nd a search for a treasure
island?"

"For a what?"

"What are you talking about?" demanded Jim, who had been slowly
recovering his good humor.

"A trip to the South Seas," reiterated Jo.

"I say," interposed Berwick, "I thought you said, Jim, that the first
thing you were going to do was to get dinner. I begin to feel a
hollowness in my interior that needs attention. Suppose we postpone
explanations until we have had something to eat."

"Now, you're talking sense," agreed Tom. "And we'll hunt up the
professor and have him, too."

"The professor!" exclaimed Jim. "Who is he?"

"Oh, the professor with a name as long as the alphabet," replied Jo. "He
can explain better than we can."

"The professor with the long name!" cried Jim and Berwick
simultaneously. "What do you know about such a man?"

"Nothing," replied the boys, "except that he has engaged us to go on the
Storm King for a treasure hunt. What is the matter with him?"

"Well, that beats all!" said Berwick weakly.

"What's all the palaver about anyhow?" demanded Jo. "I thought we were
going to get something to eat before we had any more talk."

"Come on," said Berwick. "I know I'm dreaming, but want to get the
dinner before I wake up."

"Where is the professor?" demanded Jim.

"He's at the Golden Gate Hotel," answered Jo. "We all came on together
and went to the hotel. Then we came out to hunt you up. We were going to
get a boat and row out to the Sea Eagle."

"Lucky you didn't," returned Jim. "Old Bill Broome has got the Sea Eagle
again."

"He has!" cried Jo and Tom in consternation, "what did you let him take
her for?"

"That was unavoidable," volunteered Berwick. "He has some illegal claim
which Jim can't upset, the lawyers say."

"Can't we get her back again?" asked Juarez.

"We certainly will," answered Jim, "now that you are all here. I'm
awfully glad to have your help."

"Let's go and see the professor," suggested Juarez. "Perhaps he will
help us out."

"Of course, he will," said Tom. "He'll know just what to do."

"Which is more than we do," remarked Berwick to himself.

CHAPTER VI.

THE PROFESSOR'S STORY.

It was only a short walk to the Golden Gate Hotel, where they found that
the professor was in his room. They sent to him to ask if he would see
them. A moment later the bellboy returned, accompanied by a spare but
sinuously built man of medium height. It was difficult to judge his age,
though Jim conjectured him t