Frank stared uncomprehendingly toward the slowly-heaving waters of the bay.

“I can’t believe it!” he exclaimed. “The Gull must be somewhere else. We’re at the wrong place.”

“I only wish we were,” spoke Andy dubiously. “But you can see for yourself that this is where we camped. Here is where our small boat was pulled up on shore, where we slept under it, and, if you want any better evidence—here’s grub! Grub, Frank do you hear? We shan’t starve, even if we are marooned!”

He raced to a clump of scrub bushes some distance up on shore and began pulling out boxes and tins.

“Good!” shouted Frank. “I never was so hungry before in my life. Now if we could only make a fire!”

But that was out of the question. Every bit of driftwood, of which there was a big supply, was soaking wet. The boys had plenty of matches, in waterproof boxes, but they would be useless until some dry fuel was available.

“Well, it can’t be helped,” said Andy, as he proceeded to open a tin of corned beef. “We ought to be thankful for this. Open that tin box of crackers. Luckily they’re not wet. We can make a meal off this, and we’ll have a cooked dinner. I wonder—why—blub—ugh—that man—um—lum—didn’t—”

“Oh, don’t try to talk and eat at the same time,” requested Frank with a laugh—the first since their adventure in the cave. “Take your time.” For Andy was fairly devouring the corned beef.

“Hum! I guess you can’t be very hungry, or you wouldn’t take your time,” retorted the younger lad. “Hurry up with those crackers. And there’s some jam, somewhere. Oh, for a cup of hot coffee.”

“Cheese it!” cried Frank sharply. “Do you want to make me throw something at you? But what were you trying to say when you had your mouth full a while ago?”

“I said it was a wonder that man didn’t take this grub with him when he took our boat and the Gull!”

“I don’t know. Maybe he couldn’t find the food. But what makes you think he took our boats?”

“They’re gone; aren’t they?”

“Yes, but I think the tide carried away the small boat. The waves came up unusually high, as you can see by the marks in the sand. We didn’t pull the skiff up far enough.”

“What about the Gull?”

“Well, I admit he might have taken that, though there is a possibility that it dragged the anchor. We’ll take a look all around the island after we get things in shape. If we’ve got to stay here a while we might as well be comfortable.”

“I don’t believe we’ll stay very long.”

“Why not?”

“Because dad will start out and search for us if we don’t get home pretty soon, and the first place he’ll head for will be this island.”

“Guess you’re right. Pass the jam. My! but this tastes good!”

“Good! I should say so!” agreed Andy.

They made a rude but substantial breakfast, washing it down with plenty of spring water which they found a little way inla............