capsizing; but, whatever Ditty's faults, he did not lack
ability, and the work was done in a way that elicited an unwilling
grunt of admiration from Tyke.

In less than two hours the requisite soundings had been taken, and
Ditty came to report.

"Plenty of depth, sir," he reported. "No less than ten fathoms
anywhere. And a good bottom."

"All right, Mr. Ditty," replied the captain. "Put the canvas on her
now and we'll take her through."

The captain himself assumed charge of this critical operation, and
under half sail the _Bertha Hamilton_ dashed through as though
welcoming the end of her journey. She made the channel without mishap,
and let go her anchor within a quarter of a mile of the head of the
lagoon.

Inside the breakwater the sea was almost as smooth as a mirror. The
water was wonderfully transparent, and they could see hundreds of
tropical fish swimming lazily at a great depth. On the beach the waves
lapped in musical ripples, in striking contrast to the thundering surf
on the reef.

The captain wiped his perspiring forehead and drew a long breath of
relief. "So far so good," he remarked. "It won't be long now before
we'll know whether we've come on a fool's errand or not."

"There's one thing about which the map hasn't lied, anyway," said Drew.
"It pointed out the inlet just where we found it. That's a good omen,
it seems to me."

"Let's hope the rest of the map is all right," replied the captain.
"But it's nearly time for dinner now, and we'll have that before going
ashore."

All were so feverishly impatient, now that they were almost in sight of
their goal, that none of them paid much attention to the meal, and it
was soon over.

"Do you s'pose the crew have any idee why we're stopping at this
island?" asked Tyke. There was a grim look on his seamed countenance,
and both the captain and Drew looked at him curiously.

"What's milling in your brain, Tyke?" asked Captain Hamilton. "I've
kept my eyes peeled, and I swear I haven't seen anything more to
suggest treachery. Ditty's on his best behavior----"

"Yes; that's so," agreed Tyke. "But did you spy the men he took with
him in the boat jest now, when he came in here to make soundings?"

"I didn't notice," the captain confessed.

"The orneriest ones of the whole bunch. An', believe me! this is the
wo'st crew of dock scrapings I ever set eyes on," growled Tyke. "Ditty
did a lot of talking in the boat--I watched 'em through my