Tom took the binoculars, mounted to the cabin roof, and swept diligently the shore line in both directions.

“What can you make out?” inquired Jack from the pilot house.

“I see a fellow just as you described, only he’s not wearing a life belt.  He seems to be crossing the strip of beach sand to the fringe of pines a short distance inland.  I don’t see any automatic flashlight in his hand, though!” whimsically announced the watching lad.  “Then on the other hand, I can see two smokes that look like a Boy Scout call for help and between the two fires I can see a Boy Scout running back and forth and waving his hat.”

“How do you know he’s a Boy Scout?” challenged Harry.

“Well, if he started Boy Scout signals, he’d be a Boy Scout, wouldn’t he?” replied Tom.  Besides, he’s red headed like Arnold and homely like Harry and kind hearted like Jack and good like Tom.  That’s enough for me.”

“You’re just right, that’s enough for you!” declared Harry.  “You may throw on your shovel—­you’ve got a load.”

“Honest, now, Tom,” put in Jack, “what’s the straight of this?  Quit your nonsense!  We must be serious.”

“All right,” agreed Tom.  “What I said is all so except the foolishness.  I can’t see what the boy looks like.  I can just make out a figure between the two fires.  It looks slight like a boy.  That’s all I can make out.  There are some trees over there just this side of the fires, and it looks as if we could make a landing close up to the fires.  There seems to be a little bay there.”

“Thank you,” said Jack in a tone of relief.  “We’ll run close in and try to find out what’s the matter.  Maybe the stranger can help us get our bearings.  Lucky the fog lifted when it did or we would have piled up high and dry on this beach!”

As the Fortuna approached the little bight indicated by Tom, they discovered that there would be plenty of water to enable the Fortuna to run close inshore and permit of their landing easily.  Tom and Harry busied themselves with clearing away one of the metal boats carried on the cabin roof and preparing to lower it when the Fortuna should come to rest.  Upon completing their task, Tom stood up for another view of the beach which they were approaching.

“Look, Jack!” he cried.  “Can you see the boy over there wig-wagging at us?  Isn’t that the Boy Scout wig-wag?”

“Sure enough, it is!” declared Jack excitedly.  “Take this flag and answer him.  You’re in a good place up there.”

He passed the flag up to Tom as he spoke.  All four lads watched with intentness the figure on the beach, while Tom prepared to reply to his further signals with his flag grasped in both hands.

“He’s got two flags, I believe,” announced Tom.

“He’s going to use the Semaphore code, then!” declared Jack.

“There it comes!” cried Harry.  “He’s calling us!  Answer him.”

“All right, Scout!” assented Tom.  “Here comes the message!”