Ross Kay

“ Doesn’t it feel good?”
“It couldn’t be better,” agreed Grant. “Isn’t this a lazy life?”
“It’s a good one, though,” said John. “Just think, we haven’t a thing to worry about. All we have to do is swim and sleep and lie around in the sun.”
“I should say we had plenty to worry about,” said Fred.
“Getting home, you mean?”
“Yes. We can’t stay here all our lives, you know.”
“Of course not,” John agreed. “We’ll be picked up some day though, sure. We can’t do anything in the meantime that will help us to leave here, so what’s the use in worrying about it? That’s the way I feel.” ”

“ No sportsman ever complains of a thing that is fair, and what is best for the most people is always fair.
Hour after hour dragged by. To the little band on board the life-boat it seemed as if morning would never come. The storm had passed, but the water was still rough and the night still inky dark. Now and again the boys dozed off and caught a few winks of sleep. No attempt to row had been made for several hours. Petersen steered the boat and was the only one who did not rest. Incessantly through the long night he guided the little craft and watched over the safety of those on board. ”

“ It was in the shape of a ball and hung to the very top of the mast.
“What’s a corposant?” whispered John.
“I don’t know,” replied Grant, “except that that’s what they call a ball of light like that one. If it goes up it’s supposed to be good luck, but if it comes down it’s bad.”
“I wish Petersen wasn’t up there,” muttered Fred.
“Don’t be silly, Fred,” exclaimed Grant sharply. The tension was affecting every one’s nerves. It was almost pitch dark on the Josephine now.
“I can’t help it,” insisted Fred. “I wish it was some one else up there.” ”

“ Unconsciously he blamed it all on poor Petersen so that when he saw him right here in the same boat, his one idea was to get revenge.”
“Can we blame him then?” said Fred. “If a man doesn’t know what he is doing, is he responsible?”
“I’d hate to decide that,” said Grant. “At the same time I don’t see how we can hold it against him, especially when he doesn’t know what it was.”
“When we get back to civilization we may have to tell on him though,” remarked John. “Don’t you think we’ll have to do that?”
“Wait till we get there,” advised Grant. ”

“ For some moments no one on the little boat spoke a word. The boys sat and looked at Sam, and he sat and looked at them and at the boat and the boundless ocean stretching on every side as far as the eye could see. Not a sign of life could be seen on it anywhere. There was no trace of the other boats that had set out from the burning brig and it was impossible to conjecture what had happened to them. ”

“ How can we tell north from south except in a general sort of way?”
“Fred,” said George, pretending to be greatly disappointed in his comrade, “how long will it take you to learn that whenever anything is needed, I am the one who always has it? Don’t you know that I always wear a compass and don’t you remember Captain Dodge on board the Josephine complimenting me on the fact one time? You are a great trial to me, Fred,” and George shook his head sorrowfully. ”

“ A great splashing immediately followed and then the fin appeared once more some ten or twelve yards distant.
“Whew! That was close,” gasped Grant, his lips ashen with terror.
“He’s getting desperate,” said Fred. “He knows that unless he can get John before he comes much closer to shore his chance is gone.”
“Hurry, Sam!” shouted Grant with all his strength. “Keep it up, John!” he called. “You’ll be all right in a minute!”
“He will not,” said Fred in a low voice. “He’ll be gone in a minute.”
“No he won’t,” cried Grant. “Sam is almost there.” ”

“ One old man can’t hurt us very much.”
“Unless he has a gun,” said Fred.
“That’s true,” agreed George. “I never thought of that.”
“Not much chance of his having a gun, I guess,” said Grant. “I’ll risk it anyway if the rest will.”
“Maybe it was Sam you saw,” said Fred suddenly.
“With white hair and a white beard? I guess not,” laughed George grimly.
“He might have been playing a joke on us,” suggested Fred.
“If he was, he’ll never live to tell the tale,” cried John fiercely.
“If that fellow was looking through the top of that opening, he won’t be in the cave,” said Grant suddenly. ”

“ The four friends and their colored companion still remained on the mysterious island. The flag still flew from the hill and all day long one or another of the boys kept a lookout from a spot near by. No boat came to rescue them, however, and the little party of castaways had almost come to believe that the rest of their days were to be spent on this little island somewhere in an unknown sea.
Once John on watch had seen smoke. Far off on the horizon appeared a smudge from the funnels of some passing steamer. It was too far away however to discover their signal or even to see their island. ”

“ A quarter of a mile from shore 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?” ”

“ A moment later they were all splashing around in the water enjoying their early morning swim. Soon afterward they returned to the cave, where they collected everything they had that might aid them in their search for the buried treasure. They spent but little time there, however, and then quickly started on their way towards the big black rock that was so strangely fashioned in the semblance of a shark. Never did a party start out more eagerly or with higher hopes than this little band of castaways on their search for buried wealth. ”

“ John made another great effort. “That man,” he managed to gasp.
“‘Man’!” cried Grant. “What man?”
“I saw a man,” said John and then he fainted.
“This is a mess,” exclaimed Grant in dismay. “What shall we do?”
“He saw a man,” said Fred in alarm. “Who could it be?”
“How do I know?” said Grant testily. “Are you watching that cave, Pop?”
“I certainly am. Hand me one of those rocks.”
The three boys stood on the narrow ledge of rocks in a quandary as to what course they should pursue. Below them was the steep, rocky incline of the hill and behind them was the cave containing they knew not what. ”

“ Most people can’t even find the island.”
“It hasn’t done us any good so far,” said Grant. “Now that we’re on this wonderful island what are we going to do about it?”
“Solve the code,” replied Fred promptly. “Once that is done the rest is easy.”
“The same old cry,” exclaimed Grant. “That code is beginning to haunt my dreams. I think of it all day and I dream of it all night.”
“Perhaps you’ll find the answer to it in a dream some time,” suggested John.
“If I only could,” sighed Grant disconsolately. “Come on,” he added, “let’s go back to the cave. Have you fixed your shoulder up all right, Sam?” ”

“ 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. ”

“ John felt around the sides of the chest and finally discovered that there was a handle on one end. He pulled and lifted with all his might, but not one inch could he budge it.
“Whew, there must be something in it,” he panted. “It’s certainly heavy enough.”
“It’s probably full of gold,” exclaimed George excitedly. “Gold is awfully heavy.”
“Calm yourself, Pop,” said Grant, but he too, was excited. In fact, the strange cave and the chest suggested all sorts of things to the four youths. What if they should find that the chest was full of money? Stranger things than that have happened. ”

“ George burst out laughing. “Forget those old numbers for a while,” he advised. “So far no one has been able to do anything with them, but if we let them alone for a few days we can go back to them with our minds fresh. Who knows, somebody might get an idea all of a sudden that would solve the whole business.”
“I wish somebody would,” sighed Fred.
“Think of this, though,” exclaimed Grant. “Suppose we do forget it all for a few days, as Pop suggests. In the meantime a boat might come along and take us away and our chance of ever finding the treasure would be gone.” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ A CODE
The breeze held strongly and the Josephine made splendid progress. The life on shipboard had endless attractions for the four young boys. They learned the parts of the ship, the names of the sails and how to navigate. Sailors taught them to splice ropes and how to tie the hundred and one knots familiar to those who follow the sea. The weather was ideal and as everything went well, all on board were in excellent spirits.
“I guess Sam was wrong about this hard luck business,” remarked John Clemens one day to Grant Jones. ”

“ Here it is; you can see for yourself,” and Grant produced the piece of parchment from his pocket. He unfolded it while his three companions crowded eagerly around him to inspect the strange document once again. No light was thrown on its secret, if it had one, however, and the same baffling maze of numbers confronted the boys.
“Put it away,” cried John impatiently. “I think it’s a combination to a safe.”
“No, it isn’t either,” said Fred. “It’s a code I tell you and I think that some one of us ought to be able to read it.” ”

“ It was also raining hard once more, though the thunder and lightning had somewhat abated.
“The wind means our finish,” said Fred grimly. “We’ll never stop this fire now.”
“We must,” cried John doggedly. “We’re lost if we don’t.”
Every one redoubled his efforts but the fire gained steadily. Higher and higher leaped the flames and farther and farther astern they crept. The crew worked like demons but their task was hopeless. The fire was too mighty for them and it was soon evident to every one on board that the Josephine was a doomed ship. ”

“ Wherever number one came we put the letter a. If number thirteen appeared we’d substitute the thirteenth letter in the alphabet in its place.”
“Which would be m,” said George after a little calculation on his fingers.
“That’s right,” exclaimed Grant. “Now do you see how it was done?”
“Of course. Isn’t that simple?”
“It took us long enough to find it out though,” said John.
“Well, I should say so,” exclaimed George. “Weren’t we stupid?”
“I don’t know,” said Grant. “The simplest things are often the hardest to explain. Of course when you get the key the rest is easy enough.” ”

“ They all had rocks in their hands now and were ready to let them fly the moment the man John had seen should show his head. Nothing appeared, however.
After a moment John stirred and opened his eyes. He looked about him in a puzzled way as though he did not know where he was. Then he evidently remembered his experience for he shuddered and cast a terror-stricken glance at the dark entrance of the cave.
“I saw a man,” he repeated in a low voice.
“What kind of a man? Who was it?” demanded Grant eagerly. “Keep your eye on that cave, Pop,” he added grimly.
“Tell us what happened,” urged Fred. ”

“ Youth is always hopeful and every one on board had always had the feeling deep in his heart that they would be rescued before long. Lack of food and water had not assailed them as yet.
“The hour must be nearly up,” remarked George at last.
“Huh,” snorted Fred. “I don’t believe we’ve been going over twenty minutes.”
“Certainly not an hour,” agreed Grant. “Stick to it a while longer, Pop.”
“All right,” sighed George, “but I know we’ve been working at least an hour.”
“You never worked an hour in your life,” said John. “How do you know how long it is?” ”

“ At this moment Captain Dodge approached.
“We’ve got to anchor, boys,” he said. “The wind is dead ahead of us here in the narrows and I think I’ll wait till it shifts.”
“We might all go to Coney Island then,” exclaimed Fred Button eagerly.
“And the wind might change almost any minute and we’d sail off and leave you behind,” laughed Captain Dodge. “Coney Island is just around that point, though, and you could row there in a little while.”
“I guess we’ll stay aboard if you’re thinking of leaving us,” said Fred. “I’d rather go to Buenos Aires than Coney Island.” ”

“ A plunge in the waters of the little bay put every one in good humor. No one went very far out, however, for in spite of the fact that they knew there was slight chance of any shark venturing anywhere so near the shore, the knowledge that the giants were lurking not far away cured every desire to swim out any distance.
Sam decided he would not join the exploring party. He had an idea that he would be very much better off, dozing in the sun at the foot of some palm tree. The four boys separated, Fred and Grant going together, and John and George pairing off. ”

“ At the end of that time we’ll all stand up and I feel sure we’ll see land not far away.”
“How are you going to tell when the hour is up?” inquired John. “There isn’t a watch in the whole crowd that will run. I’m afraid it’s too warm for even the sun to be on time.”
“Then we’ll have to guess at it. Is everybody agreeable?”
“Suppose a boat appears ahead of us,” suggested George. “We might never see it.”
“Sam is facing that way,” said Fred. “He will see it and can tell us. Unless he sees a boat, though, he is not to say a word.”
“That’s a go,” said Grant. “Is everybody ready?” ”