CHAPTER XXII.

THE SEARCH.

Toward dusk on Sunday evening, Tom, after a lazy day, having once more
perused the paper bound love story which he invariably carried in his
pocket, was reminded of his promise to join Jim and Juarez on shore.

He called to Jo, and, while waiting for him, let down into the long boat
at the ship's side some small casks, which were to be filled with fresh
water.

"When you get ashore, send the steward on board," said the professor.
"It's near supper time, and he should be here."

"What did he go ashore for?" asked Tom.

"He said that he wanted to look for some kind of leaves that he wished
for flavoring."

"H'm," drawled Tom. "Hope he hasn't gone to look for something to poison
us with."

"What makes you so prejudiced against the steward, Tom?" asked the
professor. "There isn't anything against him, except that he is a
Mexican, and--"

"That's enough for one thing," asserted Tom. "I am pretty sure that he
is the one that has caused all the trouble here."

"But why?" persisted the professor. "He has been my steward off and on
for many years, and he has always been faithful and honest."

"Maybe he has," persisted Tom. "But still I don't trust him."

"All right, Tom," replied the professor, laughingly, "keep your eye on
him, but still I think he is all right."

"I say, Tom," broke in Jo, who had climbed down into the small boat, "if
you are coming you had better make a start and hurry up Berwick. It will
be night before we get away. Say, what did you do with the rowlocks?"

"What would I do with them," retorted Tom. "Left them in their place, of
course."

"Well, they are not there now," grumbled Jo. "How do you think we are
going to row without any rowlocks?"

"What is that?" asked the professor.

"Somebody has taken the rowlocks out of the boat," complained Tom, "and
Jo seems to think I did it."

"Perhaps some of the crew took them out when they were unloading it
last," suggested the professor. But a hasty questioning of the men who
had hoisted out the filled casks showed that they had not removed them.

"It is certainly strange," admitted the professor. "Are they all gone?"

"All of them," returned Jo, emphatically.

"Well, you will have to get some out of the storeroom," said the
captain, who had been attracted by the discussion. "I think it is likely
someone has taken them out and forgotten them."

"Now, then," cried Jo, when the other rowlocks had been put in.