boys began to fret in
their eagerness to find out whether their comrades were on the island or
not, but they were not yet close enough to make out any object upon its
surface. Then from the West there came a breeze rippling the glassy
water.

"Up with the sail," cried Jim. "Here's where we fly."

As the breeze strengthened to a wind, they went towards the island at a
clipping gait. When they got within a half mile of the shore, they began
to look eagerly for some sign of a living being and they were
disappointed at first, but they drove their boat along as near the shore
as they dared.

"Say, did you hear that?" cried Jim in excitement. "That was a rifle
shot, or my name is Dennis."

"Three men on the shore," said the Indian, imperturbably.

"I see them," cried Jo, "on that beach yonder. I believe it is Tom and
Juarez. Hurrah for the Frontier Boys."

"It is they," declared Jim as they drew closer, "but how Tom has grown.
He looks over six feet."

"That isn't Tom," said Jo. "It's some one else. The short one is Tom."
Then he saw Jim grin and realized that he had been kidded.

"If this wasn't my busy day," said Jo, "I'd give you a punching for
being so smart."

Five minutes later, the boat had grounded on the pebbly beach and The
Frontier Boys were again united. There was a great jubilee for a while
with the Spaniard, the Indian, and the lanky shepherd on the outskirts
of the family celebration, but in a short time they were all good
friends, each according to his different nature; the Spaniard, suave and
courteous, the Indian stolid, but with his share in the general
good-will, and Jeems Howell, the shepherd, lankily humorous.

"We met our old friend Captain Broom in the channel, boys," said Jim,
"steaming along like the Devil was after him."

"I'll give him reason to think so," growled Juarez sullenly, "if I ever
get on his trail."

The Indian, Yaquis, grunted approval, for there seemed to be a bond of
sympathy between him and Juarez, as the reader can well understand.

"How far is that cave, Tom, where the old codger left you?" inquired
Jo.

"Just around the bend," said Tom. "Here's the rock where Juarez made his
famous jump."

"How did you ever get up there?" asked Jo in wonder, looking up at the
pinnacle of rock.

"You'd a done the same if those fellows had been chasing you," replied
Juarez, "but if it hadn't been for Jeems here catching me when I jumped
they would have got me after all."

"I