this minit on," said
Jerry, and the compact was sealed by a handshake.

The girls came down to see them off, and Dora warned Dick again to
be on guard. It was decided that Lesher and old Jerry should do the
rowing. Baxter sat in the bow of the boat, and Dick in the stern.

The trip to the wreck was accomplished in almost utter silence.
Everybody was busy with his thoughts. As they drew near Dick showed
the mate where a ladder hung from the side, and as they drew close
to this Baxter was the first to mount to the deck.

As Dick had surmised, Lesher's first hunt was for liquor, and he
drank several glasses at a gulp. Then he began to roam around the
wreck, noting the damage that had been done and the amount of stores
still on board.

"Might float her, if the tide got extra high," he said. "Eleven men
in our crowd and five in your own ought to be able to do something,
surely."

"The captain says the ship is too deep in the sand," answered Dick
briefly.

"Blossom don't know everything," growled the mate.

Both he and Baxter soon found some comfortable clothing, and put it
on. Then they made up a bundle of things they said the other sailors
needed.

When arming themselves, the Rovers and Captain Blossom had placed
all of the remaining firearms in a stateroom and locked the door.

"What did you do with all of the guns and pistols?" asked Lesher
presently, after looking in vain for them.

"They are packed away in a stateroom. Captain Blossom thought it
wouldn't do to leave them lying loose. Some savages might come to
the islands and steal them, and then we'd be in a bad hole."

"We've got to have some guns and pistols, Rover."

"Well, you can see the captain about that."

"I shan't wait. Which stateroom are they in?"

Dick would not tell the mate, and Lesher went around trying the
various doors. Coming to one that was locked he burst it open with
his shoulder.

Dick scarcely knew what to do, and while he was trying to make up
his mind Jack Lesher secured a pistol and a rifle, and also a pistol
for Dan Baxter. He would have taken more fire-arms, but Dick stopped him.

"That is enough," he said.

"I want some for the men," said the first mate.

"They can get pistols from Captain Blossom when they get here."

"Humph! You think you are in sole command, don't you?"

"I am not going to allow you to take away all the firearms that are
here, Mr. Lesher."

"We'll see:"

The mate went into the pantry and se