I guess it is,” John agreed.</p> + +<p>“Lift it and see,” directed George. “Aren’t +there any handles on it?”</p> + +<p>John felt around the sides of the chest and finally discovered that +there was a handle on one end. He pulled and lifted with all his might, +but not one inch could he budge it.</p> + +<p>“Whew, there must be something in it,” he panted. +“It’s certainly heavy enough.”</p> + +<p>“It’s probably full of gold,” exclaimed George +excitedly. “Gold is awfully heavy.”</p> + +<p>“Calm yourself, Pop,” said Grant, but he too, was +excited. In fact, the strange cave and the chest suggested all sorts of +things to the four youths. What if they should find that the chest was +full of money? Stranger things than that have happened.</p> + +<p>“It certainly sounded hollow in spite of all you say,” +remarked Fred. “See if all four of us can’t get hold and +move it.” He kicked it once more and again the weird sound rang +through the cave.</p> + +<p>“Don’t do that, Fred,” begged George. “It +gives me the shivers.”</p> + +<p>“Get hold here then,” exclaimed Fred.</p> + +<p>The combined efforts of the four boys did not even slightly move the +great chest. It was an awkward thing to handle, however, as well as +very heavy.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps it is empty after all,” remarked Grant, as they +all paused to regain their breath. “A chest as big as that would +weigh a lot all alone.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe,” admitted Fred. “At any rate I say we get +it out on the ledge in front there where we can have a good look at +it.”</p> + +<p>“That’s the idea,” exclaimed George. “We can +get it there if we all help. Everybody get to work here now!”</p> + +<p>Pushing and hauling, grunting and groaning the young castaways bent +to their task. Little by little the great iron chest was moved closer +and closer to the entrance of the cave. The sweat poured from the boys +in streams and their arms and their backs ached. They would not give +up, however. The lure of treasure had them in its grasp and they were +determined to find out just what the contents of this chest were if +such a thing were possible.</p> + +<p>“Just a little more,” urged Grant, and with one final +effort the chest was pushed out onto the ledge of rock in front of the +cave.</p> + +<p>For a few moments the boys were too exhausted to do more than stand +around puffing and gasping for breath. Such a task, combined with the +heat of the tropics, would tax the strength and endurance of the +hardiest.</p> + +<p>“Now let’s open it up,” exclaimed Fred. +“Where’s the top?”</p> + +<p>“It’s over on its side,” said Grant. +“Here’s the top and it’s padlocked.”</p> + +<p>“So it is,” said Fred disappointedly. “What can we +do?”</p> + +<p>“Get a rock,” directed Grant. “It’s pretty +well rusted and by hammering it we may be able to break it.”</p> + +<p>A suitable rock was quickly found and an attack begun on the +padlock. Grant pounded away for dear life, while the others stood +around and watched him. After a few moments he stopped to inspect the +result of his efforts.</p> + +<p>“Think you can do it?” inquired John.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Grant. “I think I made +a little impression on it, but it’ll take some time.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m going back into the cave,” announced +John. “I’m going to inspect that patch of light back there. +When you get the box open, yell at me.”</p> + +<p>He disappeared in the dusk of the cave while his three companions +took turns at hammering the lock. It was stubborn, but was beginning to +show some signs of yielding and the boys stuck manfully to their task. +They seemed to be on the verge of succeeding when a great commotion +inside the cave suddenly arrested their attention.</p> + +<p>A moment later John burst forth. His face was ashen and his eyes +bulged wide with fear. His hands shook as if he had the ague and his +breath was almost gone.</p> + +<p>“What is it, John?” demanded Grant in alarm, while Fred +and George also crowded around the frightened boy. He had evidently +received a terrible shock of some kind and his three companions were +greatly affected by his appearance.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter?” exclaimed Grant anxiously, +but all that John could do was to mumble incoherently and point towards +the interior of the cave.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_14'></a>CHAPTER XIV<br /><span class='fss'>AN ODD +DISCOVERY</span></h2> + +<p>“John!” begged Grant. “Tell us what’s the +matter.”</p> + +<p>John, however, was in no condition to say anything. He shivered and +shook, and kept glancing fearfully at the entrance to the cave as +though he expected some great ogre or dragon to emerge any moment.</p> + +<p>“Watch that cave, Pop,” directed Grant. “Perhaps +we’d better get out of here.”</p> + +<p>“Can’t you talk, John?” exclaimed Fred. +“Tell us what the trouble is.”</p> + +<p>John gulped and swallowed hard a couple of times. He pointed towards +the cave and his lips moved, but no sound that resembled a word came +from his ashen-colored lips.</p> + +<p>“Come on, John,” coaxed Fred. “You’re all +right. Tell us about it.”</p> + +<p>John made another great effort. “That man,” he managed +to gasp.</p> + +<p>“‘Man’!” cried Grant. “What man?”</p> + +<p>“I saw a man,” said John and then he fainted.</p> + +<p>“This is a mess,” exclaimed Grant in dismay. “What +shall we do?”</p> + +<p>“He saw a man,” said Fred in alarm. “Who could it +be?”</p> + +<p>“How do I know?” said Grant testily. “Are you +watching that cave, Pop?”</p> + +<p>“I certainly am. Hand me one of those rocks.”</p> + +<p>The three boys stood on the narrow ledge of rocks in a quandary as +to what course they should pursue. Below them was the steep, rocky +incline of the hill and behind them was the cave containing they knew +not what. At their feet lay their comrade, unconscious and helpless. It +was a situation that would have worried the oldest and most hardened +adventurer.</p> + +<p>“We’ve got to get John away from here,” said Grant +at last.</p> + +<p>“We can’t do it,” objected Fred. “We +can’t carry him down this hill.”</p> + +<p>“But suppose we’re attacked,” said Grant +dolefully.</p> + +<p>“We’ll have to run that risk.”</p> + +<p>“I’m going into the cave,” George announced +suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Pop!” cried Grant in alarm. “You stay where you +are.”</p> + +<p>“Why not go in and clear up the mystery right now?” said +George. “We might just as well.”</p> + +<p>“You’re crazy,” exclaimed Fred. “Don’t +think of such a thing.”</p> + +<p>“Nothing hurt John,” said George soberly.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” cried Grant, “but look at him now. He was +scared almost to death!”</p> + +<p>The three boys gazed apprehensively at the entrance of the cave. +They all had rocks in their hands now and were ready to let them fly +the moment the man John had seen should show his head. Nothing +appeared, however.</p> + +<p>After a moment John stirred and opened his eyes. He looked about him +in a puzzled way as though he did not know where he was. Then he +evidently remembered his experience for he shuddered and cast a +terror-stricken glance at the dark entrance of the cave.</p> + +<p>“I saw a man,” he repeated in a low voice.</p> + +<p>“What kind of a man? Who was it?” demanded Grant +eagerly. “Keep your eye on that cave, Pop,” he added +grimly.</p> + +<p>“Tell us what happened,” urged Fred.</p> + +<p>John was much more composed now and had better control of +himself.</p> + +<p>“I went into the cave,” he began. “I walked along +and didn’t see a thing. I was beginning to think that that chest +was the only thing there and I kept thinking what a strange thing it +was. I had gone in to find out where that patch of light came from you +know, so when I came to it I looked up.” John stopped +speaking.</p> + +<p>“What then?” demanded Grant in a tense voice.</p> + +<p>“I saw a man,” said John, and he shivered violently.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” urged Grant. “What kind of a man did you +see?”</p> + +<p>“An old man with white hair and a long white beard.”</p> + +<p>“What did he do?”</p> + +<p>“He was looking in the other end of the opening. I just took +one look at him and ran.”</p> + +<p>“Did he see you?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. I didn’t wait for +anything.”</p> + +<p>“Was he alone?”</p> + +<p>“I think so,” said John. “At least I saw only one. +I suppose I am a coward to be so frightened by an old man like that, +but it was so unexpected. The opening was narrow like a chimney-flue +and it gave me such a start to see some one at the other +end.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I don’t blame you,” said Grant grimly. +“It would have scared me too.”</p> + +<p>John scrambled to his feet. “Let’s go back in and see if +he’s still there. I’m ashamed of the way I acted and I want +to make up for it.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what I say,” exclaimed George. +“Clear up this business. One old man can’t hurt us very +much.”</p> + +<p>“Unless he has a gun,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“That’s true,” agreed George. “I never +thought of that.”</p> + +<p>“Not much chance of his having a gun, I guess,” said +Grant. “I’ll risk it anyway if the rest will.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe it was Sam you saw,” said Fred suddenly.</p> + +<p>“With white hair and a white beard? I guess not,” +laughed George grimly.</p> + +<p>“He might have been playing a joke on us,” suggested +Fred.</p> + +<p>“If he was, he’ll never live to tell the tale,” +cried John fiercely.</p> + +<p>“If that fellow was looking through the top of that opening, +he won’t be in the cave,” said Grant suddenly. “Why +don’t we look for him on top of the hill?”</p> + +<p>“That’s true,” agreed George. “Can we get up +from here?”</p> + +<p>The four boys looked up to see what kind of a climb it would be. +Suddenly, Fred burst out laughing. His companions turned and looked at +him in amazement. He laughed and laughed until the tears came to his +eyes.</p> + +<p>“What’s struck you, Fred?” demanded George +angrily.</p> + +<p>“Oh, John,” gasped Fred, when he could get his breath. +“You poor simpleton.”</p> + +<p>“What are you talking about?” exclaimed John in +surprise.</p> + +<p>“Did you see an old man with white hair and a long +beard?”</p> + +<p>“Of course I did. That’s what I said, didn’t +I?”</p> + +<p>“Well, there he is,” and once more Fred became convulsed +with merriment.</p> + +<p>His three companions looked in the direction he had indicated. At +the brow of the hill, alongside a large rock, and gazing curiously down +at them stood an old billy goat. His white beard gave him a most odd +appearance.</p> + +<p>“Is that the old man you saw?” demanded Grant, turning +toward John. One glance at his companion, however, was enough to give +him his answer. A foolish expression spread itself over John’s +face and he became very red and embarrassed. He mumbled something under +his breath, but no one could make out what it was that he said.</p> + +<p>“Well, String,” cried George, “you certainly put +your foot in it that time. I guess you’ll never hear the end of +it either. You surely won’t if I have anything to say about it. +An old man with a white beard. Baa!” and George imitated a goat +and he too gave vent to uncontrollable laughter.</p> + +<p>“There was a goat at each end of the opening, wasn’t +there, Pop?” inquired Grant mischievously.</p> + +<p>“There sure was,” George agreed. “The big one was +at the bottom.”</p> + +<p>Fred, Grant, and George laughed and then laughed some more. They +slapped John on the back and twitted him repeatedly about the false +alarm he had given. They enjoyed themselves immensely at their +friend’s expense. He, however, was very much ashamed and very +unhappy.</p> + +<p>“I admit I was the goat,” he said sadly. “I +don’t know what got into me, but it was such a shock to see that +funny looking face staring in at the other end of that opening. It +scared the life out of me.”</p> + +<p>“I should say it did,” chuckled George. “You +scared us, too.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m sorry,” John apologized. +“I’ll do anything I can to make up.”</p> + +<p>“What shall we have him do?” exclaimed Fred eagerly. +“It ought to be something pretty bad.”</p> + +<p>“Make him open that chest,” Grant suggested.</p> + +<p>“That’s a good scheme,” said George. +“Here’s a big rock for you, String. Hit it a few cracks and +see if you are better at this than at exploring caves.”</p> + +<p>John approached the chest, rock in hand. The lock had already been +bent considerably by the other boys’ efforts, but it still held +fast. John attacked it fiercely and after breaking several stones +succeeded in demolishing the lock.</p> + +<p>“Yea, String!” cried George, excitedly. +“You’re a wonder. Open it up! Quick!”</p> + +<p>The padlock was removed and all four boys crowded around and eagerly +grasped the top. It was not so easy to open, however, but finally it +was done. Every boy’s eyes glistened expectantly as the top was +raised. The least they expected to see was a great pile of gold, but no +such sight presented itself.</p> + +<p>“It’s empty,” cried Grant. His voice sounded as if +he had lost his last friend on earth.</p> + +<p>“There’s a piece of paper in there,” corrected +Fred. “Let’s see if that says anything.”</p> + +<p>Keen disappointment showed on the face of every boy. Their hopes had +been dashed. There was no special reason why they should have expected +to find such a treasure-chest as they had pictured this one to be, but +this idea had fixed itself in their minds and they really counted on +all being made rich the moment they opened it up.</p> + +<p>“What does the paper say, Fred?” inquired Grant +listlessly. Most of his interest had faded.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Fred carelessly. +“It’s nothing but a bunch of mixed up numbers. Say,” +he exclaimed suddenly. “Let me see that code in your +pocket.”</p> + +<p>“What do you want that for?” inquired Grant curiously, +at the same time producing the article in question and handing it over +to Fred.</p> + +<p>Fred grasped it and quickly spread it open. Holding the one he had +found in the chest alongside the other he ran his eye hurriedly over +the two. Then he turned to his three companions, who were watching him +curiously.</p> + +<p>“Do you know that these two papers are exactly alike?” +he demanded excitedly.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_15'></a>CHAPTER XV<br /><span class='fss'>SAM +REMEMBERS SOMETHING</span></h2> + +<p>“Alike?” cried Grant in amazement. “What do you +mean?”</p> + +<p>“Just what I said,” returned Fred. “The numbers on +these two papers are exactly the same from start to finish.”</p> + +<p>“That’s the strangest thing I ever heard of in my +life,” exclaimed Grant. “Let me look at them.”</p> + +<p>“Didn’t I tell you fellows that that piece of parchment +Petersen had was a code of some sort?” demanded Fred.</p> + +<p>“Does the fact that we found one like it prove that?” +said George skeptically.</p> + +<p>“It certainly seems so to me,” Fred exclaimed. “At +any rate, it is a very odd coincidence.”</p> + +<p>“It’s that all right,” admitted George. “Are +they exactly alike, Grant?”</p> + +<p>“They seem to be,” replied Grant, who had been carefully +studying the two papers.</p> + +<p>“We can soon find out, anyway,” said John. “Let me +have one of them and I’ll read it aloud. One of you fellows can +watch the other and check up the numbers.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a good scheme,” Grant agreed. “Here, +String, you take this one and I’ll keep my eye on the numbers on +the other as you call them off.”</p> + +<p>“All ready?” said John.</p> + +<p>“Go ahead,” and this is what John read:</p> + +<p>“20-1-11-5-1-3-15-21-18-19-5-4-21-5-14-15-18-20-8-15-14-15-18-21-14-4-18-5-4-6-5-5-20-6-18-15-13-20-8-5-19-15-21-20-8-5-18-14-5-24-20-18-5-13-9-20-25-15-6-19-8-1-18-11-18-15-3-11-20-8-5-14-5-1-19-20-6-9-6-20-25-6-20-25-6-5-5-20-1-14-4-14-15-18-20-8-2-25-5-1-19-20-20-8-9-18-20-25-20-8-18-5-5-4-9-7.”</p> + +<p>“Exactly the same,” announced Grant when John had +finished. “Now what do you think about that?”</p> + +<p>“I believe it’s a code which tells where some pirates +have buried treasure,” announced Fred decidedly. “I also +believe that this is the island where it was done. How else do you +account for our finding that duplicate in the chest here?”</p> + +<p>“It’s strange all right,” said George. “I +can explain it all in a different way, though.”</p> + +<p>“What’s that?” asked Grant curiously.</p> + +<p>“Just this. Suppose all those numbers do make up a code and +that they do give the key to some treasure or something. Isn’t it +possible that the treasure was once in this empty chest, and some one +found it and took it away? Evidently there were at least two people in +the secret, as the two codes show. One of them got here first and took +it away and as long as he had no more use for the code he left it. +Doesn’t that sound reasonable?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, it does,” Fred admitted. “It’s not +very cheerful, though, and I hope you are wrong about it.”</p> + +<p>“I hope so, too,” exclaimed George heartily. +“It’s just as well to look at both sides, +though.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe your idea is right, Pop,” said +Grant.</p> + +<p>“Why not?”</p> + +<p>“Petersen got this code from his father, didn’t he? +Well, if his father and the men he was with buried that treasure on +this island it seems strange that this old powder-horn and flint-lock +pistol should be here. Such things as that were used a good many years +before Petersen’s father was alive.”</p> + +<p>“Who said his father was the one who buried the +treasure?”</p> + +<p>“I thought that was what some one said back there on the +<i>Josephine</i>.”</p> + +<p>“No, indeed. They said Petersen’s father had the code, +but I never heard that he was one of those who were supposed to have +buried the treasure.”</p> + +<p>“At any rate,” put in George, “no matter who +buried it, it doesn’t say that my theory is wrong. The pistol and +the powder-horn may have been in the chest along with the treasure. +Whoever found it thought they weren’t worth taking, so they were +just thrown to one side.”</p> + +<p>“Why was the chest locked again?” asked John.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know, I’m sure,” laughed Grant. +“I give up.”</p> + +<p>“Not at all,” exclaimed Fred. “Don’t say +that. We can at least try to make out this code. That will give us +something to do and I guess we are going to have plenty of time on our +hands before we get away from here.” As he finished speaking he +turned to scan the horizon, but nothing was in sight save the endless +expanse of ocean. As far as appearances went they might have been alone +in the world. The occasional note of a bird and the soft murmur of the +waves as they caressed the beach below were the only sounds to be +heard.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I guess we will,” said Grant. “As you say, +we can at least try to decipher it.”</p> + +<p>“I’m no good at such things,” exclaimed George. +“I don’t believe I ever worked out a puzzle in all my +life.”</p> + +<p>“That doesn’t say you can’t do this, though, does +it?” demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no. Perhaps I’ll get an idea some day and work the +whole thing out for you.”</p> + +<p>“I have an idea right now,” said John.</p> + +<p>“Better tell us what it is, quick,” urged George. +“You may lose it.”</p> + +<p>“I am not like some other people I know,” said John +loftily.</p> + +<p>To this remark George made no intelligible answer, though he +muttered something under his breath. “I’m glad of +it,” was what two of his companions made out his reply to be.</p> + +<p>“What’s your idea, String?” asked Grant.</p> + +<p>“I say to take possession of this cave and live +here.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a good scheme,” exclaimed Fred heartily. +“Let’s go and get our few belongings just as soon as we can +and bring them up here.”</p> + +<p>“A fine idea,” agreed George. “String, I +didn’t think you knew so much.”</p> + +<p>“That proves that you know very little yourself, then,” +replied John scornfully.</p> + +<p>“Ha, ha. Good one, String,” cried Fred laughingly. +“Give him another.”</p> + +<p>“He is not worth bothering about,” said John. +“Let’s get our things.”</p> + +<p>Down the side of the hill they scrambled, slipping and sliding down +the steep decline. They came to the bottom in safety, however, and it +was not long before they reached the spot where the baggage had been +left.</p> + +<p>“Where’s Sam?” exclaimed Grant. “He +certainly can’t be sleeping still.”</p> + +<p>“There he is,” said Fred, pointing down the beach.</p> + +<p>“What’s he got in his hand?” said George +curiously. “It looks like a knife.”</p> + +<p>“Where could he get a knife?” exclaimed John. +“Just as I told you a few minutes ago, Pop, you’ve +certainly got something missing in that head of yours.”</p> + +<p>“I thought maybe he’d gone around to the hardware store +and bought it,” drawled George soberly with a wink at Grant. He +loved to stir up his companions, and none of them more so than his tall +friend, John, who almost invariably rose to any bait he might happen to +offer.</p> + +<p>“What have you got there, Sam?” called Fred when the +negro was within earshot.</p> + +<p>Sam merely grinned and waved the object he held in his hand to the +boys.</p> + +<p>“As I said before it certainly looks like a knife,” +murmured George.</p> + +<p>“What is that, Sam?” asked Fred again when Sam had come +up to the spot where the four boys were standing.</p> + +<p>“Ah’s makin’ a knife,” said Sam proudly.</p> + +<p>“Where did you get the steel?”</p> + +<p>“Dat ain’t steel,” grinned Sam. “Dat am one +o’ dem iron hoops off o’ dat dere bar’el o’ water. Ah +is gwine sharpen her up and den we’ll hab a sho’ nuff +knife.”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid it’ll never cut much,” laughed +John. “No knife with a blade made of iron is apt to be much good. +It’ll be all right to dig holes in the ground with, +though.”</p> + +<p>“Wait ’til she’s sharpened,” warned Sam.</p> + +<p>“How are you going to sharpen it?” asked Grant +curiously.</p> + +<p>“On a big black rock Ah done discovah roun’ dat dere +point.”</p> + +<p>“The rock that looks like a shark,” exclaimed George. +“That ought to be a good one, for it certainly seemed hard +enough.”</p> + +<p>“Dat rock look lak a shark, yo’ say?” remarked Sam +suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said George. “Didn’t you think +so?”</p> + +<p>“Now dat Ah comes to think on it, it sho’ did,” +said Sam. “Ah wondahs if dis yere can be de island.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean?” demanded Fred eagerly. “What +island?”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Sam, “evah sence Ah done commence to +foller de sea Ah has heard tales of some island where dey is treasah +buried. Dat island was said to hab a big rock on it what done look lak +a shark. Mebbe this am de one.”</p> + +<p>“Where was this island?” asked George eagerly.</p> + +<p>“No one ebber knew,” said Sam. “All Ah knows is +dat on dis island dey said dere was all so’ts ob treasah. Yo’ +could tell de pahtikelah island by its habbin’ a big rock on it +what done look lak a shark. Dat’s all Ah knows.”</p> + +<p>“Did you ever meet any one who had seen the island?” +inquired Grant.</p> + +<p>“Nebber,” replied Sam. “Some say dat de island +done disappeah or dat de ocean had swallowed ’er up. Dese was all +stories Ah heard.”</p> + +<p>“Well!” exclaimed Fred, his eyes shining with +excitement. “I certainly am in favor of finding out what those +codes mean. Perhaps we’ll find something on this island after +all. I’ll bet this is the one Sam has heard about all +right.”</p> + +<p>“Seems so, doesn’t it?” agreed Grant. “We +may get rich yet.”</p> + +<p>“The treasure was in that chest up there in the cave, I tell +you,” said George. “Some one has been here and taken it +away.”</p> + +<p>“Not at all,” cried Fred. “At any rate +there’s more of it here. Didn’t you hear Sam say that he +has heard about this island for years and years?”</p> + +<p>“You’re not sure this is the one.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m pretty sure there aren’t two islands +with rocks on them like that,” exclaimed Fred. “A rock +shaped just like a shark is so unusual that you see they identify the +island by it.”</p> + +<p>“But why has no one ever found it?”</p> + +<p>“You just said they had,” Grant reminded him. “You +also said that the treasure was gone. You are contradicting +yourself.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you’d think some one would find it,” +exclaimed George. “An island as big as this one couldn’t +very well be overlooked if any one came near it at all.”</p> + +<p>“Apparently no one does come near it,” said Fred. +“How many boats have we seen since the <i>Josephine</i> +burned?”</p> + +<p>“Not one,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Why is it?” demanded Fred. “In this day and age, +when the ocean is so covered with ships, you’d certainly think +we’d see at least one.”</p> + +<p>“We never even saw any of the other lifeboats,” said +John.</p> + +<p>“That’s true,” Fred exclaimed. “How do you +account for it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t,” said Grant. “It’s a strange +thing all around.”</p> + +<p>“Well, if we’re going to be stranded here for a few +years we might just as well spend part of the time looking for the +treasure,” said Fred. “Everything seems to point to the +fact that there is some here. That cave and the chest and the two codes +and the queer rock that fits in so well with what Sam has heard, +everything about it sounds like treasure and lots of it.”</p> + +<p>“If we could only be the ones to find it,” sighed John. +“Just think of going home rich; rich with pearls and diamonds and +emeralds and gold doubloons and bars of gold all dug up from some old +pirate’s hiding place. If we only could!”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps we can,” exclaimed Fred, much thrilled by +John’s description of the wealth that might be theirs. “My +opinion is that we must translate those codes first, though. +Wouldn’t it be awful if they didn’t apply to this island +after all.”</p> + +<p>“But they do,” insisted Grant. “I know they +do.”</p> + +<p>“And I think so, too,” exclaimed John. +“Let’s go to work.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_16'></a>CHAPTER XVI<br /><span class='fss'>THE +RIDDLE</span></h2> + +<p>Days passed and weeks rolled by. The four friends and their colored +companion still remained on the mysterious island. The flag still flew +from the hill and all day long one or another of the boys kept a +lookout from a spot near by. No boat came to rescue them, however, and +the little party of castaways had almost come to believe that the rest +of their days were to be spent on this little island somewhere in an +unknown sea.</p> + +<p>Once John on watch had seen smoke. Far off on the horizon appeared a +smudge from the funnels of some passing steamer. It was too far away +however to discover their signal or even to see their island. He had +watched it hopefully until it finally disappeared over the rim of the +ocean. That was the only sign of a vessel that had been sighted so +far.</p> + +<p>However, the boys were not in want. Their clothes were becoming +ragged and their hair unkempt, but they were well fed and healthy. If +it had not been for the fact that they knew they could not leave they +might have been measurably contented. They were now living in the cave +as snug and comfortable as could be desired. The fact that they were +short of clothes did not bother them, either, for the weather was warm +and clothes were more of a burden than a necessity.</p> + +<p>As yet they had discovered no treasure. Hour after hour they had +puzzled over the mysterious numbers on the parchment, but as yet no one +had been able to solve their riddle.</p> + +<p>“It makes me mad,” said John one day. “I sit and +stare at those crazy figures until it seems as if I must go crazy +myself. I never get even a clew as to what they mean, but at the same +time the more I study them the more sure I am that they have a +meaning.”</p> + +<p>“And I, too,” agreed Grant. “I know they mean +something. I’m sure of it.”</p> + +<p>“Until we discover what it is we are practically +helpless,” said John. “We can’t dig up the whole +island looking for buried gold, you know. We must have +directions.”</p> + +<p>“I certainly would laugh,” exclaimed George, “if +some one did find out what those figures mean and then we discovered +that it didn’t apply to this island at all.”</p> + +<p>“What would be so funny in that?” demanded Fred.</p> + +<p>“Think how you’d all be fooled.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and you’d be just as badly off as any of +us,” said Fred. “If we don’t find any money, you +won’t get anything any more than we will.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe he doesn’t like money,” said John. +“He seems sort of hopeful that we won’t find +any.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve got to prove to me that you are going to find +any first,” said George. “A set of funny looking numbers +and a queer looking rock that Sam says he remembers hearing about and a +cave with an empty chest in it doesn’t necessarily mean money, in +my opinion.”</p> + +<p>“Dey does in mine,” exclaimed Sam, rolling his eyes +rapturously towards heaven. “Ef we only could find dat treasah Ah +sho’ would show dem fresh coons back dar in Richmond a thing or +two. Oh, Lawdy!” and Sam executed a few steps of a clog dance +just to show his delight at the mere thought.</p> + +<p>“What would you do if you had a lot of money, Sam?” +asked Grant smilingly.</p> + +<p>“Well,” began the enthusiastic darky, “de berry +fust thing dat Ah would do would be to buy mahself de grandes’ +lookin’ suit ob clothes yo’ ebber did see.”</p> + +<p>“What kind of a suit?” inquired Grant.</p> + +<p>“A checked suit,” said Sam. “A checked suit wif +black an’ white checks as big as a postage stamp. Den Ah would +get mahself some ob dem dare patent leather shoes. Den,” and Sam +drew in his breath luxuriously, “Ah would purchase a bran’ +span red necktie an’ square in de middle ob dat Ah would place de +bigges’ an’ de grandes’ diamon’ ho’shoe +yo’ ebber set yo’ eyes upon.”</p> + +<p>“Is that all you’d buy?” laughed George.</p> + +<p>Sam gave him a scornful look. “No, indeedy,” he +maintained stoutly. “Nex’ Ah would buy one o’ dem +high shiny hats and den a cane, den a pair of dem yaller gloves, +an’ say, mebbe dem niggahs back home wouldn’ be jealous ob +Samuel.”</p> + +<p>“I guess they would, all right,” exclaimed Grant, much +entertained by Sam’s description of the way he would spend his +money. “Wouldn’t you buy anything but clothes, +though?”</p> + +<p>“Ob co’se Ah would,” said Sam. “Not at de fust, +though. Ah’d jest get mah new clothes on an’ den walk down +de street so’t ob cahless like an’ in two minutes yo’ +gwine see ebbery wench in town jes’ a follerin’ me. Oh, +say, golly, mebbe dem niggahs wouldn’t be jealous!” and Sam +laughed aloud, the thought was so pleasant for him to contemplate.</p> + +<p>“Well, I hope you get it, Sam,” said Fred heartily. +“If you get it we all do.”</p> + +<p>“Except Pop,” added Fred.</p> + +<p>“Why not me?” demanded George in an aggrieved tone. +“Why don’t I get any?”</p> + +<p>“Because you don’t think there’s anything here +worth taking,” said Fred. “You keep making fun of us all +the time and telling us there is no treasure on the island. If you +aren’t interested enough to do some work it seems only natural +that you won’t want any of the treasure.”</p> + +<p>“Why, you little shrimp,” exclaimed George, pretending +to be very angry and glowering down upon his stubby companion, +“don’t you know that I have been joshing you fellows all +this time? If there’s anything here worth working for you can be +dead sure I’m willing to do my share. All I say is that you prove +it to me first.”</p> + +<p>“Why should we prove it to you?” inquired Grant. +“Why don’t you get to work and help us prove it to +ourselves? After we have found where the stuff is any one can go and +get it. What we want to know is the spot where it’s +hidden.”</p> + +<p>“Quite true,” George admitted. “At the same time +you must admit that you are all taking a great deal for granted. You +seem to think that there is no doubt about there being treasure on the +island and also that this code when deciphered will tell you just where +it is.”</p> + +<p>“We hope that’s the case,” said Grant. “Of +course we can’t tell until we’ve found out what the code +says. That’s what we’re trying to do now.”</p> + +<p>“You’re right,” agreed George. “We must get +to work on it at once.”</p> + +<p>“We’ve been at work on it ever since we struck this +island,” said Fred warmly. “Where have you been all this +time?”</p> + +<p>“Well, when I get down to business we’ll soon solve the +riddle,” said George pompously. “I’ll soon get an +idea.”</p> + +<p>“Hit him, Grant,” cried John. “You’re +nearest to him and we ought not to let such things live.”</p> + +<p>George burst out laughing. “Forget those old numbers for a +while,” he advised. “So far no one has been able to do +anything with them, but if we let them alone for a few days we can go +back to them with our minds fresh. Who knows, somebody might get an +idea all of a sudden that would solve the whole business.”</p> + +<p>“I wish somebody would,” sighed Fred.</p> + +<p>“Think of this, though,” exclaimed Grant. “Suppose +we do forget it all for a few days, as Pop suggests. In the meantime a +boat might come along and take us away and our chance of ever finding +the treasure would be gone.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Grant,” cried John. “We +don’t want to lose an opportunity like this.”</p> + +<p>“Can’t we take the code home with us?” said +George. “We have all the rest of our lives to find out what it +means and if it is worth while we can always come back.”</p> + +<p>“How can we tell whether it is worth while or not until we see +it?” asked Fred.</p> + +<p>“Probably that code contains a description of what it +is.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps it does,” said Grant. “We’ll know +better when we find out just what it does say. I’m in favor of +keeping right at it.”</p> + +<p>“So am I, Grant,” exclaimed John. “Don’t let +it rest for a second.”</p> + +<p>“Dat’s de boy!” cried Sam heartily. “Ah get +dat diamon’ ho’shoe yet.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and I hope you get a big automobile to go with it, +Sam,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Ah hopes so mahself,” grinned Sam. “Say, +wouldn’t dat be gran’?”</p> + +<p>“We’ll all have them,” said John. +“We’ll have motor-boats and yachts, too, and maybe +flying-machines.”</p> + +<p>“Stick a pin in that fellow, Fred,” urged George. +“He’s asleep.”</p> + +<p>“Is that so?” exclaimed John. “At any rate, +it’s cheap enough to dream.”</p> + +<p>“That’s true,” laughed George. “Go ahead and +dream if you like.”</p> + +<p>“Some one of us ought to be able to read that code,” +said Grant. “Why should a lot of figures get the better of us? We +ought not to let them.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe the numbers mean letters,” George suggested.</p> + +<p>“We’ve all thought that ourselves,” said Grant +grimly. “Just what letters, though?”</p> + +<p>“Let me see the thing,” exclaimed George. “What +number occurs oftenest?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” mused Grant, looking over his +shoulder. “I guess five does.”</p> + +<p>“All right then,” said George quickly; “now what +is the commonest letter in the alphabet?”</p> + +<p>“I thought of that, too,” said Grant. “The trouble +is that none of us know.”</p> + +<p>“That might be an idea, though.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” admitted John, “but if we don’t know +those things I don’t see how we can get very far.”</p> + +<p>“Nor I,” said George. “We might try some +experiments, though.”</p> + +<p>“Go ahead,” urged Grant. “Try everything you can +think of. We’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain. No matter +how silly an idea may seem to you, try it. That’s the only way we +can ever get anywhere.”</p> + +<p>“Right you are, Grant!” exclaimed Fred. +“That’s the way to talk. If we stick to it, I know +we’ll find out all about it some day.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps we will ‘some day,’” said George +mournfully.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_17'></a>CHAPTER XVII<br /><span +class='fss'>UNDERGROUND WORK</span></h2> + +<p>One day John was standing at the back of the cave looking up through +the opening which was there. Here it was that the billy goat had given +him such a fright a few weeks before. This time, however, he did not +see any “white bearded old man” as he gazed up into the +aperture, but he did spy something almost equally interesting.</p> + +<p>“Hey, Fred!” he called. “Come here a +minute.”</p> + +<p>Fred hastened to respond to his friend’s summons and soon +reached the spot where John was standing.</p> + +<p>“What do you want, String?” he inquired.</p> + +<p>“Look up through that opening.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” said Fred, doing as he had been directed. +“I’m looking.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you see anything?”</p> + +<p>“Sure I do. I see the sky.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be silly, Fred,” exclaimed John. “In +the opening, I mean.”</p> + +<p>“I see dirt.”</p> + +<p>“Is that all?”</p> + +<p>“Absolutely. What are you trying to do, anyway?”</p> + +<p>“About three feet this side of the other end; don’t you +see something sticking out?”</p> + +<p>Fred squinted one eye and peered upward critically.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you see a thing?” demanded John +eagerly.</p> + +<p>“Maybe I do,” replied Fred. “Is something sticking +out up there?”</p> + +<p>“That’s just what I thought. What is it?”</p> + +<p>“It looks like the end of a box.”</p> + +<p>“Just what I thought myself,” exclaimed John +triumphantly. “Let’s get it.”</p> + +<p>“We can’t reach it from this end.”</p> + +<p>“I know it. We’ll have to climb up on top of the +hill.”</p> + +<p>“Come on,” urged Fred, now also keenly excited.</p> + +<p>Outside the cave, Grant sat puzzling over the numbers. Most of his +time he now spent in this way, and though he was apparently no nearer a +solution than when he had started, his determination was stronger than +ever.</p> + +<p>“Where are you two fellows going?” he demanded as John +and Fred rushed past the spot where he was seated.</p> + +<p>“Just up on top of the hill,” said John evasively. He +and Fred had decided not to tell any of the others of their discovery +until they had investigated it thoroughly themselves.</p> + +<p>“You seem to be in an awful hurry,” remarked Grant. +“What’s up?”</p> + +<p>“Tell you later,” answered John, and they quickly passed +out of Grant’s sight. A moment more and they had arrived at the +top of the opening which led down into the cave.</p> + +<p>“I can’t see anything from here,” exclaimed John, +after a hasty examination. “The shadow of my head gets right in +the way and I can’t see a thing.”</p> + +<p>“Let me look,” urged Fred, but he could make out nothing +either.</p> + +<p>“I tell you what to do,” he exclaimed a moment later. +“Hang onto my feet so I won’t fall and get wedged in there, +and then lower me into the hole.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a good scheme,” said John eagerly. +“You’re little and skinny and ought to be able to get in +there all right.”</p> + +<p>“Never mind the ‘little and skinny’ part,” said +Fred shortly. “You hold onto my feet.”</p> + +<p>Anyone who might have passed by that way and seen John holding fast +to a pair of legs sticking out of a hole in the ground would have been +puzzled as to what was taking place. Grant’s curiosity had been +aroused by the strange actions of his two friends and he had followed +them. Imagine his surprise to see what John and Fred were doing, but he +said nothing. He stood quietly near by and neither of his comrades was +aware of his presence.</p> + +<p>“Can you see anything, Fred?” called John.</p> + +<p>“Not a thing,” came back the muffled reply. “I can +feel something, though.”</p> + +<p>“Is it a box?”</p> + +<p>“I can’t tell, I think it is.”</p> + +<p>“Can you move it?”</p> + +<p>“I should say not. It’s stuck fast.”</p> + +<p>“What do you want to do?”</p> + +<p>“Pull me out and I’ll tell you.”</p> + +<p>A moment later Fred emerged, his face covered with dirt.</p> + +<p>“What are you two doing?” demanded Grant, who now +approached the two conspirators. “You look as though you were +training to be a mole, Fred.”</p> + +<p>“There’s a box down in there,” said Fred. +“We want to get it out.”</p> + +<p>“A box!” exclaimed Grant. “How big is +it?”</p> + +<p>“I could only feel one end of it. It’s about a foot wide +I should say. I don’t know how long it is for all the rest of it +is buried in there.”</p> + +<p>“Couldn’t you budge it?”</p> + +<p>“Not an inch. We’ll have to dig it out.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll get that knife Sam made,” exclaimed John. +“That’ll be just the thing.”</p> + +<p>“Sam’s up by the flag on watch,” Grant called as +John started off. “I think he has the knife with him. Who +discovered the box?” he inquired, turning to Fred. Grant was now +as excited as the other two boys had been.</p> + +<p>“John did,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“How did he happen to do it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, he was looking up from the bottom and just happened to +see it. He showed it to me and we came up to investigate.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe this one has the real stuff in it,” said Grant +excitedly.</p> + +<p>“Maybe so,” Fred agreed. “All I hope is that we +can dig it out.”</p> + +<p>“I guess we can,” said Grant confidently. “Here +comes String now.”</p> + +<p>John came running up, out of breath, and handed the knife to Fred. +“I told Sam we had discovered a box,” he panted. “Sam +says that if there are any diamond horseshoes in it they belong to him. +That’s the only condition on which he would let me have the +knife.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” laughed Fred. “Sam gets all the +horseshoes.”</p> + +<p>“Are you going to do the digging, Fred?” asked John.</p> + +<p>“I guess I’d better. Let me have the knife.”</p> + +<p>Holding the home-made blade in his right hand he was once again +lowered into the tunnel. John and Grant each held fast to one leg. It +was hard work for Fred for he was in comparative darkness and was +compelled to feel around to discover where to dig. It was practically +impossible for him to see anything.</p> + +<p>“How’s it coming?” called John after a few moments +had elapsed.</p> + +<p>“All right,” replied Fred, his voice sounding as if it +came from the center of the earth. “I’m spilling a lot of +dirt down into the cave though.”</p> + +<p>“Never mind that, as long as you don’t lose any of the +money.”</p> + +<p>“Do you really think there’s any gold or anything in +that box?” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“I’m sure I don’t know,” John replied. +“If Pop were here he’d be sure it was empty.”</p> + +<p>“I know it. Isn’t he a regular old gloom +lately?”</p> + +<p>“He’s not usually that way. At least he never used to +be.”</p> + +<p>“Something has come over him since we started work on that +code. He thinks it’s very silly and that we are foolish to bother +with it.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll surprise him one of these days,” said John +confidently.</p> + +<p>“I certainly hope so,” exclaimed Grant.</p> + +<p>While Fred dug they chatted and talked of the possibilities of their +finding some long forgotten pirate’s treasure and making +themselves rich and famous. Almost anyone would have been as thrilled +as these boys were under the same circumstances. Petersen’s tale +on board the <i>Josephine</i> and the strange code he had had; the +finding of a similar one in the cave; the chest and the powder-horn and +pistol; the queer black rock and Sam’s story in connection with +it; all these events had combined to spur the four young adventurers on +in their quest. Now they had discovered another odd looking box and +with the hope that springs eternal in the human breast they were +anxiously and eagerly awaiting a chance to examine its contents.</p> + +<p>“All right. Pull me up,” came Fred’s summons at +last.</p> + +<p>Slowly and carefully John and Grant lifted their companion out of +the hole. Soon he emerged, the knife in one hand, the box in the other +and with so much dirt and grime that its owner was scarcely +recognizable.</p> + +<p>“You look like Sam,” remarked John, hardly able to +restrain his mirth at Fred’s appearance.</p> + +<p>“Open the box and don’t get so personal,” advised +Fred, wiping the dirt from his eyes.</p> + +<p>Grant was already busily engaged in examining the prize his friend +had dug from its place in the earth. “This one is light,” +he remarked. “I don’t suppose there is anything in it at +all.”</p> + +<p>“Can you open it?” demanded John.</p> + +<p>“Easily. There’s only a catch on it,” and Grant +straightway lifted the cover.</p> + +<p>“An envelope,” exclaimed Fred disappointedly. “All +that work for nothing.”</p> + +<p>Grant, however, was opening the envelope and as he did so two gold +pieces rolled out upon the ground. “Empty is it?” he cried. +“How about those?”</p> + +<p>“Say,” exclaimed John excitedly. “Just look at +them. Are there any more?”</p> + +<p>“Just this,” said Grant quietly and he spread a sheet of +paper before the gaze of his two companions. “Do you recognize +it?”</p> + +<p>“I should know those figures in China now,” said Fred +disgustedly. “It’s that same old code again.”</p> + +<p>“I know it,” said Grant, “but do you see +what’s written across the top?”</p> + +<p>“Sure enough,” exclaimed Fred. “What does it say, +anyway?”</p> + +<p>“‘This tells where the rest of it is,’” Grant read +aloud.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_18'></a>CHAPTER XVIII<br /><span class='fss'>IN THE +WATER</span></h2> + +<p>John, Fred and Grant sat and looked at one another and at the two +gold pieces which lay glittering in John’s hand. Then they looked +at the third copy of the code which had turned up so strangely.</p> + +<p>“I wish Pop were here,” remarked Grant grimly.</p> + +<p>“Why so?” inquired Fred.</p> + +<p>“I’d like him to see those gold pieces and I’d +like him to see what is written across the top of this parchment. I +think after that he wouldn’t be so sure there was no treasure on +this island. We’ll convince him now quick enough.”</p> + +<p>“Let me see one of those coins,” said Fred. “What +are they, anyhow?”</p> + +<p>“Spanish, I should say,” replied John. +“They’re old ones.”</p> + +<p>“I should think so,” exclaimed Fred. +“They’re worn, too, and the date is gone from this +one.”</p> + +<p>“This says seventeen something,” remarked John, +examining the piece of gold which he held in his hand. “I +can’t make out the rest of it.”</p> + +<p>“They must be a couple of hundred years old, all right,” +said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Do you suppose they’ve been here all that +time?”</p> + +<p>“I can’t tell you, Grant,” said John. “I do +wish we could decipher that code though. This makes it look better than +ever.”</p> + +<p>“It surely does,” Grant agreed heartily. +“I’ve thought of about everything under the sun, but +nothing seems to work for a cent. I’d like to catch the fellow +who made up that set of figures. He must have been a fiend.”</p> + +<p>“Not necessarily,” laughed Fred. “He was only +trying to protect his property.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I guess he did that all right,” exclaimed Grant. +“He certainly did as far as I am concerned.”</p> + +<p>“The joke of it is,” said John, “that probably the +whole thing is as simple as rolling off a log. All we need is the +key.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” cried Grant, “but if we can’t find +the key what good does it do us?”</p> + +<p>“None, I’ll admit,” replied John, “but we +must find it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, it’s easy enough to say that,” exclaimed +Grant bitterly. “I don’t notice anybody doing it, +though.”</p> + +<p>“You’re not going to give it up are you, Grant?” +asked Fred in surprise. “Why this is the best encouragement +we’ve had yet.”</p> + +<p>“Give it up! Of course I’m not going to give it up. I +don’t see much encouragement here though. I think it’s only +more maddening. What we’ve found to-day only goes to prove that +this code does tell where treasure is buried, but it doesn’t tell +us how to read the code, does it? It only tantalizes us, but you can +make up your mind that I’m not going to give up, even for a +second.”</p> + +<p>“What Pop said was probably true,” remarked John.</p> + +<p>“What was that?” asked Grant.</p> + +<p>“Why, that all of a sudden somebody would get an idea and the +whole thing will be solved. I think that’s what will happen +myself.”</p> + +<p>“I hope so,” exclaimed Grant. “I wish it would be +soon, too.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe Pop already has an idea,” laughed Fred.</p> + +<p>“I doubt it,” said John. “Where is he +anyway?”</p> + +<p>“He went for a walk.”</p> + +<p>“Where?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. He just said he was going for a +walk.”</p> + +<p>“Well, let’s go down and take a swim,” exclaimed +Fred. “It’s awfully hot and a little water certainly +wouldn’t hurt me.”</p> + +<p>“I should say not,” laughed John. “I never saw so +much dirt on any man’s face in all my life. You’re a +sight.”</p> + +<p>“I know it,” Fred agreed. “Still,” he added, +“I found a couple of gold pieces, didn’t I? And I’m +always willing to get dirty under those conditions.”</p> + +<p>“I guess you are,” agreed John. “How much do you +suppose they’re worth?”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Grant, “they look to me about the +size of a twenty-dollar gold piece. They ought to be worth thirty-five +or forty dollars easily enough.”</p> + +<p>“Just imagine finding a whole chest full of them,” +exclaimed Fred, his eyes shining. “Why, we’d never have to +do any work as long as we lived.”</p> + +<p>“We’d soon get tired of doing nothing, I’m +afraid,” said Grant. “Anyway we haven’t found them +yet.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t talk about it,” exclaimed John. “That +code is the most maddening thing I ever saw.”</p> + +<p>The three boys now were walking down towards the shore. Their +favorite spot in which to swim was the little ledge from which they had +watched the many colored fish and the various forms of sea-life the +first day they had landed on the island. Here the water was deep and +the ledge made an excellent place from which to dive.</p> + +<p>A few moments later the three friends were puffing and blowing about +in the water enjoying themselves immensely. Their bodies from long +exposure to the rays of the tropical sun were tanned until they might +have been easily mistaken for South Sea islanders or some other natives +of the hot climates. Their hair, too, had grown long, for it had been +many weeks since they had seen a barber. What few clothes they wore +were beginning to hang in rags so that altogether they presented a +strange appearance. Any chance visitor to their island might have +thought he had run across the remnants of some wild race of +savages.</p> + +<p>“Well, that was pretty good, I should say,” said John +luxuriously as he stretched himself out on the rocks alongside his two +companions.</p> + +<p>“It surely was,” agreed Fred. “This is about the +best part of it, though.”</p> + +<p>“What is?”</p> + +<p>“Lying out in the sun this way. Doesn’t it feel +good?”</p> + +<p>“It couldn’t be better,” agreed Grant. +“Isn’t this a lazy life?”</p> + +<p>“It’s a good one, though,” said John. “Just +think, we haven’t a thing to worry about. All we have to do is +swim and sleep and lie around in the sun.”</p> + +<p>“I should say we had plenty to worry about,” said +Fred.</p> + +<p>“Getting home, you mean?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. We can’t stay here all our lives, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“Of course not,” John agreed. “We’ll be +picked up some day though, sure. We can’t do anything in the +meantime that will help us to leave here, so what’s the use in +worrying about it? That’s the way I feel.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all right, too,” exclaimed Fred. +“Still, it’s a very strange thing that we don’t ever +see any boats. We may be here for years.”</p> + +<p>“What if we are? That doesn’t make anything to worry +about either.”</p> + +<p>“How about the treasure?” demanded Grant. +“Doesn’t that worry you?”</p> + +<p>“Sometimes it does,” admitted John. “I’m +principally worried for fear some boat will come along and take us away +before we find it.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s all go back to the cave and make another try at +that code,” exclaimed Grant, springing to his feet.</p> + +<p>“I’ve got to go in that water again before I do anything +else,” said John. “It certainly is wonderful +to-day.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” agreed Fred. “One more +dive.”</p> + +<p>Three bodies flashed through the air and disappeared beneath the +water with a resounding splash. A moment later and three heads came to +the surface.</p> + +<p>“Coming out?” demanded Grant, blowing the water from his +nostrils and shaking the hair out of his eyes.</p> + +<p>“I think I’ll take a little swim,” said John. +“I’ll be out in a minute.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll wait for you,” said Fred. +“Don’t be long.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll be right out,” exclaimed John as he struck +out with long powerful overhead strokes in the direction of the open +sea.</p> + +<p>Grant and Fred clambered out upon the little ledge and began to put +on the few pieces of clothing that they possessed.</p> + +<p>“I certainly do feel fine,” exclaimed Fred as he took in +a deep breath of the pure air that was blown upon them straight up from +the waters of the sea. “The air is fine to-day.”</p> + +<p>“Well, it ought to be, every day,” laughed Grant. +“After it has traveled a couple of thousand miles across the +water it ought to be pretty nearly pure.”</p> + +<p>“And have no dust in it,” added Fred.</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” said Grant. “Where’s +John?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see him,” said Fred, turning to look for +his companion. “I hope he didn’t try to swim out very far. +That’s always a fool trick, I think.”</p> + +<p>“Where is he?” exclaimed Grant, somewhat alarmed at not +discovering his friend.</p> + +<p>“There he is,” cried Fred suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Where?”</p> + +<p>“Why out there. Don’t you see him?”</p> + +<p>“He’s crazy,” said Grant angrily. “Why does +he want to go so far out? He can swim just as well along shore and not +take half the risk. Suppose anything should happen to him now, we +couldn’t help him a bit.”</p> + +<p>“Look!” cried Fred suddenly, “there’s a +shark.”</p> + +<p>“Where?”</p> + +<p>“Right behind John. He’s a goner now,” and Fred +almost sobbed aloud.</p> + +<p>“John! John!” shouted Grant at the top of his voice, but +he knew it was hopeless to think of making himself heard at that +distance.</p> + +<p>“He’s gone. He’s gone,” moaned Fred +distractedly.</p> + +<p>The great black fin moved steadily along in back of the daring young +swimmer. To the boys on the shore it seemed as if it approached nearer +with every passing moment. Suddenly there was a great splashing in the +immediate vicinity of where John was swimming.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_19'></a>CHAPTER XIX<br /><span +class='fss'>SHARK</span></h2> + +<p>“It’s horrible,” cried Fred almost beside himself +with anguish. “Oh, why did he swim out so far?”</p> + +<p>The splashing continued. The two boys on the shore stood and watched +almost spellbound at the sight. Their faces were white and their hearts +were like great lumps in their throats. Neither one had any thought +other than that John had been attacked by the shark and was even now +being torn to pieces by the great man-eater. They shut their eyes to +hide the horror of the thing.</p> + +<p>Finally Grant looked again. The splashing had ceased and the water +was calm around the spot where John had been. Suddenly he spied a head +appearing far out from the shore.</p> + +<p>“There he is,” he cried suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Who? John?” demanded Fred. “Where?”</p> + +<p>“Out there in the same place. He hasn’t gotten him +yet.”</p> + +<p>“Where’s the shark?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see it.”</p> + +<p>“There it is,” exclaimed Fred. “Between John and +the shore.”</p> + +<p>Sure enough, the great black fin appeared once more sailing serenely +about a few yards distant from John, but between him and land.</p> + +<p>“How can he get in?” cried Fred. “The shark is in +the way.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Grant. “Certainly he +can’t swim right at the shark.”</p> + +<p>“He never will get in,” moaned Fred. “He’ll +surely be killed.”</p> + +<p>“He’s all right so far.”</p> + +<p>“I know. He missed him before but he won’t +again.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe John can fight him off. You can’t +tell.”</p> + +<p>“There he goes again. He’s closing in.”</p> + +<p>The shark did seem to be moving towards John once more. Around and +around in circles he went and even from the shore Grant and Fred could +see their companion’s head turn so as always to keep his eyes +fixed on his enemy.</p> + +<p>“We must go to him,” cried Fred. “We must do +something.”</p> + +<p>“What can we do? We’re helpless.”</p> + +<p>“Can’t we swim out?”</p> + +<p>“Suppose we did. We couldn’t do anything when we got +there.”</p> + +<p>Suddenly the splashing was resumed. John and the shark both +disappeared from sight as the water was thrown up in all directions +around them.</p> + +<p>“What’s happened, Grant? I’m afraid to +look.”</p> + +<p>“I think he drove him off.”</p> + +<p>“Are you sure?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. There he is. He scared him away again.”</p> + +<p>“He can’t keep that up forever, though,” moaned +Fred. “He must be getting pretty nearly exhausted by +now.”</p> + +<p>“Look!” cried Grant suddenly. “Here comes +Sam.”</p> + +<p>Running towards them at top speed and throwing off his clothes as he +ran came Sam. In his teeth was the long knife he had made so +laboriously and spent so many hours to sharpen.</p> + +<p>“What’s he going to do?” cried Fred in wonderment. +“Where are you going, Sam?” he called as the negro came up +to the spot where the two boys stood.</p> + +<p>“Ah’ll get ’im,” muttered Sam, and without +waiting for another thing he plunged headlong into the water. A moment +later he reappeared, the knife still in his mouth, and with powerful +strokes struck out for John and the hungry giant that threatened +him.</p> + +<p>“What’s he going to do, Grant?” exclaimed +Fred.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. Watch him.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think he can kill the shark with that +knife?”</p> + +<p>“He’s evidently going to try.”</p> + +<p>“He’ll be too late.”</p> + +<p>John was perhaps a hundred and fifty yards from shore now. Slowly he +was nearing land and safety, but could he reach it? The great shark +still circled around and around the unfortunate boy, evidently waiting +for some moment when John should be off his guard to give him an +opportunity to strike. John was determined that this should not happen, +however, and he watched the shark just as closely as he himself was +watched. First he swam on one side and then on the other, then on his +back and then on his stomach. Not for a second did he relax his +watchfulness.</p> + +<p>“Look at Sam go!” exclaimed Grant. “He’s a +marvelous swimmer.”</p> + +<p>“He’s that all right, but I wish he would get +there.”</p> + +<p>“There goes the shark,” cried Grant, and as he spoke the +big fin could be seen to shoot with lightning-like rapidity in close to +the spot where John was. A great splashing immediately followed and +then the fin appeared once more some ten or twelve yards distant.</p> + +<p>“Whew! That was close,” gasped Grant, his lips ashen +with terror.</p> + +<p>“He’s getting desperate,” said Fred. “He +knows that unless he can get John before he comes much closer to shore +his chance is gone.”</p> + +<p>“Hurry, Sam!” shouted Grant with all his strength. +“Keep it up, John!” he called. “You’ll be all +right in a minute!”</p> + +<p>“He will not,” said Fred in a low voice. +“He’ll be gone in a minute.”</p> + +<p>“No he won’t,” cried Grant. “Sam is almost +there.”</p> + +<p>“Forty yards is a lot.”</p> + +<p>“Hurry, Sam! Hurry!” begged Grant. “You must +hurry!”</p> + +<p>“Look!” cried Fred. “The shark must have seen him. +He’s going away.”</p> + +<p>“Not ‘away,’” Grant corrected. “He’s +just backing up a little.”</p> + +<p>Sure enough the shark moved out a little toward the ocean and the +fin stood almost still as if it might be debating what should be done +next. Evidently the arrival of a second foe had puzzled him. Sharks are +not known especially for their bravery. Rather they are scavengers that +feed on the ocean’s refuse, and they must be very hungry indeed +to attack a man unless they have him at a disadvantage. Grant and Fred +were aware of this fact, but they feared that this particular shark was +very hungry and that he did have John at a disadvantage.</p> + +<p>“Maybe he’ll go away now that there are two of +them,” said Fred hopefully.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be too sure,” warned Grant.</p> + +<p>“He’ll attack soon if he’s going to, +though.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, he’ll have to. The water gets pretty shallow in a +little closer.”</p> + +<p>“Look at Sam,” exclaimed Fred. “He’s sending +John on ahead of him.”</p> + +<p>“John must be pretty tired now.”</p> + +<p>“I should think so.”</p> + +<p>“He’ll be all right in a minute, though. A few more +yards and he’ll be out of danger.”</p> + +<p>“There goes the shark again,” cried Fred suddenly. +“This is about his last chance and it won’t be so easy to +drive him off this time.”</p> + +<p>Around and around the two swimmers the shark circled. He moved with +amazing rapidity, and it seemed as if the two hard-pressed and tired +swimmers must become dizzy if they followed his every move.</p> + +<p>“He’ll fly around them like that,” said Grant, +“until he sees a good chance and then you’ll see him strike +like lightning.”</p> + +<p>“They mustn’t give him a chance,” muttered Fred +doggedly.</p> + +<p>“They won’t if they can help it, you may be sure of +that.”</p> + +<p>“There he goes!” cried Fred. “No, not yet,” +he corrected himself.</p> + +<p>“He’ll strike, all right. Just watch him.”</p> + +<p>“If Sam can only use that knife.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe he won’t attack Sam.”</p> + +<p>“They’re awfully close together now,” said Fred. +“If he goes for John, Sam can stick him and if he goes for Sam, +why he has the knife right there.”</p> + +<p>“The old knife will never go through that shark’s +hide,” exclaimed Grant. “It’s almost as hard as sheet +steel.”</p> + +<p>“Here’s the test anyway,” cried Fred, and as he +spoke the giant fin could be seen darting suddenly towards the two +swimmers. Just before it reached them it disappeared beneath the +surface of the water.</p> + +<p>“He has turned bottom side up to bite,” muttered Grant, +fully understanding just what was taking place.</p> + +<p>Sam and John had noted the approach of their enemy and both realized +that the crisis of the whole affair was now at hand. If they could +elude him this once, the chances were that they could reach shallow +water where the shark would not dare to follow them. They both began to +kick violently and splash as much as possible with their hands; they +shouted and yelled; they did everything which they thought might +possibly aid them in scaring the great ugly fish away.</p> + +<p>Grant and Fred on the shore held their breath while all this was +taking place and their hearts almost stopped beating. With feverish +anxiety they awaited the result of the battle taking place before their +very eyes.</p> + +<p>“There’s John,” cried Grant suddenly. +“Where’s Sam?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see him. I don’t see the shark +either.”</p> + +<p>“The splashing has stopped. Sam must have been +killed.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no,” exclaimed Fred. “Don’t say that. +It can’t be.”</p> + +<p>“Where is he then?”</p> + +<p>“Look!” cried Fred.</p> + +<p>The water some five or ten yards behind John was suddenly churned +into froth. Red, bloody froth it was and evidently some gigantic +struggle was going on. All at once, just on the outside of the +miniature maelstrom, appeared a small round, black object.</p> + +<p>“There’s Sam!” shouted Grant.</p> + +<p>Sure enough. Sam was still alive and without wasting a moment he +struck out boldly for the shore. John was ahead of him, but he was soon +overhauled by the powerful negro and side by side the two swimmers +plowed through the sea. Behind them the waters were still churned by +the struggles of the great shark, but they were rapidly becoming +weaker.</p> + +<p>“Sam killed the shark,” exclaimed Fred, almost overcome +by the suddenness and the unexpectedness of the event.</p> + +<p>“It looks so,” agreed Grant. “I didn’t think +it was possible.”</p> + +<p>“Nor I. Imagine the nerve he had, and that old knife certainly +did do the work after all.”</p> + +<p>“Well, John owes his life to Sam all right. He surely would +have been killed if he had been left out there alone.”</p> + +<p>“Not a doubt of it. I don’t see how Sam managed +it.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll find out in a minute. John must be about +exhausted too; Sam is helping him in.”</p> + +<p>“Want any help, you two?” called Fred to the two +swimmers who were rapidly approaching the shore.</p> + +<p>“No, thanks,” said John in reply. “Sam will get us +in.”</p> + +<p>Grant and Fred leaned far out over the water and extended their +hands to the two swimmers who were only a few feet distant now. A +moment later and they had drawn John up on the shore, where he lay +panting, his strength practically all used up. When they turned to +assist Sam, however, they found their negro friend clambering up +without the least bit of trouble.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with your shoulder, Sam?” +exclaimed Grant in alarm.</p> + +<p>The skin seemed to be all torn away and the blood was flowing freely +from Sam’s right shoulder. Just what had happened, it was +impossible to say.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_20'></a>CHAPTER XX<br /><span class='fss'>TALKING IT +OVER</span></h2> + +<p>“Dat,” said Sam, referring to Grant’s question +concerning his shoulder, “am wheah Ah come in too clost contack +wif dat sha’k.”</p> + +<p>“Did he bite you?” exclaimed Fred.</p> + +<p>“No, indeed. He jes’ nachully done rub up again’ +me, dat’s all.”</p> + +<p>“But just rubbing against you wouldn’t tear you up like +that,” protested Fred.</p> + +<p>“Am dat so? Ah don’t reckon yo’ all evah seen a +sha’k at front han’ ef yo’ say dat. Have yo’ evah +felt a sha’k’s skin?”</p> + +<p>“No, I haven’t. Is it rough?”</p> + +<p>“Have you evah felt san’ paper?”</p> + +<p>“Lots of times. Is it as rough as that?”</p> + +<p>“Lawdy,” exclaimed Sam. “In compahson wif a +sha’k’s skin Ah tell yo’ dat san’ paper am lak +velvet.”</p> + +<p>“I should say it was rough, then,” laughed Fred. +“Doesn’t that hurt?”</p> + +<p>“It must,” Grant broke in, “and it ought to be +attended to at once.”</p> + +<p>“Dat’s nothin’,” said Sam carelessly. +“She’ll be all right soon.”</p> + +<p>“I know,” Grant protested, “but just look at it +bleed.”</p> + +<p>“All de bettah. When she bleed lak dat dey’s no chance +ob poison.”</p> + +<p>“But it ought to be stopped now. Come up by the spring where +there’s cold water and let me bathe it for you.”</p> + +<p>“Go ahead, Sam,” urged John, looking up and speaking for +the first time since he had been brought ashore.</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” agreed Fred. “I’ll +stay here with John.”</p> + +<p>“No one need stay with me,” said John. “I’m +getting my wind back now and as soon as I get a little strength +I’ll be as good as ever.”</p> + +<p>“What made you swim so far out anyway?” demanded +Fred.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. I guess I was crazy.”</p> + +<p>“You were worse than that,” exclaimed Fred. “You +were a fool.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t tell me that; I know it myself now. We always do +when it’s too late.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I can tell you one thing,” said Grant warmly. +“You wouldn’t be here now if it hadn’t been for +Sam.”</p> + +<p>“Right you are,” John agreed. “I certainly owe my +life to you, Sam.”</p> + +<p>“Ah guess mebbe Ah will bafe mah shouldah,” said Sam, +much embarrassed and ill at ease from all the compliments that were +being given him.</p> + +<p>“We’ll all go with you,” said John. +“I’m all right now.”</p> + +<p>“And we’ll make Sam tell us how he did it,” added +Fred eagerly.</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Sam,” exclaimed Grant. “Tell +us all about it.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” began Sam slowly, “Ah doan’ know +jes’ what dey is to tell. Ah jes’ took dis heah knife wot +yo’ all done make so much fun ob, an’ Ah jes’ stick +ol’ mistah sha’k plum’ in de belly wid it. Dat’s all +dey was to it.”</p> + +<p>“But, Sam,” Fred protested, “how did you get close +enough to him? Did he attack you?”</p> + +<p>“Ah reckon as how he did do dat,” said Sam. “He +jes’ came a swimmin’ right at me and natchully dey was only +one thing foh me to do.”</p> + +<p>“Naturally,” laughed Grant, “but tell us how you +happened to get a good chance at him and not be bitten.”</p> + +<p>“When Ah seen dat sha’k a comin’ at me,” continued +Sam, “Ah knowed dat he meant business. Ah took mah knife in mah +right han’ an’ Ah jes’ sunk a tweeny bit below de +sufface ob de watah. He seen me an’ he come right foh me too. Ah +waited foh him to turn belly up ’cause Ah knowed dat what he ’bliged to +do befoh he able to use dem razah teeth ob his’n. Sho’ nuff +jes’ befoh he reach me, ovah he go and den was mah chance. Ah +sho’ did let ’im have it an’ Ah guess he ain’ +gwine bothah no more peoples.”</p> + +<p>“You must have been under water a long time,” remarked +Grant.</p> + +<p>“Not so berry long,” said Sam. “Dat ol’ +sha’k didn’t waste no time about what he doin’ an’ +yo’ bet Ah didn’t neither.”</p> + +<p>“I guess not,” laughed Grant. “When did he hit +your shoulder?”</p> + +<p>“Right after Ah done stick ’im. Soon’s Ah let +’im hab de knife he done commence thrashin’ ’round +somethin’ terrible. ’Fore Ah could get out ob his way he done hit +me a swipe wid dat ol’ tail ob his an’ dar yo’ see +it.” Sam indicated his shoulder, which was still bleeding, though +not as freely as before.</p> + +<p>“Well, all I can say is,” exclaimed Fred, “that +you ought to have a medal. I swear I don’t see how anyone could +have the nerve to fight a shark in the water. Why, I’d be afraid +of one lying half dead on the beach.”</p> + +<p>“So should I,” said Grant. “How big was that +fellow anyway, John?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t know. He must have been nearly eighteen +feet though.”</p> + +<p>“Come on here,” said Fred skeptically, “you +can’t make us believe a thing like that. Eighteen feet; why, +that’s three times as long as you are.”</p> + +<p>“I know it is. I realized that when I said it.”</p> + +<p>“Is he right, Sam?” demanded Fred. “Was the shark +as big as that?”</p> + +<p>“Ah should say he was jes’ about dat size,” +replied Sam seriously.</p> + +<p>“All right,” laughed Fred. “I won’t argue +with you, but that’s easily the biggest fish story I ever +heard.”</p> + +<p>“It was the biggest fish I ever saw,” said John grimly. +“Whew!” and he shuddered at the recollection.</p> + +<p>“What did you think when you saw him first?” asked Grant +curiously.</p> + +<p>“I was nearly scared to death,” said John so solemnly +that everybody laughed. “I was swimming along easily and just +taking my time when I suddenly had a feeling that something was near +me. I looked around and sure enough, over the top of a little wave, I +saw that fin. I tell you it gave me the creeps and I honestly thought +my last day had come. I knew it was only a question of time before he +attacked me and I watched him pretty closely, I can tell you. All the +while I kept trying to get in nearer to shore, but I was afraid to swim +fast for I knew that if I did I couldn’t watch the shark and that +he would get me from behind.”</p> + +<p>“A nice feeling,” remarked Fred grimly.</p> + +<p>“I should say so. Well, in a minute I saw him coming and I +began to kick and splash with all my might. I didn’t think it +would be of any use, but I had to do something. Imagine my surprise +when I saw him veer away from me. I knew he’d be back though and +sure enough he was, and again I scared him away, but I knew it +couldn’t last forever. He was getting more determined and closer +to me each time and Sam got there none too soon I can tell +you.”</p> + +<p>“How did you know what was happening, Sam?” demanded +Grant. “I thought you were on watch up by the flag.”</p> + +<p>“So Ah was. Ah could see jes’ the same, couldn’t +Ah?”</p> + +<p>“I guess you could,” laughed Grant. “It’s +lucky you could too.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe a ship has passed while we were down here,” +remarked Fred.</p> + +<p>“A fine chance,” said John skeptically. “No ships +ever pass here.”</p> + +<p>“This island reminds me of that old story about the farmer at +the circus,” said Grant. “He looked at the giraffe for a +long time and then finally turned away in disgust. ‘Oh, shucks,’ +he said, ‘there ain’t no such animal.’ That’s the way +I feel about this island. There isn’t any such place.”</p> + +<p>“It does seem so, doesn’t it?” laughed Fred. +“At any rate all the boats seem to avoid it. We may never get a +chance to use that signal.”</p> + +<p>On the summit of the hill near the spot where George’s shirt +did duty as a flag the boys had prepared a great pile of driftwood. The +moment a ship was sighted this pyre was to be lighted to attract the +attention of those on board the boat.</p> + +<p>“Dey’s plenty ob people wot would lak to find dis island +all right,” said Sam confidently. “Ah knows piles ob +sailors wot would gib dere eye teeth to see dis yere island wid de +sha’k rock on it.”</p> + +<p>“Well, we found it all right,” exclaimed Grant, +“and from the look of things it is just as hard for us to get +away from it as it is for most people to find it.”</p> + +<p>“We’ve done better than most of them anyway,” said +Fred. “We’ve found the island but we can’t find the +treasure. Most people can’t even find the island.”</p> + +<p>“It hasn’t done us any good so far,” said Grant. +“Now that we’re on this wonderful island what are we going +to do about it?”</p> + +<p>“Solve the code,” replied Fred promptly. “Once +that is done the rest is easy.”</p> + +<p>“The same old cry,” exclaimed Grant. “That code is +beginning to haunt my dreams. I think of it all day and I dream of it +all night.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you’ll find the answer to it in a dream some +time,” suggested John.</p> + +<p>“If I only could,” sighed Grant disconsolately. +“Come on,” he added, “let’s go back to the +cave. Have you fixed your shoulder up all right, Sam?”</p> + +<p>“It am as good as ebber,” replied Sam cheerily.</p> + +<p>They made their way along the bank of the little stream that flowed +down from the spring. A soft breeze stirred the palm trees and the +tropical foliage was brilliant. It would have been difficult to find +any more beautiful spot than this little island, set like a jewel, on +the bosom of the sparkling sea. The spell of it affected every member +of the party and few words were spoken as they walked along.</p> + +<p>Soon they came within sight of the cave.</p> + +<p>“There’s Pop,” exclaimed John. “It’s +about time he got back.”</p> + +<p>“He’ll certainly be excited when he hears about the +shark,” said Grant. “I wish he had been there with +us.”</p> + +<p>“He’s been up to something himself probably,” said +Fred. “You can trust him for stirring things up, no matter where +he is.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I guess he has been up to something,” exclaimed +John. “Look at what he’s got up there.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_21'></a>CHAPTER XXI<br /><span class='fss'>A NEW +MEMBER</span></h2> + +<p>“Come on,” cried John excitedly. “Let’s get +up there and see it.”</p> + +<p>“How do you suppose he ever did it?” exclaimed Grant. +“He’s a great one, all right.”</p> + +<p>Scrambling and hustling up over the rocks George’s four +companions vied with one another as to who should be the first to reach +the cave. John’s long legs would ordinarily have won the race for +him, but he was weakened by the effects of his experience in the water, +and Grant outdistanced him. The rest were close behind, however, and +all arrived almost together.</p> + +<p>“Where did you get it, Pop?” demanded Grant eagerly.</p> + +<p>“Oh, down at the other end of the island,” said George +evasively.</p> + +<p>His face was wreathed in smiles, however, and he was very proud of +his exploit.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see how you did it,” exclaimed Fred.</p> + +<p>“I’m clever.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t get funny,” warned Grant. +“We’ll take it out of you if you get fresh.”</p> + +<p>“You can’t touch me now,” said George loftily.</p> + +<p>“What’s the reason we can’t?”</p> + +<p>“Because if you do, I’ll–”</p> + +<p>He did not finish the sentence. Instead he leaped to his feet and +hanging on to one hand howled with pain. His friends, however, instead +of sympathizing with him, all with one accord shrieked delightedly.</p> + +<p>“Whew!” cried George feelingly. “He’s a good +biter all right.”</p> + +<p>“He,” in this case referred to a small green parrot +which George had been holding in both hands. In some way it had +wriggled loose from his grasp and twisting its head around had taken a +good sized bit of flesh out of the back of his hand. This was the cause +of George’s pain and his friends’ mirth.</p> + +<p>“Put a muzzle on him, Pop,” advised Fred. +“He’s dangerous.”</p> + +<p>“He certainly is,” agreed George. “I’m +afraid he’ll bite that string in half too.”</p> + +<p>“How did you catch him?” inquired Grant curiously. +“Did you put salt on his tail?”</p> + +<p>George gave the speaker a scornful look. “I caught him,” +he replied, “because he has a broken wing and can’t fly +very well. It wasn’t any easy job, though.”</p> + +<p>“How did he break his wing?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. I didn’t ask him.”</p> + +<p>“Say, you’re getting awfully fresh,” exclaimed +Grant, pretending that he was angry. “Can’t you be serious +and tell us how you caught him?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly I can, I was walking down around the end of the +island when I spied this fellow on the ground. I went up close to him +and he just flopped up and down and evidently could use only one wing. +I saw right away that it was broken and decided right there and then +that he ought to belong to me. I chased him all around for I +don’t know how long and finally I grabbed him by the tail +feathers and hung on. It was no easy thing to do though and I can tell +you I nearly gave it up any number of times. Just as I’d get up +close to him and make a grab at him, he’d hop away and when I did +catch him he tried his best to bite me. He’s got plenty of spunk +all right,” and George looked ruefully at his bleeding hand.</p> + +<p>“Are you going to tame him?” asked John.</p> + +<p>“I’m going to do my best.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think he’ll stay around here?”</p> + +<p>“He will as long as he’s tied, that’s sure. I got +that string off that old tarpaulin; you know the one we had in the +life-boat when we left the <i>Josephine</i>.”</p> + +<p>“You ought to clip his wings,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“I know it and I intend to, too. I was just waiting for some +of you fellows to come back and help me. Where have you been +anyway?”</p> + +<p>The whole story of John and the shark was related to George, who was +naturally very much interested in the account.</p> + +<p>“I wish I’d been there to see it,” he exclaimed +ruefully.</p> + +<p>“No, you don’t either,” said Fred. “I saw it +all, but I can tell you I didn’t enjoy the experience very +much.”</p> + +<p>“Nor I,” agreed Grant. “It was too harrowing for +me.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t suppose John had much fun either,” said +George. “As far as I can see Sam was the only one who got any +pleasure out of it at all.”</p> + +<p>“How about that, Sam?” demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Ah didn’t mind it so powerful much,” grinned +Sam.</p> + +<p>“Would you want to do it every day?”</p> + +<p>“Ah cain’t say as how Ah would. One ob dem sha’ks might +get me sometime.”</p> + +<p>“Suppose the shark had swallowed John,” George remarked. +“He’s so tall and skinny that he never could have gotten +him down and there he’d stuck right in his throat. He’d +been worse than Jonah and the whale.”</p> + +<p>“Are you going to stand for that, Spike?” inquired Fred +mischievously, hoping to start an argument of some kind.</p> + +<p>“He has to,” said George. “He has nothing to say +about the matter at all,” and he assumed a careless and +indifferent air.</p> + +<p>“If I wasn’t so weak just now I certainly would make him +eat those words,” exclaimed John.</p> + +<p>“You hear that?” demanded George. “It’s +always ‘if’ with him.”</p> + +<p>“And you always pick on a man when he’s down,” +retorted John.</p> + +<p>“How about me? Just look at the terrible wound I have on the +back of my hand.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Grant, “the parrot thought you were +bird seed.”</p> + +<p>“Or a cracker,” added Fred.</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” cried George, pretending to be +greatly hurt. “You all always take sides against me. Still +it’s an even match at that.”</p> + +<p>“I guess we’d better take some of that conceit out of +him, don’t you?” exclaimed Grant slowly advancing towards +George.</p> + +<p>“Well, I should say so,” cried Fred eagerly, and a +moment later George was at the bottom of a pile of four boys, three of +whom busied themselves with poking him in the ribs, jouncing up and +down on his stomach and in every other way possible making it just as +uncomfortable as they could for him.</p> + +<p>Everyone was laughing and in good humor, however. Seldom it was that +any of these boys lost his temper, for they had learned long ago just +how foolish a proceeding that was. The one who gets angry is always +teased, but there is no satisfaction in plaguing a boy who ignores it +or gives as good as he receives and always keeps his temper under +control.</p> + +<p>Finally George was released and all four boys rose to their feet +laughing and good natured. Sam had been a greatly interested spectator +of these proceedings and had enjoyed them greatly.</p> + +<p>“Say,” he exclaimed, “dey am jus’ about as +bad as fightin’ sha’ks.”</p> + +<p>“You notice it took three of them to do it though, don’t +you, Sam?” exclaimed George, weak from laughter and loss of +breath.</p> + +<p>“Want some more?” demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“If you’ll come one at a time, I’m +willing.”</p> + +<p>“Dat’s de way,” exclaimed Sam. “One at a +time. Dat’s fair.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll postpone it till to-morrow,” said Grant. +“I’m winded.”</p> + +<p>“You’re afraid of me,” taunted George.</p> + +<p>“Oh, go and play with your parrot,” exclaimed Fred. +“You’re a bird yourself.”</p> + +<p>“Where is he?” demanded George. “I’d almost +forgotten him.”</p> + +<p>“There he is,” said Fred laughingly. “He looks +like a little old man sitting up there on that rock.”</p> + +<p>“He’s all right; don’t you worry about him,” +said George. “He’s my friend.”</p> + +<p>“It looked so when he ate the back of your hand off,” +laughed Grant.</p> + +<p>“That’s just the way he shows his affection,” +exclaimed George. “He didn’t mean anything by +that.”</p> + +<p>“Well, if that’s the case,” said Grant, +“I’m certainly glad he doesn’t care anything about +me.”</p> + +<p>“Catch him, Pop,” urged John, “and we’ll +clip his wings.”</p> + +<p>“Will you help me? I don’t want to lose him now after +all the trouble I had to get him. I think I can tame him, +too.”</p> + +<p>“Sure you can. Get him over here.”</p> + +<p>“How can I do it?”</p> + +<p>“I’ll show you,” exclaimed John. “Watch +me.”</p> + +<p>He seized hold of the string that was tied around the parrot’s +leg and began to haul in hand over hand. The poor bird fluttered and +struggled indignantly but all to no avail. He was quickly pulled along +until he was at John’s feet when George grabbed him and held him +securely.</p> + +<p>“Now how can we cut his wings?” demanded Fred. “We +have no scissors.”</p> + +<p>“We have knives, haven’t we?” exclaimed +George.</p> + +<p>“But are they sharp enough?”</p> + +<p>“Mine is.”</p> + +<p>“So am mine,” said Sam. “It suttinly done fix dat +sha’k all right.”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid it’s a little too big for a parrot +though,” laughed Grant. “Don’t you think +so?”</p> + +<p>“P’raps it am,” admitted Sam. “It’s +sho’ a good knife dough.”</p> + +<p>“Spread his wings out on the rock here,” directed John. +“I’ll cut the tips off his feathers so he can’t fly +away.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t hurt him.”</p> + +<p>“No danger of that. You just hold him still.”</p> + +<p>The operation was quickly performed and a few moments later the +little green bird was angrily stalking away, shaking his ruffled +feathers and uttering indignant squawks at every step.</p> + +<p>“Look at him,” laughed Grant. “My, but he’s +mad.”</p> + +<p>“So would you be,” said George. “Imagine being +treated like that by someone about a hundred times as big as you +are.”</p> + +<p>“It would rouse me a little,” admitted Grant. +“What are you going to name him?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. What’s a good name, +anyway?”</p> + +<p>“Call him Snip,” suggested Fred. “He certainly +took a snip out of you.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a good one,” exclaimed George. “His +name is Snip.”</p> + +<p>“You’ll have to teach him his name now, Pop,” said +Grant. “That’ll give you something to do and keep you out +of mischief.”</p> + +<p>“I want him to talk, too,” said George, “and I +want him to get so tame that he’ll ride around on my shoulder +wherever I go.”</p> + +<p>“And he’ll peck your eye out,” said John.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I guess not. He’ll be all right after a +while.”</p> + +<p>“How are you going to go about teaching him to talk?” +demanded John. “I suppose he’ll have to learn the alphabet +first,” and he nudged Grant as he spoke.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, of course,” laughed George sarcastically. +“You’re all pretty smart.”</p> + +<p>“Why, Pop,” said John, soothingly, “it +wouldn’t take long. There are only twenty-six letters in +it.”</p> + +<p>“What did you say?” cried Grant, suddenly springing to +his feet.</p> + +<p>“I said there were twenty-six letters in the +alphabet.”</p> + +<p>“Hooray!” shouted Grant, and he began to dance around +like a wild man. “I’ve got it. I’ve got it,” he +repeated excitedly over and over again.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_22'></a>CHAPTER XXII<br /><span class='fss'>A +CLUE</span></h2> + +<p>Grant’s companions sat and looked at him in amazement not +unmixed with alarm. They could see no reason for his strange behavior +and were at a complete loss what to make of it. They watched their +comrade execute a war dance around the entrance to the cave for some +moments and finally disappear within, uttering one last triumphant +whoop.</p> + +<p>“What struck him?” exclaimed John in perplexity.</p> + +<p>“He’s gone crazy I guess,” said Fred. “I +can’t think of anything else.”</p> + +<p>“Ah believe yo’ am right,” said Sam in a hollow +voice. “Ef he try to mess me up Ah sho’ gwine use dis +knife.”</p> + +<p>“Put that away, Sam,” said John, sharply. +“Don’t be silly.”</p> + +<p>“But ef he’s crazy,” protested Sam, “Ah +suttinly boun’ proteck mahself.”</p> + +<p>“He’s not crazy,” exclaimed George. +“He’ll be out in a minute and tell us just what is wrong +with him.”</p> + +<p>“Go and see what he’s doing, Pop,” urged Fred.</p> + +<p>“I will not. He said he’d got it and he might get me, +too. What do you suppose he was talking about anyway?”</p> + +<p>“Here he comes now. Ask him.”</p> + +<p>Grant emerged from the cave, his manner showing how excited he was. +He walked rapidly and his hands shook with nervousness. He carried the +piece of parchment that had become so familiar to the four boys.</p> + +<p>“He must have meant the code,” whispered Fred to +George.</p> + +<p>“He couldn’t have solved it,” said George in a low +voice. “How could he?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. At any rate he may have had an +idea.”</p> + +<p>Grant advanced rapidly towards the spot where his companions were +grouped and seated himself in front of them.</p> + +<p>“What’s going on, Grant?” demanded John +curiously.</p> + +<p>“Just a minute and I’ll show you something,” and +he spread the code out on the ground while the rest of the little party +peered eagerly over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>“Now, first of all,” began Grant, “you all know +what this is.”</p> + +<p>“It’s a combination to a safe,” said George +readily.</p> + +<p>“Keep quiet, Pop,” exclaimed Fred. “Give him a +chance.”</p> + +<p>“It’s a code,” said Grant, ignoring George’s +facetious remark.</p> + +<p>“We know that,” agreed Fred. “Don’t be so +mysterious.”</p> + +<p>“What’s the highest number in it?” demanded +Grant.</p> + +<p>“He sounds like a trick man,” laughed George +jeeringly.</p> + +<p>“No treasure for Pop,” said Grant shortly. +“What’s the highest number in it?”</p> + +<p>“I guess we’ll have to do it this way,” said John +with a sigh. “Let me see,” he added. “I guess +twenty-five is the highest number.”</p> + +<p>“All right. How many letters are there in the +alphabet?”</p> + +<p>“Twenty-six.”</p> + +<p>“But, Grant,” Fred protested, “I don’t see +what you’re getting at?”</p> + +<p>“You will soon enough. Just have a little patience.”</p> + +<p>“But why don’t you tell us what your idea is right +now?”</p> + +<p>“Because I don’t want to. At any rate it’s only an +idea and I don’t know whether it’s right or not and I +haven’t worked it out myself. That’s what we are doing now +and I want you all to help me. The whole thing may be wrong, but it +sounds pretty good to me. John’s remark about the number of +letters in the alphabet gave me the idea.”</p> + +<p>“Then I ought to get the credit if we solve the code,” +exclaimed John.</p> + +<p>“You’ll be lucky if you don’t get shot,” +said George. “You ought to be.”</p> + +<p>“Go ahead with your explanation, Grant,” urged Fred. +“Everybody keep quiet and give him a chance.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” said Grant. “We’ve noticed that +the highest number is twenty-five and that there are twenty-six letters +in the alphabet, haven’t we?”</p> + +<p>“We have,” said John so solemnly that George giggled +outright. His friends, however, were in a very serious mood and he +quickly realized that his hilarity was decidedly out of place.</p> + +<p>“What number appears most frequently?”</p> + +<p>“I guess fourteen does,” said Fred after a hasty survey +of the figures spread out on the ground before them.</p> + +<p>“No, five,” exclaimed John. “There are a good many +more fives than there are fourteens.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps there are,” Fred admitted. “Go ahead, +Grant.”</p> + +<p>Grant made some calculations that his comrades could not follow +before he replied to Fred’s remark. His friends eyed him +curiously.</p> + +<p>“Suppose we put the letter <i>e</i> wherever the number five +occurs,” he said at length.</p> + +<p>“What are you going to do that for?” demanded George, +now very much interested in the experiment Grant was conducting.</p> + +<p>“Never mind why,” exclaimed Grant. “Do as I +say.”</p> + +<p>“Give me a sheet out of your diary, Pop,” said Fred. +“I’ll do the figuring.”</p> + +<p>“Are you going to write it all down?” inquired +George.</p> + +<p>“Shall I, Grant?”</p> + +<p>“Put it all down. We’ll go slowly, but we’ll do it +right.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” exclaimed Fred. “Here goes,” +and he wrote as follows, substituting the letter for the number every +time he came to it:</p> + +<p>20 - 1 - 11 - e - 1 - 3 - 15 - 21 - 18 - 19 - e - 4 - 21 - e - 14 - 15 - 18 - 20 - 8 - 15 - 14 - e - 8 - 21 - 14 - 18 - e - 4 - 6 - e - e - 20 - 6 - 18 - 15 - 13 - 20 - 8 - e - 19 - 15 - 21 - 20 - 8 - e - 18 - 14 - e - 24 - 20 - 18 - e - 13 - 9 - 20 - 25 - 15 - 6 - 19 - 8 - 1 - 18 - 11 - 18 - 15 - 3 - 11 - 20 - 8 - e - 14 - e - 1 - 19 - 20 - 6 - 9 - 6 - e - e - 20 - 1 - 14 - 4 - 14 - 15 - 18 - 20 - 8 - 2 - 25 - e - 1 - 19 - 20 - 20 - 8 - 9 - 18 - 20 - 25 - 20 - 8 - 18 - e - e - 4 - 9 - 7.</p> + +<p>“Well,” exclaimed George when Fred had finished, +“it may be very simple and all that, but it doesn’t mean +anything to me.”</p> + +<p>“Of course, not yet,” said Grant. “Have a little +patience.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you tell us what your system is?”</p> + +<p>“No, you wait.”</p> + +<p>“How about fourteen now?” demanded Fred. “We +decided that was a pretty common number, you know. What shall I do with +that?”</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you,” said Grant and once again he +appeared to calculate something in his head. “In place of +fourteen put the letter <i>n</i>,” he directed, “and use +the copy you just made.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by the copy I just made?”</p> + +<p>“I mean leave the letter <i>e</i> where you put it in the last +time.”</p> + +<p>“Here we go,” exclaimed Fred and this is what he +wrote:</p> + +<p>20 - 1 - 11 - e - 1 - 3 - 15 - 21 - 18 - 19 - e - 4 - 21 - e - n - 15 - 18 - 20 - 8 - 15 - n - e - 8 - 21 - n - 4 - 18 - e - 4 - 6 - e - e - 20 - 6 - 18 - 15 - 13 - 20 - 8 - e - 19 - 15 - 21 - 20 - 8 - e - 18 - n - e - 24 - 20 - 18 - e - 13 - 9 - 20 - 25 - 15 - 6 - 19 - 8 - l - 18 - 11 - 18 - 15 - 3 - 11 - 20 - 8 - e - n - e - 1 - 19 - 20 - 6 - 9 - 6 - 20 - 25 - 6 - e - e - 20 - 1 - n - 4 - n - 15 - 18 - 20 - 8 - 2 - 25 - e - 1 - 19 - 20 - 20 - 8 - 9 - 18 - 20 - 25 - 20 - 8 - 18 - e - e - 4 - 9 - 7.</p> + +<p>“Clear as mud,” cried George, slapping Fred heartily on +the back. “You’re a wonder, Peewee, my boy.”</p> + +<p>“I must confess I don’t understand all this +business,” exclaimed Fred. “Why don’t you tell us +what you are trying to do, Grant?”</p> + +<p>“Because I’m not sure that I know myself.”</p> + +<p>“Tell us what you think anyway,” urged John. +“There’s no harm in that.”</p> + +<p>“I’d rather not,” said Grant. “If you +fellows don’t want to help me any more though, I’m +perfectly willing to work it out by myself.”</p> + +<p>“No, you don’t,” exclaimed Fred. “If +there’s anything going to happen around here I want to be on +hand.”</p> + +<p>“An’ me too,” said Sam eagerly. “Ah wants to +be heah when dat treasah am discovahed. Ah’ll fix dem niggers in +Richmond yet.”</p> + +<p>“Good boy, Sam,” exclaimed Grant. “You and I will +work it out together.”</p> + +<p>“Ah cain’t read nor write,” said Sam +disconsolately. “Ah’s afraid Ah wouldn’t be ob bery +much help to yo’. Ah can suttingly do some diggin’ +dough.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’m going to stay along; don’t worry about +that,” said Fred. “I wish Grant would tell us what +he’s trying to do, but I’m going to stay by him whether he +tells or not.”</p> + +<p>“I know what he’s trying to do,” said George. +“It’s simple enough.”</p> + +<p>“What is it then?” demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“Why, he thinks these numbers are used in place of letters. A +certain number means a certain letter and wherever he sees it he +substitutes the letter.”</p> + +<p>“We all know that much,” cried John scornfully. +“What we want to know is how he figures out what letter to put in +place of a certain number. Can you tell us that?”</p> + +<p>“No, I can’t,” George admitted ruefully.</p> + +<p>“Then you don’t know how he does it, do you?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t. That is, not yet.”</p> + +<p>“Go ahead then, Grant,” exclaimed John. +“We’re wasting time here.”</p> + +<p>“You want to go on with it, do you?”</p> + +<p>“Of course we do.”</p> + +<p>Grant picked up the code and studied it attentively for some +moments. Finally he put it down again. “Suppose we put the letter +<i>h</i> in place of the figure eight,” he said. “Eight +seems to be a fairly common number.”</p> + +<p>Once again Fred copied the mysterious set of numbers, making the +change that Grant had suggested.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_23'></a>CHAPTER XXIII<br /><span +class='fss'>PROGRESS</span></h2> + +<p>When Fred had completed his task the following result appeared:</p> + +<p>20 - 1 - 11 - e - 1 - 3 - 15 - 21 - 18 - 19 - e - 4 - 25 - e - n - 15 - 18 - 20 - h - 15 - n - e - h - 21 - n - 4 - 18 - e - 4 - 6 - e - e - 20 - 6 - 18 - 15 - 13 - 2 - h - e - 19 - 15 - 21 - 20 - h - e - 18 - n - e - 24 - 20 - 18 - e - 13 - 9 - 20 - 25 - 15 - 6 - 19 - h - 1 - 18 - 11 - 18 - 15 - 3 - 11 - 20 - h - e - n - e - 1 - 19 - 20 - 6 - 9 - 6 - 20 - 25 - 6 - e - e - 20 - 1 - n - 4 - n - 15 - 18 - 20 - h - 2 - 25 - e - 1 - 19 - 20 - 20 - h - 9 - 18 - 20 - 25 - 20 - h - 18 - e - e - 4 - 9 - 7.</p> + +<p>“Is it coming out all right, Grant?” asked John. +“It doesn’t look like very much to me just yet.”</p> + +<p>“It doesn’t spell any words yet,” said Fred.</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed, it certainly does,” exclaimed Grant. +“There’s <i>he</i> a couple of times. That spells +something, doesn’t it!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, that does,” admitted Fred, “but what can +<i>n-e-h</i> be? I never heard of that word or <i>e-n-e</i> +either.”</p> + +<p>“You must remember that it isn’t all done yet by a good +deal,” Grant protested. “You see we’ve substituted +only three letters so far and it spells two words already. I call that +pretty good work.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and in a minute you may run up against a snag and find +that you’re all wrong,” said George.</p> + +<p>“Quite right,” admitted Grant. “If my system is +wrong we’ll find it out pretty soon, too. It seems to me to be +worth trying though.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I think so, too,” exclaimed Fred readily. +“Let’s try another now.”</p> + +<p>“Why can’t you substitute two at once?” said John. +“That would save a lot of time.”</p> + +<p>“I know it would,” admitted Grant. “It would also +double the chances of mistakes and we don’t want to make any if +we can help it.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll be careful,” said George. “Go into +another trance, Grant, and tell us two letters this time. You’re +a regular Hindoo fakir and for all I know you may have hypnotized the +whole crowd of us.”</p> + +<p>“Come on, Pop! Be serious,” exclaimed John.</p> + +<p>“I am serious and I’m just as anxious to solve this as +you are. You don’t mind if I get a little fun out of it though, +do you?”</p> + +<p>“Got the letters, Grant?” demanded Fred of the owner of +the secret, who was busily engaged in more calculations. His eyes were +half shut and he did a great deal of counting on his fingers.</p> + +<p>“Ssh,” hissed George softly, but no one noticed him.</p> + +<p>“All right,” said Grant suddenly. “Put <i>r</i> in +place of eighteen and <i>t</i> in place of twenty.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve got your system,” exclaimed John all at +once. “I had an idea before and now I’m quite sure of +it.”</p> + +<p>“What is it, String?” inquired George eagerly.</p> + +<p>“I won’t tell you. Wait and see if I’m +right.”</p> + +<p>“I thought you said you were.”</p> + +<p>“I think I am.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t tell him, String, if you know,” urged +Grant.</p> + +<p>“I won’t; don’t worry about that. Isn’t it +simple?”</p> + +<p>“Just like you,” muttered George, but no one heeded +him.</p> + +<p>“Go ahead, Fred,” said Grant. “Write it out +again.”</p> + +<p>When Fred had complied the code had the following +appearance,–</p> + +<p>t - 1 - 11 - e - 1 - 3 - 15 - 21 - r - 19 - e - 4 - 21 - e - n - 15 - 4 - t - h - 15 - n - e - h - 21 - n - 4 - r - e - 4 - 6 - e - e - t - 6 - r - 15 - 13 - t - h - e - 19 - 15 - 21 - t - h - e - r - n - e - 24 - t - r - e - 13 - 9 - t - 25 - 15 - 6 - 19 - h - 1 - r - 11 - r - 15 - 3 - 11 - t - h - e - n - e - 1 - 19 - t - 6 - 9 - 6 - t - 25 - 6 - e - e - t - 1 - n - 4 - n - 15 - r - t - h - 2 - 25 - e - 1 - 19 - t - t - h - 9 - r - t - 25 - t - h - r - e - e - 4 - 9 - 7.</p> + +<p>“Well, you’ve got more letters in it than you had +anyway,” exclaimed George, “and right down at the end there +it spells the word <i>three</i>. Grant, I believe you may be on the +right track after all.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir, we’ll all be rich soon,” exclaimed +John. “Just think of us going home with great bags of gold and +jewels slung over each shoulder.”</p> + +<p>“Say!” cried Sam, his eyes sparkling and his ivory teeth +showing in a dazzling smile. “Wouldn’t dat be +great?”</p> + +<p>“See any ships coming to rescue us?” said John. +“Who wants to be rescued anyway? We’re going to find the +gold; we’re going to find the gold!” and he danced joyously +around, waving his arms about his head while he chanted over and over +again the same refrain, “We’re going to find the gold; +we’re going to find the gold!”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid you’re a little previous, +String,” laughed Grant, looking up from the code which he had +been studying intently. “We haven’t got it yet, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“But we shall,” insisted John joyously. +“We’ll find it all right.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s keep at it,” exclaimed Fred. +“That’s the best way I know to accomplish anything. Talking +about it doesn’t do much good.”</p> + +<p>“Give him a couple more letters then, Grant,” exclaimed +George.</p> + +<p>“Let me give him one,” said John. “See if I can +guess right.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” said Grant, “you try it this time and +see if you know the trick.”</p> + +<p>“Give me two,” said Fred. “We worked two at a time +before and we ought to be able to do it again.”</p> + +<p>“What numbers do you want letters for?” inquired +John.</p> + +<p>“Let me see,” mused Fred. “How about eleven and +fifteen?”</p> + +<p>“Just a second now,” and John began to calculate and +count on his fingers just as Grant had done.</p> + +<p>“Another fakir,” whispered George, but as usual no one +paid the slightest attention to him. Every one was intent upon the code +and too much interested in it to be diverted by anything else.</p> + +<p>“Put <i>k</i> in place of eleven, and <i>o</i> in place of +fifteen,” said John after he had apparently satisfied himself as +to the correctness of his calculations. “Is that correct, +Grant?”</p> + +<p>“Absolutely,” said Grant. “You know the system all +right.”</p> + +<p>“You might tell us,” exclaimed George enviously.</p> + +<p>“Keep quiet, Pop, and watch me,” ordered Fred, and once +more he rewrote the code while his companions watched him eagerly. This +is what he wrote:</p> + +<p>t - 1 - k - e - 1 - 3 - o - 21 - r - 19 - e - 4 - 21 - e - n - o - r - t - h - o - n - e - h - 21 - n - 4 - r - e - 4 - 6 - e - e - t - 6 - r - o - 13 - t - h - e - 19 - o - 31 - t - h - e - r - n - e - 24 - t - r - e - 13 - t - 25 - o - 6 - 19 - h - 1 - r - k - r - o - e - k - t - h - e - n - e - 1 - 19 - t - 6 - 9 - 6 - t - 25 - 6 - e - e - t - 1 - n - 4 - n - o - r - t - h - 2 - 25 - e - 1 - 19 - t - t - h - 9 - r - t - 25 - t - h - r - e - e - 4 - 9 - 7.</p> + +<p>“You’re getting rid of the numbers fast enough +anyway,” exclaimed George. “It looks like Greek to me +though.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe it’s written in some foreign language,” +suggested Fred. “Wouldn’t that be awful?”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps it’s Finnish,” said George. “We got +it from a Finn.”</p> + +<p>“Dey’s always ha’d luck,” exclaimed Sam +soberly. “Ef some Finn done wrote dat we don’t stan’ +no chance ob eber findin’ de treasah.”</p> + +<p>“You mean it will be our finish, is that it?” laughed +George.</p> + +<p>“Ah wouldn’t be at all s’prised,” said Sam +solemnly.</p> + +<p>“What makes you think it’s not written in +English?” demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“Well, just look along there in the middle,” said +George. “It says r-k-r-o, and then k-t-h-e-n-e. Did you ever hear +of any words that sounded like that?”</p> + +<p>“No, but towards the end it spells two words +distinctly,” protested Grant, “Just see there, n-o-r-t-h, +and t-h-r-e-e. Certainly they spell <i>north</i> and <i>three</i>, +don’t they?”</p> + +<p>“They do,” admitted George. “That’s what +puzzles me. Part of it seems to be all right and part wrong. Are you +sure your system is right?”</p> + +<p>“Not yet, but I’m getting surer all the time. How about +you, String?”</p> + +<p>“I agree with you, Grant. We’ll have it all in a +minute.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe it’s written in two languages,” said Fred. +“Sometimes they do a thing like that, you know, to make it all +the harder.”</p> + +<p>“You’re a cheerful soul,” exclaimed Grant grimly. +“If it’s written in two languages we’ll be about as +badly off as we were before.”</p> + +<p>“And we shan’t know whether we’re right or +not,” added George.</p> + +<p>“I say go ahead anyway the way we have been doing,” +exclaimed Fred. “We seem to be making some sort of +progress.”</p> + +<p>“Tell us what letter corresponds to number one,” said +George.</p> + +<p>“A,” almost shouted John and Grant together.</p> + +<p>“You seem to agree on that at any rate,” laughed George. +“Why don’t you tell us what your system is?”</p> + +<p>“I should think you’d have guessed it by this +time,” said Grant. “Why, it’s just as simple as +rolling off a log.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, of course,” said George sarcastically. +“Everything is when you know all about it. I think you might let +Fred and me into your secret.”</p> + +<p>“One stands for <i>a</i>,” was Grant’s reply. +“Nineteen stands for <i>s</i>. That’s all I’ll tell +you now. Go ahead and put those down if you want to.”</p> + +<p>“Write it down, Fred,” said George sorrowfully. +“My,” he added under his breath, “I hate stingy +people.”</p> + +<p>Again Fred wrote:–</p> + +<p>t - a - k - e - a - 3 - o - 21 - r - s - e - 4 - 21 - e - n - o - r - t - h - o - n - e - h - 21 - n - 4 - r - e - 4 - 6 - e - e - t - 6 - r - o - 13 - t - h - e - s - o - 21 - t - h - e - r - n - e - 24 - t - r - e - 13 - 9 - t - 25 - o - 6 - s - h - a - r - k - o - 3 - k - t - h - e - n - e - a - s - t - 6 - 9 - 6 - t - 25 - 6 - e - e - t - a - n - 4 - n - e - r - t - h - 2 - 25 - e - a - s - t - t - h - 9 - r - t - 25 - t - h - r - e - e - 4 - 9 - 7.</p> + +<p>“Keep it up,” urged George. “Let’s not +discuss it any more until it is all written out. Give him some more +letters.”</p> + +<p>“Take <i>u</i> for twenty-one and <i>f</i> for six,” +said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Give me three this time,” said Fred. “There +aren’t many left.”</p> + +<p>“All right. Take <i>i</i> for nine.”</p> + +<p>Once more Fred wrote it out as follows:</p> + +<p>t - a - k - e - a - 3 - o - u - r - s - e - 4 - u - e - n - o - r - t - h - o - n - e - h - u - n - 4 - r - e - 4 - f - e - e - t - f - r - o - 13 - t - h - e - s - o - u - t - h - e - r - n - e - 24 - t - r - e - 13 - i - t - 25 - o - f - s - h - a - r - k - r - o - 3 - k - t - h - e - n - e - a - s - t - f - i - f - t - 25 - f - e - e - t - a - n - 4 - n - o - r - t - h - 2 - 25 - e - a - s - t - t - h - e - r - t - 25 - t - h - r - e - e - 4 - i - 7.</p> + +<p>“That’s the way,” cried George. “Give him +some more. Clean it up this time.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s see,” said Grant musingly. “What +numbers are left?”</p> + +<p>“Three, four, thirteen, twenty-four, twenty-five, two and +seven,” said George. “I think that’s all.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” exclaimed Grant, “we’ll finish +it up. Go ahead, Fred, and in place of three put <i>c</i>, in place of +four <i>d</i>, put <i>m</i> for thirteen, <i>x</i> for twenty-four, +<i>y</i> for twenty-five, <i>b</i> for two, and let’s see, +<i>g</i> for seven. That ought to do it.”</p> + +<p>“Here I go,” said Fred, beginning to write at once. +“You tell me what to do when I come to those numbers.”</p> + +<p>Grant prompted him and the whole code of numbers was soon translated +into letters, reading as follows in its final form:</p> + +<p>t - a - k - e - a - c - o - u - r - s - e - d - u - e - n - o - r - t - h - o - n - e - h - u - n - d - r - e - d - f - e - e - t - f - r - o - m - t - h - e - s - o - u - t - h - e - r - n - e - x - t - r - e - m - i - t - y - o - f - s - h - a - r - k - r - o - c - k - t - h - e - n - e - a - s - t - f - i - f - t - y - f - e - e - t - a - n - d - n - o - r - t - h - b - y - e - a - s - t - t - h - i - r - t - y - t - h - r - e - e - d - i - g.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_24'></a>CHAPTER XXIV<br /><span +class='fss'>SOLVED</span></h2> + +<p>“There it is,” exclaimed Fred when he had finished +writing.</p> + +<p>“What does it say?” demanded George. “It’s +certainly jumbled up.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll start at the beginning,” said Grant +eagerly, “and spell out the letters and see if we can’t +make words out of them.”</p> + +<p>“Read them out loud,” suggested Fred, “and go +slow.”</p> + +<p>“T,” began Grant, “that doesn’t spell +anything. T-a; T-a-k; T-a-k-e.”</p> + +<p>“Take,” exclaimed George. “There’s a +word.”</p> + +<p>“Good,” cried John. “Go ahead from there, +Grant.”</p> + +<p>“A,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“That’s a word,” cried Fred. “We’ve +got ‘take a,’ so far.”</p> + +<p>“C,” said Grant. “C-o; C-o-u; C-o-u-r.”</p> + +<p>“That means ‘heart’ in French,” exclaimed George. +“The next three letters, s-e-d, mean ‘but’ in French. Do +you suppose that could be right?”</p> + +<p>“It doesn’t make sense that way,” said John. ‘Take +a heart but.’ What does that mean?“</p> + +<p>“Perhaps every word doesn’t count,” George +suggested.</p> + +<p>“Look here,” exclaimed Grant. “What does +c-o-u-r-s-e spell?”</p> + +<p>“Course, of course,” said John laughingly.</p> + +<p>“Certainly it does,” said Grant. “That’s the +word we want. So far we have three; ‘take a course.’ +Doesn’t that sound more like it to you fellows than some sort of +French that George is trying to bring into it?”</p> + +<p>“Absolutely,” said Fred with great conviction. +“‘Take a course’ is right, and the next word is d-u-e, +due.”</p> + +<p>“Correct,” cried Grant. “Why, this is easy. Just +see if I can’t read the whole thing right off now.”</p> + +<p>“Try it anyway,” said John. “Take it +slow.”</p> + +<p>Grant studied the letters in front of him for some moments in +silence. “I’ve got it,” he exclaimed at length. +“Just listen to this,” and he began to read slowly, +“‘Take a course due north one hundred feet from the +south–’” he paused.</p> + +<p>“From the southern, isn’t it?” queried John.</p> + +<p>“That’s it. ‘Take a course due north one hundred feet +from the southern extremity of shark rock, then east fifty feet and +north by east thirty-three dig.’”</p> + +<p>“Correct,” cried John, “only you ought to have +read the last of it like this: ‘and north by east thirty-three. +Dig!” and he shouted the final word with all his might.</p> + +<p>“We’re going to find the gold, we’re going to find +the gold!” shouted Fred, borrowing John’s chant, and a +moment later every one in the little party had joined hands and was +dancing joyously about singing and laughing and shouting. Finally they +stopped from sheer exhaustion.</p> + +<p>“Read dat again, will yo’?” demanded Sam +eagerly.</p> + +<p>“Read it, Grant,” shouted George. “We’re +going to find the gold, we’re going to find the gold!”</p> + +<p>“If you’ll keep quiet a minute I’ll read +it,” said Grant, and while every one listened with rapt attention +he read again the words it had taken them so many days and weeks to +discover. “‘Take a course due north one hundred feet from the +southern extremity of shark rock, then east fifty feet and north by +east thirty-three. Dig.’”</p> + +<p>“Say, I just happened to think,” exclaimed Fred in +dismay. “How are we going to get those directions right? How can +we tell north from south except in a general sort of way?”</p> + +<p>“Fred,” said George, pretending to be greatly +disappointed in his comrade, “how long will it take you to learn +that whenever anything is needed, I am the one who always has it? +Don’t you know that I always wear a compass and don’t you +remember Captain Dodge on board the <i>Josephine</i> complimenting me +on the fact one time? You are a great trial to me, Fred,” and +George shook his head sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m glad you’ve got it anyway,” said +Fred shortly. “I still don’t see, though, how we are going +to measure distances.”</p> + +<p>“That will be hard,” admitted Grant. “How long are +your feet, String?”</p> + +<p>“A yard and a half,” said George readily, and +immediately ducked to escape a blow aimed in his direction by the owner +of the feet in question.</p> + +<p>“Ten inches,” replied John. “That is, my shoes are +just exactly that long, for I remember measuring them in the gymnasium +just before I left home. They’re in the cave if you want +them.”</p> + +<p>“Not now,” said Grant. “It’s too late to do +anything to-day, anyway, and it’ll be dark in a little while. If +your shoes are exactly ten inches long though, we can measure with them +and figure out the distance easy enough.”</p> + +<p>“Are you sure that the shark rock the code speaks of is the +one on the end of the island here?” exclaimed Fred.</p> + +<p>“Sho’ it am,” said Sam. “Dey nevah was two +rocks lak dat one.”</p> + +<p>“I guess that’s right,” agreed Fred. “It +must be the one.”</p> + +<p>“Certainly it is,” said John. “We wouldn’t +have found two codes on this island unless the spot they referred to +was here too.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that’s the rock all right,” said Grant +confidently. “I wish we could start right down there now, but I +suppose it would be foolish.”</p> + +<p>“I think we’ve done enough for one day anyhow,” +said John. “As long as we have solved the code we can’t +have much to complain of for one day’s work.”</p> + +<p>“You haven’t told us how you did it yet,” said +George.</p> + +<p>“Haven’t you found out for yourself? My, but +you’re dull.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps I am,” admitted George. “I don’t +see it though.”</p> + +<p>“Nor I,” added Fred. “Tell us how you did +it.”</p> + +<p>“How many letters are there in the alphabet?” asked +Grant.</p> + +<p>“Twenty-six,” said George.</p> + +<p>“What’s the first letter?”</p> + +<p>“A.”</p> + +<p>“What’s the second?”</p> + +<p>“B.”</p> + +<p>“And the third?”</p> + +<p>“C.”</p> + +<p>“What’s the twenty-sixth?”</p> + +<p>“Z.”</p> + +<p>“You know your alphabet anyway,” laughed Grant. +“Now this is how the code works; <i>a</i> is the first letter so +we call it one, <i>b</i> is the second so we call that two, and so on +all the way through. For instance, the letter <i>s</i> would be number +nineteen, and <i>t</i> would be twenty. Do you see the idea?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I see that,” said George. “Explain the +rest.”</p> + +<p>“Why, it’s just this. Wherever number one came we put +the letter <i>a</i>. If number thirteen appeared we’d substitute +the thirteenth letter in the alphabet in its place.”</p> + +<p>“Which would be <i>m</i>,” said George after a little +calculation on his fingers.</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” exclaimed Grant. “Now do you +see how it was done?”</p> + +<p>“Of course. Isn’t that simple?”</p> + +<p>“It took us long enough to find it out though,” said +John.</p> + +<p>“Well, I should say so,” exclaimed George. +“Weren’t we stupid?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Grant. “The simplest +things are often the hardest to explain. Of course when you get the key +the rest is easy enough.”</p> + +<p>“According to this code then,” said Fred, “one, +two, three would be <i>a, b, c</i>. Is that right?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Grant, “and twenty-four, twenty-five +and twenty-six would be <i>x, y, z</i>.”</p> + +<p>“I see,” exclaimed Fred. “You couldn’t have +a number higher than twenty-six in this code then, could +you?”</p> + +<p>“Of course not. There are only that many letters in the +alphabet, you see.”</p> + +<p>“How did you ever happen to think of it, Grant?”</p> + +<p>“Well, I guess I’d thought of about everything else +possible,” laughed Grant. “When I heard Pop talking about +teaching his parrot the alphabet and somebody said there were +twenty-six letters in it, I got an idea all of a sudden. I knew those +figures backwards and forwards and I remembered that twenty-five was +the highest number in it. That would mean that twenty-six stood for the +letter z, but that is so uncommon anyway that it didn’t seem +strange that it should be missing. It was a new idea and it struck me +right away as being a good one.”</p> + +<p>“It certainly was,” exclaimed George. “We ought to +give you a medal, Grant.”</p> + +<p>“Wouldn’t a gold piece do?” laughed Fred.</p> + +<p>“It sho’ would suit me,” grinned Sam. “Ah +does want one ob dem dere diamon’ ho’seshoes, dough.”</p> + +<p>“Well, when you get enough gold pieces you can buy one,” +said Grant. “Don’t you think your friends back home would +be jealous of you though?” and he winked slyly at his +companions.</p> + +<p>“Ah suttinly does hope so,” exclaimed Sam heartily. +“Dey’s a lot of good fo’ nothin’ no ’count +niggers anyhow.”</p> + +<p>“Would you work any more if you had a lot of money?” +asked George.</p> + +<p>“Work!” exclaimed Sam disdainfully. “Hello, dere, +foolish! What yo’ think Ah am anyhow? To’ must think +Ah’m plumb crazy,” and Sam looked pityingly at George. +“Ob co’se Ah wouldn’t nebber lif’ mah han’ +agin.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you think you’d get tired of doing +nothing?” laughed George.</p> + +<p>“Jes’ lemme try it onct,” and Sam snorted at the +idea of any one being so silly as to work unless he was compelled to do +so.</p> + +<p>“Well, I hope you do get rich, Sam,” exclaimed John, +“and I hope all the rest of us do too.”</p> + +<p>“Dis am de place fo’ it,” said Sam confidently. +“Jes’ think how many people would gib dere eyes jes’ +to fin’ dis yere island.”</p> + +<p>“Finding the island wouldn’t do them much good unless +they knew where to look after they got here,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“But we do know,” exclaimed Fred. “All we have to +do now is to make a few measurements and do a little +digging.”</p> + +<p>“It may be a good deal of digging,” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“We don’t know how deep the stuff is buried, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“And we don’t care,” said George. “I’d +dig all the way to China to get that stuff if it was +necessary.”</p> + +<p>“I wish we had some tools,” sighed John. “It may +be slow work.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t know,” said George. “It’s +all sand down around that end of the island and we can use sticks and +anything we can get hold of.”</p> + +<p>“An’ mah knife,” added Sam eagerly.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” agreed Grant. “That knife will help a +lot.”</p> + +<p>“We can get Snip to use his beak on the tough spots,” +suggested Fred.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” laughed George. “By the way he dug into my +hand he ought to be able to tear holes in the ground without any +trouble at all.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s get to sleep,” said Grant, “and at +the crack of dawn to-morrow we’ll be down at the old shark rock +with our compass and String’s shoe ready to make ourselves +wealthy.”</p> + +<p>It was an excited little party that turned in presently and dreamed +of gold and treasure unheard of all the rest of the warm tropical +night.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_25'></a>CHAPTER XXV<br /><span class='fss'>ON THE +BEACH</span></h2> + +<p>The sun had scarcely made its appearance above the horizon the +following day when the inmates of the cave were astir.</p> + +<p>“Get up everybody,” shouted Grant, the first to arise. +“We’ve got work to do.”</p> + +<p>“Yon won’t have to call me twice,” exclaimed John, +hastily rising to his feet. “It seems to me I’ve been awake +half the night anyway, just waiting for that old sun to come out and +give us enough light to see.”</p> + +<p>“Suppose it had been a cloudy day and the sun hadn’t +come out, String,” said George, who had now joined the others. +“I suppose you’d have had to stay in bed all day. My, that +would have been tough luck.”</p> + +<p>“You’re pretty funny for so early in the morning,” +said John shortly. “After you’ve broken your back digging +for a couple of hours maybe you won’t feel quite so +smart.”</p> + +<p>“My back will never get tired digging for gold,” laughed +George. “I could keep at it for a week and not even feel +it.”</p> + +<p>“An’ me too,” chimed in Sam. “Ah is pow’ful +strong when it come to dat kind ob diggin’.”</p> + +<p>“Well, let’s get some breakfast and then give all these +strong men a chance,” laughed Fred.</p> + +<p>“Aren’t you going swimming first?” demanded +George.</p> + +<p>“I’m going, I know that,” said John +enthusiastically. “I don’t intend to miss any swims in the +mornings if I can help it.”</p> + +<p>“How about sharks?” queried Grant. “I should think +you’d have had just about all the swimming you’d want, +String.”</p> + +<p>“No, indeed,” laughed John. “I can tell you one +thing, though, and that is that I intend to stick awfully close to +shore.”</p> + +<p>“You won’t be any closer than I will,” exclaimed +George seriously. “I’ll leave the middle of the ocean to +the fish and not dispute it with them at all.”</p> + +<p>“Who’s coming?” called George, who had already +started. It seemed that every one was, for a moment later the other +four members of the little family were close behind George. All were in +excellent spirits and an air of suppressed excitement seemed to pervade +the atmosphere around about them. When any one spoke it was in a tense +tone and every laugh sounded somewhat nervous. Eyes sparkled eagerly +and breath came a trifle faster when the thought of the buried gold +arose in any one’s mind.</p> + +<p>“Diamond horseshoes, Sam!” exclaimed John, slapping the +grinning negro heartily on the back. “Diamond horseshoes right +after breakfast.”</p> + +<p>“‘Deed Ah hopes so,” said Sam. “Ah sho’ +could use one ob dem.”</p> + +<p>“Not here, though,” laughed Grant. “Pretty soon we +shan’t have anything to wear if our clothes get very much more +ragged.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Sam,” said John. “You +couldn’t wear your diamond horseshoe on this island.”</p> + +<p>“Does yo’ really think dey is any ob dem in dat +chest?” asked Sam very seriously and very eagerly.</p> + +<p>“I doubt it,” laughed John. “I don’t believe +they wore such things in the days when this treasure was +buried.”</p> + +<p>“Dat’s all right dough,” said Sam cheerfully. +“As yo’ say Ah wouldn’t hab no use fo’ one on +dis yere island. All Ah wants am gold enough to buy one when Ah gets +back to Richmon’. Dat’s when Ah wants it, an’, golly, +say won’t dem niggers be jealous.” He laughed aloud as he +usually did at the thought, for it was a most pleasing prospect to him. +He was scarcely more than a child in mind; his great, and seemingly his +supreme, desire to make his friends jealous showed this.</p> + +<p>“Maybe we’ll find some earrings,” suggested Fred. +“We can wear those, and if we find bracelets and gold arm-bands +and anklets and things like that we can put them all on and look like a +bunch of cannibals.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve certainly got a great,–” George +began sarcastically, when a cry from Grant suddenly interrupted him. +Grant had gained somewhat on the remainder of the band and was down +near the shore when he called.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with him?” exclaimed John in a +puzzled manner. “What does he see and what’s he running +after?”</p> + +<p>“Let’s go find out,” cried Fred eagerly.</p> + +<p>“Come on everybody! Hurry up!” called Grant, stopping +for a moment and turning around. Down along the coast he ran, passing +the ledge where they usually went swimming and continuing his course +towards a small crescent-shaped beach only a short distance away.</p> + +<p>“I’m not going to miss anything,” exclaimed +George, and he also commenced to run, followed closely by his three +companions.</p> + +<p>In a few moments they saw the cause of Grant’s excitement. +When they reached the spot where they usually bathed they spied him +standing on the shore gazing at an object which lay at his feet.</p> + +<p>“Look at that,” exclaimed George, increasing his +speed.</p> + +<p>“What a monster,” echoed Fred.</p> + +<p>The remaining distance between them and the object of their +attention was covered in a remarkably short time by the three boys and +their negro companion. Every one was eager to be the first on the +spot.</p> + +<p>“What do you think of that for a shark?” demanded Grant +when the others had come to the place where he was standing.</p> + +<p>“That’s not a shark, that’s a gunboat,” +exclaimed George grimly. “Where did it come from?”</p> + +<p>“It washed ashore.”</p> + +<p>“Is it dead?”</p> + +<p>“No,” jeered Fred. “It isn’t dead, Pop. It +just crawled up on shore for a little nap.”</p> + +<p>“You think you’re smart,” retorted George. +“I just asked for information.”</p> + +<p>“And I gave it to you, didn’t I?”</p> + +<p>“Stop your fighting, you two,” exclaimed John. +“Give some one else a chance.”</p> + +<p>“How did it get here?” said George curiously. +“What killed it?”</p> + +<p>“Come around this side and I’ll show you,” said +Grant.</p> + +<p>All the others went with George and with the giant shark lying on +its side, its white belly towards the waves, Grant pointed out the +cause of its death.</p> + +<p>“There it is,” he said quietly. A great gaping wound +showed squarely in the center of the shark’s belly. It must have +been nearly a foot in length.</p> + +<p>“Whew!” whistled George. “Who did that?”</p> + +<p>“Sam did it,” said John. “Isn’t that right, +Sam?”</p> + +<p>“Ah reckon it am.”</p> + +<p>“Is this the shark that was after you, String?” +exclaimed George.</p> + +<p>“That’s the one.”</p> + +<p>“And Sam killed him,” said George unable to fully +understand it all. “I don’t see how he did it. Why, this +shark must be twenty feet long.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” cried Grant, “and when somebody told you it +was eighteen feet long you laughed. You said it was the biggest fish +story you’d ever heard.”</p> + +<p>“I take it back,” said George simply.</p> + +<p>“How do you suppose he got here?” exclaimed John, who +was examining with personal interest the mouth of the giant fish. Row +after row of great white teeth, sharp as knives, were seen in the huge +jaw. John shuddered as he remembered how nearly he had come to losing +his life to those wicked weapons.</p> + +<p>“It simply was washed up here by the waves,” said Grant. +“It was thrashing around out there at a great rate after Sam and +String had come ashore yesterday. I suppose it finally died and drifted +in.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I think Sam was wonderful to dispose of that fellow the +way he did,” exclaimed George. “How did you do it, +Sam?”</p> + +<p>“With mah ol’ knife.”</p> + +<p>“You thought he bit the shark to death, I suppose, Pop,” +laughed Fred.</p> + +<p>“Hot air!” was George’s only reply to his remark. +Just what he meant by such a slang expression he probably knew best of +all.</p> + +<p>“Let’s measure the shark,” exclaimed Grant. +“I’d like to settle the dispute once and for all and then +when we go home and tell the story, people will have to believe us for +we’ll all be witnesses.”</p> + +<p>“How are you going to measure?” inquired Fred. +“String’s shoe is up in the cave, you know.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll use String himself instead of his shoe,” +suggested Grant.</p> + +<p>“What do you all take me for?” demanded John. +“I’m no tape measure.”</p> + +<p>“How tall are you?” asked Grant.</p> + +<p>“Six feet two.”</p> + +<p>“In your stocking feet?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and my bare feet, too.”</p> + +<p>“All right then,” laughed Grant. “Just lie down +alongside the shark.”</p> + +<p>“Go ahead, String,” urged Fred. “It won’t +hurt you.”</p> + +<p>“I suppose not,” sighed John and he stretched himself at +full length on the beach, the soles of his feet exactly on a line with +the tip of the shark’s tail. Grant then marked the spot where his +head came and John moved up to this spot and lay down once more. Again +Grant indicated the spot by a mark in the sand and the performance was +repeated. Four times it was necessary to do this before John had +finally covered the entire length of the shark.</p> + +<p>“He’s three and one-third times as long as you are, +String,” announced Grant, when the measurements were +completed.</p> + +<p>“That’s twenty feet,” exclaimed George. +“Say, that’s a real fish, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“I should think so,” said Fred. “I’m also +glad that he is dead and lying on the beach, for I’m afraid I +couldn’t enjoy a swim with that fellow hanging around.”</p> + +<p>“There are others,” said John.</p> + +<p>“They won’t get me where I’m going in +though,” laughed Fred. “I’ll be so close to shore +that any shark would run aground trying to get at me.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s all go in,” exclaimed Grant. +“We’ve got work to-day and if we are going swimming +we’d better hurry.”</p> + +<p>“Ah mus’ hab one o’ dem teeth,” said Sam, +referring to the array in the ugly mouth of the great shark.</p> + +<p>“What do you want one of them for?” asked George +curiously.</p> + +<p>“’Cause it am sho’ to bring yo’ luck.”</p> + +<p>“Then I want one too,” cried George. “I want luck +myself.”</p> + +<p>“Get us each one, will you, Sam!” exclaimed Fred. +“We can at least wear them for watch fobs when we get +home.”</p> + +<p>“They’ll help us to find the gold maybe,” +suggested George.</p> + +<p>“Don’t worry about that,” exclaimed John, +confidently. “We’ll find the gold all right and we +don’t need any shark teeth or anything else to help us, +either.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I say we don’t fool around here any more, but go +and get the gold,” said Fred. “All we’ve done so far +is to talk about it.”</p> + +<p>A moment later they were all splashing around in the water enjoying +their early morning swim. Soon afterward they returned to the cave, +where they collected everything they had that might aid them in their +search for the buried treasure. They spent but little time there, +however, and then quickly started on their way towards the big black +rock that was so strangely fashioned in the semblance of a shark. Never +did a party start out more eagerly or with higher hopes than this +little band of castaways on their search for buried wealth.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_26'></a>CHAPTER XXVI<br /><span class='fss'>THE SPOT +IS MARKED</span></h2> + +<p>“You’ve got your compass, haven’t you, Pop?” +demanded Grant.</p> + +<p>“Right in my hand,” replied George, holding the precious +article in question up to view.</p> + +<p>“Does it work?” asked Fred, slyly.</p> + +<p>“Of course it works,” said George loftily. +“Anything that I have is all right. You ought to know that by +this time.”</p> + +<p>“If we didn’t have so much work ahead of us this +morning,” said Fred, “I should suggest that we stop here +for a minute and take the conceit out of him.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Pop’s all right,” laughed Grant. “He +just feels good to-day.”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you bring your nice gentle little parrot +along, Pop?” inquired John. “He’d have enjoyed seeing +his owner do some work.”</p> + +<p>“I was going to bring him,” said George, “but look +what he did to me,” and he held up a bleeding finger. +“That’s his answer to my invitation to come +along.”</p> + +<p>“Isn’t he affectionate?” laughed John. “My, +I wish I had a parrot.”</p> + +<p>“He’ll be all right some day,” said George +seriously. “You see if he won’t.”</p> + +<p>“I’m glad you’re the trainer and not I, +anyway,” said John grimly.</p> + +<p>Laughing and joking, bantering one another and full of spirits they +soon came to their destination, and prepared to measure off the +distances according to the code.</p> + +<p>“Read what the code says first of all, Grant,” exclaimed +Fred. “That’ll help us all to know just what we are to +do.”</p> + +<p>“You ought to know it by heart now I should think,” +laughed Grant. “Still, I’ll read it if you say +so.”</p> + +<p>“Go ahead, Grant,” urged John, and once more they +listened to the words that meant so much to every one of them.</p> + +<p>“Take a course due north one hundred feet from the southern +extremity of shark rock, then east fifty feet and north by east +thirty-three. Dig.”</p> + +<p>“Dig,” cried George. “That’s the important +word. Dig! Dig! Dig!”</p> + +<p>“Wait a minute, Pop,” exclaimed Grant. +“We’ve got to find the place where we are to dig first, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” said George eagerly. “Here’s +the compass.”</p> + +<p>“Lay it flat out on the rock,” directed Grant. +“We’ll take our first observation.”</p> + +<p>The little instrument was placed on top of the great rock while the +five gold seekers crowded around it eagerly. The delicate indicator +fluttered excitedly for some moments, then its fluctuations gradually +became less and less. At last it stopped entirely, the tiny needle +pointing exactly north.</p> + +<p>“There we are,” exclaimed George. “Now if we go +directly opposite to the way that needle is pointing we’ll find +the southern extremity of this rock.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what we want,” cried Grant. “You +walk down there, Fred.”</p> + +<p>Fred hastened to obey and soon stationed himself at the opposite end +of the rock, which happened to be the tail of the shark.</p> + +<p>“Get in direct line now,” directed Grant.</p> + +<p>“You’ll have to tell me what that is,” replied +Fred. “I can’t tell the exact spot, you know, from looking +at it.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” agreed John, “and we +don’t want to make any mistake at the very beginning of our +calculations. That would throw us ’way off later on.”</p> + +<p>“Take this stick,” suggested George, bringing up a long +thin shoot he had torn from one of the nearby bushes. “Lay it +flat out on the rock and in a direct line with the needle. Be sure to +get it exact and if we do we can easily enough find the ‘southern +extremity.’”</p> + +<p>This was quickly done, and in a few moments the exact spot desired +was located beyond the shadow of a doubt.</p> + +<p>“Now,” exclaimed Grant, “the next thing to do is +to measure off a distance due north from here.”</p> + +<p>“Here’s your tape measure,” laughed John, offering +his shoe to Grant. “That’s exactly ten inches long. +I’ll take my oath to that.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s see,” mused Grant. “We want to +measure a hundred feet from here and the shoe is ten inches long. How +are we going to figure that out?”</p> + +<p>“That’s easy enough,” exclaimed John. “You +do it this way: there are twelve inches in a foot, of course, and in +one hundred feet there would be one hundred times twelve, or twelve +hundred. Now the shoe is ten inches long, so you divide twelve hundred +by ten, which is–”</p> + +<p>“One hundred and twenty,” said Grant quickly.</p> + +<p>“Right,” exclaimed John. “In other words, we want +to measure a distance one hundred and twenty times the length of my +shoe due north from here.”</p> + +<p>“Go ahead and do it,” urged George. “I’ll do +it myself.”</p> + +<p>“You see to it that we keep going straight north,” +advised Grant. “That is one of the most important things of +all.”</p> + +<p>“That suits me,” said George. “Start your +measurements.”</p> + +<p>The course led off across the sandy beach towards a little clump of +pine trees. Placing the toe of John’s shoe close up against the +spot on shark’s rock that was their starting place, Grant began +to measure. With a small stick he marked the place to which the heel of +the shoe extended and then repeated the operation, using the marker for +a starting-point. George kept close watch with his compass to see that +the correct direction was being followed.</p> + +<p>It was slow work and arduous. Everybody was on his hands and knees +keeping careful watch of all the operations. The sun was hot and in +some places sharp stones or bits of coral were mixed in with the sand +so that more than one of the little party soon had bleeding knees and +hands as a result. No one seemed to mind or even to notice these +discomforts, however. The task they were engaged in was so interesting +and absorbing to them that they paid scant attention to anything +else.</p> + +<p>“Be sure to keep track of the number of times we have +measured, Fred,” reminded Grant. “We don’t want any +slip-up, you know.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t worry about that,” said Fred confidently. +“Every time you shift that shoe I make a mark on this page from +George’s diary. When there are five marks made I cross them +off.”</p> + +<p>“How many so far?” inquired John.</p> + +<p>“Seventy,” replied Fred after a rapid calculation. +“Fifty more to go.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t hurry,” warned Grant. “We want it +right, you know.”</p> + +<p>“We certainly do,” agreed George. “We don’t +want to do all this work for nothing.”</p> + +<p>The measurements were continued, painfully and slowly. Every ten +inches was marked off with the greatest of care, and if John’s +statement that his shoe was exactly ten inches long was correct it +seemed impossible that any mistake had crept into their calculations. +John insisted over and over again that the length quoted was absolutely +correct, but his friends kept on asking him, so anxious were they to be +perfectly sure.</p> + +<p>“One hundred and twenty,” announced Fred at length. +“That’s the end of the first journey.”</p> + +<p>“Thank goodness,” exclaimed Grant, wiping the +perspiration from his brow. “That’s about as hard work as I +care to do.”</p> + +<p>“I should say it is,” agreed George. “Let’s +rest for a few minutes.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve got to,” said Grant. “I’ll never +last otherwise.”</p> + +<p>“Mark the exact spot where we are to start on the next +lap,” said John, “and then let’s go up here in the +shade and rest for a little while.”</p> + +<p>“Good idea,” exclaimed Grant. “I’ll put this +stick in the ground.”</p> + +<p>The important spot plainly indicated, the whole party withdrew to +the shade afforded by a neighboring clump of palms and stretched +themselves upon the ground for a well earned rest.</p> + +<p>“I don’t suppose we have any business to be working out +in that sun in the middle of the day anyway,” said Grant. +“It’s entirely too hot.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think we’re apt to get a sunstroke?” +queried John.</p> + +<p>“There’s a good chance of it, I should think. I +don’t believe that people who are used to living in the tropics +would be working out in it either.”</p> + +<p>“Suttinly dey wouldn’t,” said Sam with great +conviction. “It am bery, bery dangerous.”</p> + +<p>“I think so too,” exclaimed George. “I say we +don’t do anything more until the sun begins to go down a little. +We’ve got more than half of it measured out anyway, and it +won’t take us so very long to do the rest.”</p> + +<p>“The only trouble is,” remarked Fred, “that if we +wait until then to finish the measuring we won’t be able to do +any digging to-day.”</p> + +<p>“What of it?” demanded Grant. “Gold won’t +evaporate, you know, and if it’s there to-day it’ll be +there just as much to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>“You’re right, Grant,” agreed George. +“There’s no hurry, and much as I want to see that gold, +I’m willing to wait ’till to-morrow rather than run the risk of +sunstroke or something.”</p> + +<p>Having reached this decision they lay about in the shade all through +the tropical noon and discussed the treasure for the thousandth time +since they first had come into possession of the code. Sometimes they +dozed and Sam, true to the traditions of his race, slept soundly.</p> + +<p>At last the shadows began to lengthen and a cool breeze sprang up +off the water. It was like food to a starving man it was so refreshing +and strengthening.</p> + +<p>“We’re off!” cried Grant, springing eagerly to his +feet.</p> + +<p>Every one joined him quickly and the task was resumed, and the air +being cooler now, they all worked better and more easily.</p> + +<p>“This next course is just half as long as the last one, +isn’t it?” said Grant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said John, “that makes just sixty times the +length of my shoe.”</p> + +<p>Due east they measured off the distance and before very long had +marked the completion of the second stage of their journey.</p> + +<p>“Now,” exclaimed Grant, “we go north by east +thirty-three feet. How many lengths of your shoe is that, +John?”</p> + +<p>“You figure it out, Fred,” urged John. +“You’ve got pencil and paper and all you have to do, you +know, is to multiply thirty-three by twelve and divide by +ten.”</p> + +<p>“Thirty-nine and six-tenths times,” announced Fred. +“How can we measure that fraction exactly?”</p> + +<p>“We won’t need to,” said Grant. “It’s +the last figure and we can get it within a couple of inches. +We’ll dig a hole a couple of feet square all around our last +marker, so two or three inches won’t make any +difference.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” agreed Fred, and the measurements +were continued.</p> + +<p>Soon they came to the end, but there an unexpected complication +presented itself. Thirty-three feet from the last point brought them +squarely up against a palm tree some twelve or fifteen inches in +diameter.</p> + +<p>“That’s the end,” exclaimed Fred. “How can +we dig down through a tree like that though? We must have made a +mistake in our calculations.”</p> + +<p>“Why so?” demanded George.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see how it could be any other way,” +insisted Fred. “In the first place how can any one bury anything +underneath a tree like that?”</p> + +<p>“They didn’t,” said George. “They buried the +treasure here and then planted this palm tree to mark the spot. Do you +notice that it is the only one within fifty or a hundred feet of +here?”</p> + +<p>“You’re right, Pop,” exclaimed Grant. “I +believe that that’s exactly what happened.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h2><a id='link_27'></a>CHAPTER XXVII<br /><span +class='fss'>CONCLUSION</span></h2> + +<p>After a sleepless and restless night the excited little party of +treasure seekers repaired once more to the palm tree which marked the +spot so long sought by them.</p> + +<p>“Got your knife, Sam?” exclaimed Grant. +“Let’s see how good a lumberman you are.”</p> + +<p>“Ah’ll hab dat ol’ tree down in no time,” +cried Sam confidently, and with his great heavy knife grasped firmly in +his right hand he fiercely attacked the unsuspecting tree. The wood was +soft and before long began to yield to Sam’s blows.</p> + +<p>“That’ll just about finish up that knife,” +remarked Grant to Fred.</p> + +<p>“Suppose it does,” said Fred. “There’s +another hoop from that old cask up at the cave and he can easily make +another.”</p> + +<p>“Isn’t a barrel of gold worth more than an old iron +knife anyway?” said John. “I should say so if you asked +me.”</p> + +<p>“A barrel of gold wouldn’t have done you much good when +that shark was after you though,” said Grant grimly. “I +guess just at that time Sam’s old iron knife was worth more to +you than anything in the world.”</p> + +<p>“That’s true,” acknowledged John soberly. “I +have no right to talk against that knife.”</p> + +<p>“Come over here and give this tree a push,” shouted +George who was bustling importantly around Sam. “You fellows seem +to think this is a party or something. Come over here and do some +work.”</p> + +<p>No great amount of urging was required, however, and a moment later +every one in the party was standing about the tree, pushing and pulling +with all his might.</p> + +<p>“She’s beginning to give!” exclaimed George. +“Keep it up!”</p> + +<p>“Let Sam get to work for a minute or so more,” suggested +Grant. “About a dozen more good blows will finish the +job.”</p> + +<p>“Dat’s right,” agreed Sam readily. “Lemme at +dat ol’ tree agin.”</p> + +<p>As though it was his mortal enemy Sam attacked the unsuspecting palm +tree and dealt it such fierce blows that it soon required only a slight +exercise of strength to topple it over.</p> + +<p>“There she is,” panted George when the tree lay +prostrate. “She’s down and now the only thing that stands +between us and the treasure is a few feet or yards of sand.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s hope it’s feet,” said John.</p> + +<p>“And that there are no rocks to go through either,” +added Fred.</p> + +<p>“You certainly can think of more hard luck than any one I ever +saw, Fred,” exclaimed George, pretending to be very much +discouraged with his friend. “Why do you always look on the dark +side of things?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t. I just believe in being sensible about it, +that’s all.”</p> + +<p>“It seems to me you’re always looking for +trouble.”</p> + +<p>“By the way,” said John, “you didn’t get +those shark teeth, did you, Sam?”</p> + +<p>“’Deed Ah didn’t,” exclaimed Sam, resting a moment +from his exertions, for he had already commenced to dig. “Ah done +clean forgot ’em.”</p> + +<p>“Will that bring us hard luck?”</p> + +<p>“Not at all,” said George. “Sam said that one +would bring you good luck if you had it, but he didn’t say it +would be hard luck without it.”</p> + +<p>“I know that,” said John, “but I thought that +perhaps if you had a chance to get one and didn’t do it you might +give yourself bad luck.”</p> + +<p>“You’re as bad as Fred,” exclaimed George +disgustedly. “Why can’t you all be cheerful?”</p> + +<p>“Why can’t you all go to work is what I’d like to +know?” exclaimed Grant. “It seems to me that that is more +important than luck.”</p> + +<p>“You’re right, Grant,” said George readily. +“There’s no such thing as luck.”</p> + +<p>“There’s such a thing as work, though,” said Grant +grimly. “Let’s all do some of it.”</p> + +<p>They fell to work with a will and dug busily and steadily for a long +time. A hole about four feet square was started and the boys were armed +with almost everything one could think of in place of real tools. +Sticks, flat pieces of rock, and hands almost more than anything else +were employed.</p> + +<p>“It’s a good thing for us we are digging in sand and not +in clay,” remarked Fred after some time had elapsed.</p> + +<p>“I should say it is!” agreed John. “As it is, we +aren’t making a great deal of headway it seems to me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, we are,” exclaimed Grant. “The hole is +at least a couple of feet deep already.”</p> + +<p>“I wish we could all get in there at once,” said George. +“We could work much faster then.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps we won’t have to go much deeper,” said +Grant hopefully.</p> + +<p>“I think we shall though.”</p> + +<p>“Suppose we take turns down there with the knife,” +suggested Fred. “One of us can loosen up the sand with it and +then a couple more can get in and throw it out.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a good scheme,” exclaimed John. +“Give me the knife, Sam.”</p> + +<p>“Ah can do it mahself,” protested Sam.</p> + +<p>“No, you can’t either,” laughed John. +“You’ve done enough work for to-day anyway. Let me have it +now and perhaps you can take another turn at it later.”</p> + +<p>Reluctantly Sam gave up the knife and joined the others who stood +and watched John down in the hole. When he had loosened a considerable +amount of earth he climbed up and Fred and George took his place and +threw the loose sand out of the pit. This operation was repeated many +times with different ones doing the work. In this way the labor was +lightened and the hole grew amazingly.</p> + +<p>It was George’s turn with the knife and he was working +tremendously. He hacked and carved the sand, exerting himself to the +utmost. All at once the knife struck something hard that had a metallic +ring to it.</p> + +<p>“You’ve got it, Pop!” cried Grant excitedly. +“You’ve got it sure!”</p> + +<p>“Hurry up and dig around it,” exclaimed Fred. “Let +me do it.”</p> + +<p>“I can do it all right,” said George, and he fell to +work with even more zeal than formerly.</p> + +<p>Again and again his knife struck the metallic surface beneath him. +His companions, grouped all around the pit, riveted their gaze on him +and watched him with rapt attention. George dropped the knife and dug +the sand away with his hands. The black top of an iron chest presented +itself to the view of the fascinated onlookers.</p> + +<p>“Can you move it, Pop?” cried Grant.</p> + +<p>“I can’t find the edge of it.”</p> + +<p>“Ah get ’im,” said Sam suddenly, and he dropped +into the pit and began to work like a beaver. Their combined efforts +soon cleared all the sand from the top of the chest, which appeared to +be about eighteen inches square. On the top was a little handle with +which to lift it.</p> + +<p>“Lift it out, Sam!” cried John. “Lift it +out!”</p> + +<p>Sam exerted all his strength but could not budge the stocky little +chest. It was either extremely heavy or stuck fast. Every one who was +concerned in the matter was so interested in these operations that he +was entirely unconscious of everything except what was going on in the +pit right before their eyes.</p> + +<p>“Dig it out a little more,” advised Grant. “You +can lift it then.”</p> + +<p>This proved to be true and a few moments later after a great pulling +and tugging Sam succeeded in raising the heavy little chest from its +place. Another great effort and he swung it up out of the pit where it +was pounced upon by Fred, John and Grant. Sam and George followed +almost instantly and an immediate inspection was made to see how it was +to be opened.</p> + +<p>“There’s no lock on–” began Grant eagerly, +when he was strangely interrupted.</p> + +<p>“Ahoy, there!” came a shout and in amazement every one +turned to see whence came the hail. Its bow just grating on the beach, +was a small boat manned by four sailors; a half-mile off shore a large +steamer was riding at anchor. So engrossed had all the boys been in +digging the pit that they had not once noticed nor suspected its +approach.</p> + +<p>“Well,” gasped John, “what do you think of +that?”</p> + +<p>“It means we get home all right anyway,” exclaimed Fred. +“Where do you suppose it came from?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t even care,” said George. “How about +the treasure, Grant?”</p> + +<p>“The chest is empty,” replied Grant gazing ruefully into +the barren depths of the stout little iron box.</p> + +<p class='tac mt20 mb30'>THE END</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='adpage'> +<p class='fs18 tac mb10'>The Outdoor Chums<br /><span class='fss'>SERIES</span></p> + +<p class='tac'><i>By</i> CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN</p> + +<hr class='tb10' /> + +<p>The Outdoor Chums<br /> On the Lake<br /> + In the Forest<br /> + On the Gulf<br /> + After Big Game<br /> + On A House +Boat<br /> + In the +Big Woods<br /> + At +Cabin Point</p> + +<hr class='tb10' /> + +<p class='ti2 mb05 mt05'>For lovers of the great outdoors (and what boy is not?) this “Outdoor +Chums” series will be a rare treat. After you have read the first book and +followed the fortunes of the “Chums,” you will realize the pleasure +the other seven volumes have in store for you.</p> + +<p class='ti2 mb05'>These rollicking lads know field, forest, mountain, sea and stream–and +the books contain much valuable information on woodcraft and the living of an +outdoor life.</p> + +<hr class='tb10' /> + +<p class='tac fsl'>The Goldsmith Publishing Co.</p> + +<p class='tac'>NEW YORK, N. Y.</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave, by +Ross Kay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GO AHEAD BOYS AND TREASURE CAVE *** + +***** This file should be named 30950-h.htm or 30950-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/9/5/30950/ + +Produced by Roger Frank, D Alexander and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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