The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave Part 16

"Let's take everything out except the oars," said Grant. "We'll probably be here for a couple of days and we might as well do it now as any time.

I don't believe we'll be picked up before then; at least there is a good chance that we won't."

"All right," agreed George. "Take everything out then. As soon as that's done though, I'm going to see what the other side of this island looks like."

"We all will," said John. "Let's do this first though."

They all fell to work with a will and soon had the the boat unloaded.

The contents were placed under a sheltering grove of mangrove trees a short distance away. The boat was hauled a little farther up on sh.o.r.e and then the boys prepared to start on their tour of inspection. Sam followed as a matter of course.

"Say, this is a pretty fine island," exclaimed George as they started out.

"Pineapples," cried Grant, excitedly. "What do you think of that?"

"Are they ripe?" demanded George as the little band swooped down upon the cl.u.s.ter of plants.

"They certainly are," said Grant, who quickly produced his jackknife and cut off the top of one of the pineapples. "Watch me eat it," and he began to eat the juicy fruit with great relish. He was not far ahead of the others, however, for soon they were all busily engaged in the same way.

At last they had their fill of pineapples and moved on. Banana trees were discovered, standing in rows as if they had been planted.

"Somebody lives on this island, or used to anyway," remarked Grant.

"Those trees never grew wild like that."

"Of course not," said John. "It doesn't look as though they'd been cultivated lately though."

"We'll find out before long anyway," said Fred. "If there are people here all I hope is that they're not cannibals."

"Dey no cannibals heah," said Sam so seriously that every one laughed.

"I hope not, Sam," said Fred, smiling. "I'd hate to be eaten."

They crossed the island which was not more than a half-mile wide at this point, and that seemed to be the average most of the way. The view was the same as on the opposite side; not a thing to be seen but the boundless ocean with not a speck of a sail or a bit of land within sight. It was a little kingdom all of its own. A quarter of a mile from sh.o.r.e the low rollers broke ceaselessly on a coral reef, while overhead, the gulls swept around and around, their plaintive whistle being very distinct at times.

In silence the boys stood and gazed at the ocean.

"Looks as if we were alone in the world, doesn't it?" said Fred at last.

"It surely does," said George. "I somehow feel as if there ought to be some sort of a big black king sitting under one of these palm trees with about twenty slaves standing around fanning him."

"Speaking of black," remarked John. "What has happened to Sam?"

"He went back to the boat," said Fred, but as he spoke Sam suddenly appeared, running towards the little group at full speed. That he was greatly excited about something could be plainly seen from his manner.

"What is it, Sam?" demanded Grant as the erstwhile cook came puffing and blowing up to the spot where the four boys stood. "What's the matter?"

"De boat," gasped Sam. "De boat am gone."

CHAPTER XI

A SERIOUS MISHAP

"The boat gone!" exclaimed Grant in amazement. "What do you mean?"

"What Ah say is dat de boat am gone, dat's all," said Sam.

"How could it get away though?" demanded John excitedly. "Who is there to take it?"

"Ah don't know, sah," said Sam. "It sho' is gone though."

"There must be some one on the island then," exclaimed John. "I don't see how it could disappear any other way."

"Maybe," admitted Grant. "It certainly is queer."

The four boys stood amazed, too surprised by this sudden catastrophe at first to do anything. It seemed almost impossible to think that such a thing could be.

"Are you sure you went to the right place, Sam?" demanded Fred.

"Sho' Ah is," said Sam. "Dey is no doubt ob it."

"Let's all go and have a look," George suggested.

"The first sensible idea yet, Pop," exclaimed Grant. "Come on, everybody."

Helter skelter and making as fast time as they could, the little party set out to retrace their steps to their landing place. Fear filled their hearts, not only on account of the disappearance of their boat, but also because there was the chance that some one else was on the island who might have stolen it. Not that the boys would not have been glad to see other people, but because they feared that the strangers might turn out to be enemies. Certainly, if they were friends, it seemed queer they should steal the boat.

It was not long before they came to the little harbor. Grant was the first to reach the water's edge and he looked about him eagerly, for traces of the missing boat.

"Here's where it was," exclaimed Fred.

"There isn't even a mark on the beach where it was pulled up," said John. "That's a queer thing it seems to me."

"You're sure this is the spot?" said Grant.

"I know it is," said George, confidently. "There is no doubt of it."

"See any footprints around?" asked Fred.

"None at all," replied John. "What do you think of it all?"

"What do you think, Grant?" inquired George. Grant was always the one to whom the other boys turned when there was any question to be settled.

Grant stood on the beach and gazed fixedly out to sea.

"What are you looking at?" demanded John.

"I'm looking at our boat," replied Grant quietly.