that you know the man he is looking for everywhere is somewhere around
here, perhaps it'd be best for you to start over to some place where
they have a telephone, and call up Mr. Malcolm Hotchkiss at Faversham."

"Huh! reckon I c'd surprise him a little now," chuckled Davy, falling in
behind the leader, as they continued on down toward the spot where the
boat had been left some time before.

"We've done all that could be expected of a patrol of Boy Scouts, under
the circumstances," said Thad firmly; "and the rest had better be left
to men who are used to such things. Listen to that wind blow, boys? I
hope a storm doesn't come up before we get back to camp again. Careful,
Davy, don't be in such a hurry; we're nearly at the beach, and our
boat."

"That's just it," remarked the Jones boy; "I had a look in at that same
beach under the branches of the trees, Thad; and believe me, I didn't
see a sign of any boat!"

"What's that?" demanded the scout-master, quickly, a sense of gathering
clouds beginning to oppress him; for it would indeed be a serious matter
if they were actually taken prisoners by these unknown parties of the
island, whom they now believed to be worse even than game poachers.

"Look for yourself, Thad; for here you can see the beach end to end,"
Davy went on; and the others stared as though hardly able to believe
their eyes; for it was just as Davy said; there was the little sandy
stretch, without a doubt, where they had left their canoe; but from end
to end it was vacant!

Again had the boat vanished while they were away; and this time it was
utterly impossible that it could have gone without the agency of human
hands, for they had pulled it high up out of the water!

CHAPTER XXIV.

WHAT SMITHY FOUND.

"Here's tough luck, and more of it!" remarked Davy Jones; but while
Smithy was looking excited, and rather white, the Jones boy was
grinning, just as if the new condition of affairs, thrilling in the
extreme, pleased him intensely.

Thad hastened to examine the ground, as a true scout always thinks of
doing when he seeks information concerning the movements of others; for
neither men nor boys can well move around without leaving some traces of
their late presence; and when one knows how to use his eyes to
advantage, it is possible to learn many valuable things after this
fashion.

"Did they take it, Thad?" continued Davy, as the scout leader arose from
his knees again, his face filled wit