stroked it gently.

"What's going on?" he demanded, seeing that Jarrow and Trask were
serious-faced, each waiting for the other to speak. He looked about
the decks questioningly.

"The devil to pay," said Jarrow.

"Crew's gone," said Trask.

"Crew! Gone! Where?"

"Jumped the ship in the night with the dinghy," said Jarrow.

"Say, what's the joke?" inquired Locke, blankly. "You two look as
though there was to be a hanging. Come on--spring it!"

"I wish it were a joke," said Trask.

"The truth is, Mr. Peth and the crew left last night with the small
boat."

"Gone to a dance, or something, I suppose," said Locke, still in
doubt about the motives of the captain and Trask.

"Maybe," said Jarrow, wearily rising, to yawn into the sun's face.

Locke stared at Trask, and finally realized that he was serious.
"Gone to the island?" he asked.

"Mainland's over there," said Jarrow, turning and pointing over the
starboard quarter. "You got two guesses. I'll bet on the island."

Trask now looked in the direction indicated by the captain and saw
a low-lying ridge, barely perceptible in the morning sun, lifting
out of the horizon. It was merely a dark streak against the edge of
the sea's brilliance, dividing sky and water.

"Well, that's a fine note," said Locke. "What do they think they're
getting paid for? To go away on marine picnics?"

"If they come lookin' for pay, we're lucky," said Jarrow.

"Now, captain, let's get down to cases," began Locke, with a look
at Trask which indicated that he was done with temporizing with
Jarrow. "What are you going to do?"

Jarrow looked at him quickly, as if surprised, and made a grimace.

"What do ye expect me to do?" he demanded, with a show of temper in
his voice.

"We'll start for Manila in an hour unless the crew's back aboard.
Can't you give 'em a signal of some sort?"

"Sure," said Jarrow. "I can run the Blue Peter to the fore truck.
I'm ready to go now--if you'll start whistlin' for a wind." He wet
the tip of his finger on his tongue and held it up.

"You take it all-fired calm," said Locke. "What's the idea? Are you
going to sit down and wait for the crew to make up their minds to
work?"

"They've probably gone to the island to find gold," said Trask, who
realized that Locke had not grasped the situation fully. "It looks
as if they won't attempt to come back."

"Oh, that's the game, is it?"

"Looks like it," said Jarrow.

"Very well," said Locke, grimly. "