“Say, who is running this vessel, you or I?” cried Asa Carey.

“Captain Barforth is running her.  But she is under charter to Mr. Rover, and Mr. Rover told me to use a small boat whenever I pleased,” answered Songbird sharply.  “If you refuse to let me have a boat say so.”

“Oh, I—­er—­I didn’t say that,” stammered the mate.  “If you want to go do so.  But I don’t know if Hollbrook can get you through the reef in safety or not.”

“I’ll risk it,” said Songbird briefly and hurried below to prepare himself for the trip.  Fred and Hans met him in his stateroom.

“I think Carey is suspicious,” said Songbird.  “Keep an eye on him, and if anything goes wrong shoot off the cannon or a gun.  I’ll do my best to find Mr. Rover and the captain and bring them back as quickly as possible.”

In a few minutes Songbird and the sailor were over the side of the Rainbow.  Hollbrook could pull a long, telling stroke, and under his guidance the craft soon shot through the opening in the reef and glided safely into the bay.

“I am glad to put foot on shore,” said the sailor, as he leaped out on the sand.

“I want you to remain near the boat,” said Songbird.  “I want to see the captain and it is possible we may want to get back to the steam yacht in a hurry.”

“Oh!  All right, sir.”

“While I am gone watch the Rainbow and if she should steam away any great distance call me.”

“Why, I thought orders were for us to remain near the reef,” cried Hollbrook.

“So they were, but Mr. Carey is in command now.”

Leaving the sailor on the sand, Songbird hurried up the path which the Rovers and Captain Barforth had taken earlier in the day.  He had covered less than half the distance to the shattered cave when he heard a shout from the beach.  Then, from the water, came the sound of a shotgun.

“Something is wrong already!” he gasped, as he stopped running.  “I wonder what it can be?”

He hesitated, not knowing whether to go forward or back.  Then he set up a yell on his own accord.

“Captain Barforth!  Mr. Rover!  This way, quick!” he called at the top of his lungs.

At first no answer came back, but presently he heard Tom’s shrill whistle, and then a cry from Sam and Dick.  The three Rover boys came down the path pell mell, and their father and the captain were not far behind them.

“What’s the trouble?” came simultaneously from Dick and Tom.  Sam would have asked the question too, but he was out of breath.

“It’s Asa Carey,” answered Songbird.  And then, as the others came up, he told what Dora had overheard.

“And that shot we heard?” questioned Captain Barforth.

“It told that there was trouble on board, but what I don’t know.”

“Let us get to the shore,” said Dick.  He was thinking of Dora and her mother and the Lanings.

As quickly as possible they dashed along to the sandy beach.  Hollbrook was still calling for Songbird.