nybody for the missing man. "We had on board a lot o' wild
animals fer a circus man, an' amongst 'em, was an orang outang, big
an' fierce, I can tell you. Well, this orang outang got out o' his
cage one night, an' in the mornin' he couldn't be found. We hunted an'
hunted, an' the next night nobody wanted to go to sleep fer fear he'd
wake up dead. The cap'n had his family aboard and the wife she was
'most scart stiff an' wouldn't hardly leave her room."

"And did you find the orang outang?" asked Songbird, with interest.

"We did an' we didn't. The fifth night after he was missing we heard a
fearful noise right in a cage wot had a lion in it. We run to the
place with shootin' irons an' spears and capstan bars, thinkin' the
lion was loose. When we got there we found the orang outang had
twisted one o' the bars o' the cage loose an' got inside and disturbed
Mr. Lion's best nap. Mr. Lion didn't like it, an' he gets up, and in
about two minutes he makes mince meat o' the orang outang. When we got
there all we see was bits o' skin, an' the feet an' head o' the orang
outang, yes, sir. We was glad he was gone--especially the cap'n wife
--but the circus men was mad to lose sech a valerable beast,"
concluded Bahama Bill.

"That was a pretty good one," was Tom's comment. "Too good to be
spoiled," and at this remark the others laughed.

"Vell, it's someding like ven dot snake got loose py Putnam Hall," was
Hans' comment. "Dot Vingate vos noddings put a snake, hey?"

"You hit it that time, Hans," answered Dirk, "A snake and of the worst
kind."

According to Bahama Bill's reckoning they were now less than two days'
sailing from Treasure Isle, and all on board who were in the secret
were filled with expectancy. So far nothing had been seen of the
_Josephine_, and they Wondered if the tramp steamer was ahead of them,
or if they had passed her in the darkness.

"Of course, she may have come by a different route," said Captain
Barforth. "While we passed to the east and south of some of the little
islands she may have gone to the north and west of them. One route
would be about as good as the other."

That night it grew foggy, and as a consequence they had to slow down,
which filled the boys with vexation for, as Tom declared, "they wanted
to find that island and the treasure right away."

"Well, you'll have to be patient," said Nellie,

"Aren't you anxious, Nellie?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, Tom; but I don't want to see anybody h