is gone though."

"There must be some one on the island then," exclaimed John. "I don't
see how it could disappear any other way."

"Maybe," admitted Grant. "It certainly is queer."

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.

"Are you sure you went to the right place, Sam?" demanded Fred.

"Sho' Ah is," said Sam. "Dey is no doubt ob it."

"Let's all go and have a look," George suggested.

"The first sensible idea yet, Pop," exclaimed Grant. "Come on,
everybody."

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.

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.

"Here's where it was," exclaimed Fred.

"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."

"You're sure this is the spot?" said Grant.

"I know it is," said George, confidently. "There is no doubt of it."

"See any footprints around?" asked Fred.

"None at all," replied John. "What do you think of it all?"

"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.

Grant stood on the beach and gazed fixedly out to sea.

"What are you looking at?" demanded John.

"I'm looking at our boat," replied Grant quietly.

"What!" exclaimed Fred. "Where is it?"

"Right out there," said Grant, pointing to a white speck that could be
faintly seen far out on the water.

"But how did it get there?" insisted Fred.

"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."

"Don't be so sure of that," exclaimed George, a