's how it stands," I said, at last. "Personally I lean to the
Ten Thousand Islands. Gates tells us the location is unexplored; it
offers ten thousand hiding places and, in the circumstances, they
couldn't ask for anything better."

Monsieur stretched back in his chair and blew out a volume of smoke,
adding:

"It is the Islands, of course. And I think there is little doubt what
they did after landing. They did not start inland. They feel secure
where they are, and there they will remain to watch us. It may also be
their lair, their home, for they must have a home ashore somewhere! _Mon
Capitaine_, you know with certainty there is not a channel deep enough
for our yacht?"

"I never heard of one," Gates answered. "Of course, there might be; only
I never heard of it."

"If there were, why did they abandon the _Orchid_?" Tommy asked.

"It will bear looking into," the professor mused. "Now, that paper with
the dots and rambling line! Could it represent a chart to their
stronghold?"

"From what I saw in it, as a sea-faring man," Gates answered, "the
bearings on that paper didn't tell enough. No one could sail in new
water without a plainer chart than that. No, sir, if it means anything
at all, I'd say it meant something else."

"We're wasting a lot of golden time here," I said. "What if there is a
channel, and what if the paper does mark the entrance to it! That
doesn't get us anywhere. How could we tell which were the right two
islands to go between, when there're thousands of 'em on the water and
less than fifty on the paper, and not even a landmark of any kind
indicated! As Gates says, it isn't plain enough."

Monsieur seemed to be unconvinced, and Tommy began to laugh at him,
saying:

"Gates would be an idiot to sail into a lot of treacherous oyster bars
guided by that poor excuse of a thing! Sylvia drew it for a subterfuge,
anyhow, not a chart. I've got the right dope, so listen: Those crooks
are ashore watching us right now--it's a cinch they are, because any of
us, placed in their position, would be doing the same. Now if we sail in
and push things, they'll run off and we couldn't find 'em
again--probably never. So let's divide our crew and sail both yachts
straight out across the Gulf--like we're going home. Then they'll think
we've given up the chase and be off their guard. But when we get over
the horizon we'll make a circle back, and after dark anchor in some cove
north of this island area--if Gates know