“The boat’s gone, Jack!” exclaimed Percival.

CHAPTER VIII

DISCUSSING THE FIND

The boys could see the water and the bank from where they stood, and Dick had been the first to notice that the boat was not where they had left it before going down into the buried wreck.

“I suppose it might have drifted away,” said Jack.  “The warp could have become loosened.”

“Yes, it could have done so,” sputtered Percival, “but it did not do so without help.  The same fellows who tumbled the rocks into the hole took away the boat.  I have an idea who they were.  I spoke pretty sharp to Herring the other day, and he has probably been nursing his wrath ever since.”

“You are too suspicious, Dick, and—­hello! did you bring that bag with you?” for the first time noticing that Percival had the bag of coin which he himself had handed to his friend.

“Yes, you told me to take care of it, and I did,” and Percival put the bag in the outside pocket of his jacket.  “Well have to hail the yacht, old chap.  We can make our way in that direction along the top of the bank.  It is not such bad going, and then we have the axe if it is necessary to cut our way through the undergrowth.”

They set out along the top of the bank, keeping a lookout for the vessel, now and then having to cut their way on account of the thickness of the growth, which was often as high as their waists.

“The rocks could not have fallen in by themselves, and the boat gotten adrift at the same time,” muttered Percival as they went on.  “Both of these things were done by some one who wished to annoy us.  Watch and see how some of the fellows look when we get back.”

“Very well, I will, but I don’t see why any one should have done it, perhaps both of these things were accidents.”

“Either one of them might have been, but is it likely that both were, and that they happened at the same time?  Of course not.  You will find that Herring or Merritt, or perhaps both, have had a hand in it.  They don’t like you, and do everything to hurt you, and they don’t care any more for me than they do for you.  Bother this tangle!  It keeps you busy every moment.  I believe things grow up here in a night.  There will be bare rocks one day and a regular forest on them the next.  It beats all how things do grow in these tropical islands!”

Keeping on, now in sight of the water, and then having to leave it on account of the thickness of the jungle, they pushed on till they saw the yacht lying at anchor.

Descending to the shore at the risk of a bad fall, they hailed the vessel, and presently some one put out in a boat and came toward them.

Bucephalus and old Ben Bowline were in the boat, the old sailor hailing them when he neared the shore.

“Well, mateys, did you think you’d walk out to the yacht?” he asked.  “The old man was afraid you’d fallen in, and been gobbled up by sharks.  Some of the boys found the boat adrift, and brought it in.  Don’t you know how to tie up a boat yet?  I’ll show you some knots if you don’t know them.”