you know about this Captain Beauchamp, who is evidently the
commander of the Marjorie?" Jo inquired.

"He is a buccaneer, a pirate and a slave to do the bidding of anyone who
will pay for his service. Still he has the reputation for dealing fairly
and is far more likely to hold Jim as hostage for ransom or other
advantage than to do him bodily harm."

"Have you ever had dealings with the captain?"

"No. I have never seen him. Know of him only by hearsay. He is rather
well educated, and, I hear, sometimes speaks with a southern drawl, but
he even varies that to suit himself."

"I shall be better satisfied when I know Jim is safe," concluded Jo.

"Indeed we all shall," said the professor, and addressing Juarez, "What
do you make out about the natives, whom you observed as you were coming
down the cliff side?"

"I knew that they were natives by their dress, or lack of it," said
Juarez. "They had but very little clothing on, and I believe that two of
the party were ill, for the other four at times assisted their
comrades."

"Likely you were right," asserted the professor. "Probably it was a
pilgrimage to the sulphur spring."

With occasional help and the aid of a stick which Jo cut to a proper
length and fashioned in the form of a crutch, Juarez was able to get
back to the boat with comparative ease, and they were soon rowing
toward the yacht.

Arriving on board they found that the steward had not yet returned.

"A good thing for him," asserted Tom. An opinion which no one could
gainsay.

"Now, boys," advised the professor when a late supper had been eaten and
a short consultation had been held, "you had better get off to your
bunks. Even if you don't feel inclined to sleep, you will get some
needed rest, and that is important, as we are likely to have a hard
day's work ahead of us for to-morrow."

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE CHIEF OF RARIHUE.

Before dawn of the next morning the party were all on deck ready for a
start as soon as it was light enough to see their way through the woods.
Hardly had they assembled, however, when there came one of those sudden
terrific storms which are so frequent in the southern seas. The downpour
lasted about a half hour to the regret of Jo and Tom, who had hoped to
readily strike and follow the trail of Jim and his captors. Some other
plan would now be necessary.

"I think," said the professor, who, in the absence of Jim, had tacitly
assumed the leadership, "that we had b