bjected Merritt, when
the sensation this announcement caused had subsided. "They evidently
had him here overnight and then deserted the camp for fear we'd pick up
their trail. They've taken Joe with them."

"By the great sea-serpent, that's right," grunted the captain, "it's a
blind trail, boys!"

CHAPTER XXI

SAVED BY "SMOKE MORSE"

Each member of the party regarded the other blankly.

The captain was right. The deserted camp was only a blind trail and
they had all their work to do over again.

"The first people to communicate with are Joe's parents," mused Rob.
"That note will be delivered very shortly, as the longer they delay the
more dangerous it will be for them."

"That's right," agreed Merritt, "Jack and his gang will not let the
grass grow under their feet now that they know the chase must be on.
What can they have done with Joe?"

Rob had been looking about him with the instinct of the Boy Scout. He
was anxious to ascertain if there were not something tangible, some
clue on which they could base a search for the missing member of the
Patrol. Suddenly something remarkable struck him about the tracks that
lay about the tent.

They were all four those, of persons of larger growth than Joe Digby
and mingling with them unmistakably was the broken-shoed track of Hank,
the beach-comber.

"Boys," announced Rob suddenly, "Joe has not been here at all."

"Not been here at all," echoed Merritt, amazedly.

"I mean what I say. Look at these tracks. There is not a footmark
here that could by any chance be his."

The others scrutinized the maze of foot-prints with the same care as
had Rob and were forced to come to the same conclusion. There was no
question about it--they would have to seek elsewhere for a trace of the
lad.

But where?

They gazed about them at the stretch of lone bay or inlet, the sparse
scrub grass and vegetation fringing it on the shore side and wheeling
sea-gulls swooping and soaring above the shoal waters.

Then Rob's gaze rested carelessly on a closed and seemingly deserted
bungalow, occupying the island above them. As his eyes fell on it they
suddenly became riveted and then grew wide with surprise.

A stream of smoke was issuing from the fieldstone chimney roughly
constructed at one end of the apparently deserted dwelling.

"There's some one living in that bungalow," he exclaimed, as he made
the discovery, "maybe whoever it is can give us some clue to where J