s," chuckled Mart. "Nothing in that line for us. Plain ice
cream and melon for me."

"Same here," nodded Bob. The little waiter bobbed again and was gone.

"Golly, ain't this quiet an' restful!" breathed Mart. "This place is
just like fairyland to me, Holly. I'd like to stay here a week instead
of two days!"

"Oh, we got enough ahead of us," laughed the other happily. "By juniper,
this place is crowded! He must have stuck us off here in the corner
because we didn't look like good spenders, eh?"

At this juncture the little Japanese returned with their melon and ice
cream, which he set down rather superciliously. Mart, who had been paid
off that day, in common with the rest of the crew, handed him a dollar.

"Here, keep the change, and don't come back for a while. We won't order
any more, and we're going to stay right here, savvy?"

The little waiter bowed low, grinned cheerfully, and vanished behind the
palms that hedged in their table. Both boys were rather glad to be out
of the crowd, however; they could hear perfectly, could get occasional
glimpses of the people around them, and out beyond them the white surf
broke and maintained its low thunder as the tide came in.

Mart, who believed in "resting while the resting was good," as he termed
it, leaned back comfortably after his melon had vanished, and listened
to the orchestra. Bob was too excited to keep quiet, however; he was
taking peeps through the encircling palm branches, commenting on the
curious jumble of people all about, and wishing that his father had been
able to come with them.

"There's a couple o' British officers from the warship in the harbor,
Mart!" he cried hastily. "There go those Chinese who were chattering
away at the table next to us--wonder who'll take their place?"

Mart grinned easily, taking no interest. Suddenly he saw Bob lean
forward, as if unbelieving his own eyes; a flush came into the eager
lad's face, then he breathed a single incredulous gasp.

"By juniper!"

"What's the matter now?" queried his chum unconcernedly.

"By juniper!" exclaimed Bob again, more slowly. Then he leaned forward,
watching. "Look, Mart! Of all the nerve!"

His tone roused Mart, who leaned over the table, glancing through the
same opening which Bob was utilizing. A waiter stood over the table just
on the other side of the palms, pulling back the chairs; slouching into
their places were three men. Mart's eyes opened at sight of them, for
they were n