, or something of that kind. To
carry that out, I've got some surveyor's instruments here that we'll
take along with us, just for a blind."

"Let's hope it'll work," said Tyke dubiously. "An' it won't do any
harm to take our guns along."

"There's a pair of revolvers for each of us," replied Captain Hamilton,
opening the closet where he kept the arms that Drew had previously
seen; "and we'll take half a dozen guns along with us in the boat.
There may be snakes or wild animals on the islands."

"I must have a revolver too, Daddy," said the girl.

"Of course, my dear," agreed the captain.

"Mebbe you'd better not put any cartridges in it, Cap'n Rufe," said
Grimshaw, taking Ruth playfully by the arm, "They'd be more dangerous
to us than to anything else."

"It's mean of you to say that, Mr. Grimshaw," pouted Ruth. "You'll
find that I can use a gun as well as anybody."

"Mebbe so, mebbe so, my dear," said Tyke indulgently.

"Hadn't we better take some provisions along?" asked Ruth, as she
slipped the cartridges into her revolver and put the weapon in the
pocket of the sports skirt that she had donned.

"That won't be necessary," replied the captain. "We'll be back before
nightfall. This is just a little preliminary scouting. We won't have
time for more than that this afternoon. The real work of searching for
the treasure will begin to-morrow."

The preparations finished, the party went on deck.

"Crew had their dinner yet, Mr. Ditty?" Captain Hamilton asked of his
first officer.

"My watch have, sir," was the answer. "The others are eating now."

"Pick out half a dozen men and lower the boat," ordered the captain.
"We're going ashore for a few hours. We'll be back for supper."

"How long will we lay up here, sir?"

"Can't tell yet. Perhaps two or three days. Possibly a week or more."

"How about shore leave for the men, sir?"

"Beginning to-morrow, they can go ashore in batches of ten. This
afternoon, Mr. Rogers and a boat's crew can take the long boat and some
casks and go ashore to look for water."

"Very well, sir," replied the mate, with a curious expression on his
face.

As he turned away, his one eye fell on Drew. They had not met since
the fight two days before. They stared at each other for several
seconds, until Ditty's eye fell before the concentrated fury in those
of the young man.

Ruth, who had witnessed the interchange of looks, put her hand lightly
on Drew's arm.

"Ar