Frontier Boys in the South Seas Part 28

"No," laughed Juarez. "But would it not be a good thing to go on sh.o.r.e and camp there until we had made a complete exploration of the place?"

"Just the thing!" cried Jo and Tom.

"I am afraid it is hardly wise," demurred the professor.

"Ugh!" sniffed Tom. "I guess we can take care of ourselves."

"Besides, there isn't anyone on the island," added Jo.

"Better not act on that a.s.sumption," advised the professor.

"I don't know but what it would be a good plan," said Jim. "We would be able to get over it more quickly if we didn't have come back to the boat every night."

"There is something in that," admitted the professor, "though as far as I can see this doesn't look like the portion of the island shown on the chart."

"No," admitted Jim, "but this may be the opposite end of the island."

"That is true, too. Suppose we go down into the cabin and have another look at it?"

"Do you think it will be safe?" asked Berwick.

"Safe? Why not?"

"You know what happened to the other one," laughed the engineer.

"It probably slipped off the string," replied the professor, "and dropped down into the bilge. Anyway we appoint you watchman to see if anyone is spying about."

"All right," agreed Berwick, "but I've got a kind of feeling that that little devil of a Mexican ain't far away."

"Booh!" broke in Tom. "Didn't we see him go up into the air with the lugger?"

"Maybe we did," admitted Berwick gloomily, "but I don't believe fire would ever hurt him."

"I don't believe he is fire proof," declared Tom. "And even if he is that isn't any reason why we shouldn't have a look at the map."

It was some time after supper before the matter was again alluded to, then they all went below to further study the chart.

Taking the precious paper from his pocket and spreading it out on the table, Jim and the professor a.n.a.lyzed carefully the various marks and drawings.

"We have got pretty well fixed in mind now the shape and landmarks of the island," said Jim, when they had studied the doc.u.ment carefully. He then folded up the chart, putting it back in his pocket. "We should keep our eyes open when we are on sh.o.r.e. There are two or three landmarks that ought to help us find the cave without much difficulty if this is the place."

"There cannot be many caves," concluded the professor, "with entrances high above the ground as this one is described to be."

The following morning, the day being Sunday, was spent quietly on s.h.i.+pboard. It had been the custom of the professor since the commencement of the voyage to have such observances of the day as seemed fitting. There was a service which he himself conducted at eleven o'clock. Thereafter, all who wished were this day allowed to go on sh.o.r.e.

Of the Frontier Boys, Jim and Juarez early in the afternoon availed themselves of the privilege. Juarez was the only one, however, to wander away from the landing beach. Jim spent some time readjusting and oiling his own and his brother's guns, which he had brought with him. Jo and Tom had said that they, with Berwick, would join him later in the afternoon.

CHAPTER XX.

AN ADVENTURE.

Juarez had intended on going a short distance, but the bright sunlight, the charm of the hills, the luxuriant foliage, the unusual and brilliant wild flowers, all these attractions, coupled with his own exuberant spirits lured him on.

He reached by a roundabout route the top of the mountainous elevation which, in company with his comrade, he had explored the day before.

Willing to rest now in the shade of some bushes he lolled upon the ground, and lulled by the whispering melodies of the trees was about to drop off to sleep.

Suddenly his attention was attracted to some motion in the underbrush at a point a third of the way down the mountain. He watched intently and knew that some person, two, probably, were ascending the slope. In his efforts to secure a better viewpoint, he stretched far forward, too far, it turned out, and catching wildly and ineffectively for a support, greatly to his astonishment, he slipped and fell to a ledge below. The distance was not great, but his head in the descent came in contact with a projecting rock, and although he landed upon a growth of thickly foliaged bushes, he was rendered unconscious by the blow he had sustained.

He was aroused some time later by voices near at hand, one of which he immediately recognized. It was the steward of the Storm King who was speaking.

"I sent you the chart in the keg, but I have learned that the young fellow Jim had a copy of it, which he carries always in a water proof paper in his pocket."

The listener did not move. He was as securely hidden as if by a prearranged plan. He had not been observed, and while he did not see the speakers he knew that those to whom the steward was talking must be of the rival s.h.i.+p's crew, probably it was the leader himself who was present here, and possibly the mate, for he could tell from the voices there were two of the desperadoes.

"Why have you not secured the copy and destroyed it?" came the inquiry.

"I cannot do it. The fellow suspected me. Besides he is a terror, and I dare not."

"Dare not! What would your life be worth if I told the authorities at home what I know about you?"

There was something said by the other man which Juarez could not hear, but he caught the word captain.

"Dash it, man!" said the one addressed. "I believe you are right!"

Then it was the steward who spoke. "I only know," he said, "that I got the chart out of the secret hiding place into which it was put. I cannot say if it is the original, the right chart."

"Then it is the papers which that fellow you speak of has now that we must have. There is something wrong about the chart we have been working with. We were evidently on the wrong island entirely. Things did not figure out right."

"It's about the original chart that I came to tell you to-day,"

responded the steward. "Jim is at this moment alone in the little shack on Crescent Bay."

"Well," said the captain, "why don't you get it?"

"It cannot be gotten unless you kill the fellow."

"Well," drawled the captain, "and why not? You have done--."

"Don't! Don't! I had been drinking then," was the plaintive protest.

"So you want to turn the pleasant task over to me, eh? Well, I guess between the two of us we can manage one young cub, eh mate Marion?"

There was no reply, but doubtless the mate acquiesced by a motion of the head.