ily 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.

"Well, that was pretty good, I should say," said John luxuriously as he
stretched himself out on the rocks alongside his two companions.

"It surely was," agreed Fred. "This is about the best part of it,
though."

"What is?"

"Lying out in the sun this way. Doesn't it feel good?"

"It couldn't be better," agreed Grant. "Isn't this a lazy life?"

"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."

"I should say we had plenty to worry about," said Fred.

"Getting home, you mean?"

"Yes. We can't stay here all our lives, you know."

"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."

"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."

"What if we are? That doesn't make anything to worry about either."

"How about the treasure?" demanded Grant. "Doesn't that worry you?"

"Sometimes it does," admitted John. "I'm principally worried for fear
some boat will come along and take us away before we find it."

"Let's all go back to the cave and make another try at that code,"
exclaimed Grant, springing to his feet.

"I've got to go in that water again before I do anything else," said
John. "It certainly is wonderful to-day."

"All right," agreed Fred. "One more dive."

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.

"Coming out?" demanded Grant, blowing the water from his nostrils and
shaking the hair out of his eyes.

"I think I'll take a little swim," said John. "I'll be out in a minute."

"We'll wait for you," said Fred. "Don't be long."

"I'll be right out," exclaimed John as he struck out with long powerful
overhead strokes in the direction of the open sea.

Grant and Fred