Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-09


peared willing to stay in any one
particular place as long as the most
cautious thought necessary; but now ne was
more uneasy and nervous than ever was
Percy.
Il can't stand it any longer" he said, an
hour after he had seen the schooner leave
the harbor. Here we are cooped up like
turtles in crawl with nothing to eat. when
perhaps the pirates are not making any eff
fort to find us. Pm going to skirmish lit.
tie, and, if possible, bring in some oysters"
Both his friends made the most vigorous
protest against his incurring such risks as
they believed he would be exposed to in ven
turing out from their hiding place, and Pc
ter begged with tears in his eyes that he
would remain where they were at least safe,
even though they might be very hungry and
far from comfortable.
But it was as if the objections raised only
made him the more eager to go; and wmle
Dudley was painting in glowing colors the
fate that would be his if the pirates should
work, beginning the journey by crawling
through the brush heap.
In silent apprehension the three in hiding
awaited his return. They knew he would
sary for him to move slowly, and for an hour
they were only anxious. At the end of that
time they grew alarmed, and when two hours
had passed they felt certain he had been made
prisoner.
eve ought to have forced him to stay
here" Percy said, reretfully. "Of course,
the pirates have caught him, and now we
must see what we can do to help,
"Hello! hello Come outl There's no one
ON the key but our own precious selvesl"
1t was Bob who was shouting these joyful
tidings while he was yet some distance away,
and by the time he was at the hiding. place
three surprised-looking boys had crawled from
under the brush, gazing at him with mingled
incrndnlitu and nctnnichueDf
"It's a fact" he said answering the ques-
tions that were written on their faces. 81
crept to the old camp ground at the harbor,
and found no one there Then ! went quite
and down on the other, without seeing any
signs of the men. The west point travelled
over without trying to hide myself, and even
walked boldly around the entire shore It's
Josephine, and the only reason / can give as
to why they did not wait to search for us is
that two of them were wounded in the fight
last night"
Just as I thought" Peter said, sorrowfully
Perhaps not: they may have been thrown
into the hold again." suggested Percy, con-
sohngly.
Peter had no hope now that such was the
case. Although neither of the men were
relatives of his. they had been kind to him,
and his face was clouded, while the others
looked bright and happy.
I'VE Will have a hunt for the axes and for
the box of fishing lines" Bob said, gleefully.
"Then, as soon as we can get something to
eat, we will go to work on raft. There isn't
much water left: bnt we will try to make it
last us, and if it doesn't, we can rig up
another condenser Come on; let's get TO
work Peter can find cool place to sit in
where he can watch u.s."
'1t would be better il I kept a lookout
from the beach, for fear the nirates might
come back" remarked the wounded boy "and
then I can be of as much service as if ! had
a whole head"
"That's the very thing" and Dudley blush
ed trife as he thought of what kind of a
sentinel he had been. 'ENow, if we find the
axes, we ought to have raft finished by to-
morrow night"
To have seen the treasure seekers as they
rushed through the underbrush. one would
have said that all their troubles were over,
and that they knew exactly how they were
going to reach their homes, SO happy did they
appear.
On arriving at the harbor, Bob went with
Peter to find place on the shore where he
could be sheltered from the sun at the same
time he was standing watch, and Dudley and
that had been in their possession at the time
the hurricane sprang up.
The stove. which had been half-buried in
the sand was dug out and placed upon its
four rusty and rather shaky legs. ready foI
service as soon as they should have some
thing to cook. One of the ahovels was found
twenty feet away. standing upright amona
the trees, as If some workman had loft II