edge and the
land level above.

The task consumed a little more than an hour of speed labor, and by that
time it was after one o'clock and each of the hillside stairway builders
had worked up a very healthy appetite. So they prepared and ate luncheon
on board the yacht, and then began the work of moving tent and other
supplies to the site selected for their camp. By the time this was done
and the tent pitched, it was 3 o'clock.

"Now, what next?" asked Cub as he sat down on a camp chair after the last
guy rope had been drawn taut and fastened securely to its peg. "It seems
to me that it's about time for another pow-wow of the Catwhiskerites."

"I agree with you, Bob," said his father, also unfolding a camp
chair and sitting down, followed by similar action on the part of
the other two boys.

"Well, what's the question?" asked Bud.

"I'll offer a question if somebody'll take the chair and preside," Hal
volunteered.

"All right," Bud agreed. "You act as chairman, Mr. Perry."

"I am elected by Bud, there being no opposition," announced the owner of
the Catwhisker. "Now, what is the question, Hal?"

"I'll put it this way," the latter replied: "Resolved, that mathematics
is more useful to a detective than a flashlight or a skeleton key."

"That isn't half-bad at all," declared Cub in the midst of general
laughter and applause. "The main trouble is that we can't find anybody on
this island to take the other side of the question."

"Very well," ruled the chair; "this question being decided in favor of
the affirmative, we will now proceed to the next."

"Which is as follows," Bud announced; "to-wit, why have we established
our camp on this island, how long are we going to remain here, and what
shall we do while here?"

"Now, we're getting down to business," said Cub. "But that's a composite
question. First, why are we here?"

"We're here because we're here," Hal replied solemnly.

"The chair is willing to accept that as a good and valid reason provided
other collateral questions are answered satisfactorily," Mr. Perry
announced.

"Next question, how long are we going to stay here?" Cub continued.

"I should say we will stay here until we find a reason for moving on to
the next place," said Bud.

"Another excellent answer and fully supporting answer number one," Mr.
Perry announced. "Now, for an answer to question number three--What shall
we do while here?"

"I'll answer that," said Cub; "well fish, cook,