ruth," cried Dick. "Now stand back, or we shall fire on you."

"Come on!" yelled Lesher, and fired a pistol at those near the mouth
of the cave.

"If ever I get the chance to have you tried, every one of you shall
be hung for mutiny and murder!" cried Captain Blossom, and then fired
in return.

The bullet hit Dan Baxter in the arm, and he fell back with a shriek
of pain.

"I am killed! I am killed!" he moaned, and ran down toward the beach.

Then came a volley from the mutineers, followed by one from those in
the cave.

"Oh, what a close 'shave!" muttered Tom. A bullet had grazed his ear,
cutting away one of his curly locks.

Lesher was wounded in the shoulder, and in a moment more of the
mutineers ran off, feeling that they were at a disadvantage.

"They can see us out in the open, while we can't see them for the
rocks and bushes," said one sailor. "Let us wait till morning "; and
so it was decided.

Inside of the cave a council of war was held, and it was decided to
block up the entrance fronting the bay with large rocks, leaving only
two loopholes open, for watching and for possible shooting.

All of the wounded ones were cared for, and then a watch was set. In
the meantime Bostwick was put at ease, and he told the particulars
of what happened on the burning wreck, and how Lesher and Baxter had
urged the mutineers to attack those at the house.

The remainder of the night wore away slowly. Nothing more was seen
of the mutineers, who had retired to the jungle, drank more liquor,
and gone to sleep, Baxter with them, moaning and groaning over his
wound.

"I am going to take a look around," said Tom, early in the morning.

"A look around where?" asked Dick.

"From where we have the signal of distress. I don't believe any of
the mutineers are in that vicinity."

"I'll go with you," put in Sam, and so it was decided.

It was an easy matter for the two boys to make their way to the gully
entrance, and with great caution they climbed out of the opening and
walked to where the flag of distress floated in the breeze. Not a
sight of the mutineers or Dan Baxter was to be had in any direction.

"They are either sleeping, or else they are afraid we'll shoot at
them if they show themselves," said Tom. And he added: "I am going
to climb the tree and take a look around."

"Be careful," cautioned Sam; nevertheless, he went up the tall tree
with his brother.

Once in the tree, directly under the flag, they took