do us any good to yell?" said Tom.

"And bring Merrick and his gang down on us," said his younger brother.
"No, thank you."

"I don't believe they are around," said Dick. "I am going to try my
lungs." And he began to yell with all the power of his vocal organs.
Then Tom and Sam joined in, and they kept this up, off and on, for
fully an hour.

"I am not only dry but hungry," said Tom. "Wish I had that lunch we
brought along."

"Tad Sobber sneaked that away," said Dick. "If ever there was a fellow
with a heart of stone he's the chap. Why, Dan Baxter in his worst days
wasn't as bad as this young rascal."

Another hour went by and then Dick uttered an exclamation:

"Listen!"

"What did you hear?" asked his brothers.

"I thought I heard somebody calling!"

They strained their ears and from a great distance heard a cry, but
what it was they could not make out.

"Let's call back," said Dick.

"It may do us harm," interposed Sam.

"We'll take the chance," said Tom, and started a loud cry, in which all
joined. They waited patiently for an answer to come back. But for
several minutes there was absolute silence. Then, to their surprise, a
pistol shot sounded out.

"Hullo!" ejaculated Dick. "Something is up. I wonder what it is?"

CHAPTER XXIII

WHAT WINGATE HAD TO TELL

After the departure of the Rover boys from the steam yacht Mr. Rover
and Captain Barforth held a consultation, and it was decided that the
search for the treasure cave should begin in earnest at daybreak.

"I do not think the boys will locate the cave in the coming darkness,"
said Anderson Rover. "But still it will do no harm to let them have a
try at it."

"Mr. Rover, do you suppose those on board the _Josephine_ have
landed yet?" asked Fred, who was present.

"There is no telling for certain, Fred. But I should say not, since
their steamer is nowhere in sight."

"I hope they do not come for some days," said Mrs. Stanhope. "For if
they do, and you meet, I feel sure there will be serious trouble."

After that Anderson Rover had a long talk with Bahama Bill, and the old
tar said he thought he could locate the cave without much trouble.

"O' course, the isle has changed since I was here last," said he. "Must
have had a hurricane or something like that, to wash the beach and rake
down some o' the trees. But I think I can find it as soon as I locate
the trail leadin' that way. You know trails are great things. Why, when
I was sail