arry."

The boys on the yacht were evidently much crestfallen. They had hoped to
get Jerry in their power, but that plan was defeated. They dropped behind
several hiding places, and again headed for the big row-boat.

But once more Jerry outwitted them. Calling to Blumpo to steady the
temporary mast, he climbed to the top, his gun slung over his shoulder.

From this elevated point he was able to sweep the yacht's deck from stem
to stern.

"Now turn about, or I'll fire on you, as sure as fate!" he ordered.

"You think you are smart, don't you," sneered Wash Crosby.

"I'm too smart for your crowd," retorted Jerry.

"We can fire as well as you," put in Graves.

"If you had a gun, which you haven't," retorted Jerry.

The boys on the yacht growled among themselves, but could do nothing. Wash
Crosby tried to throw a piece of iron on the row-boat, but it fell short.
Then Harry retaliated by shooting through the yacht's main-sail.

Seeing the boys on the big row-boat meant business, Si Peters and his
crowd withdrew from the encounter.

As soon as they were gone, Jerry came down from his perch, and off they
started once more for the island.

The yacht sailed so far off they thought they were no longer observed.

But in this they were mistaken for Si Peters had a field glass with him.

This glass was now brought into play, and Peters' crowd kept track of
Jerry and the others until the vicinity of Hermit Island was reached.

"Going to camp there," said Wash Crosby.

"It ought to give us a fine chance to get square," replied Si Peters, and
the crowd began to plot against our hero and his friends.

But in the meantime the big row-boat disappeared behind the bushes which
fringed a narrow inlet, and, try their best, those on the yacht could not
locate it again.

"Never mind, we'll come up some other day," said Si Peters. "It's getting
too late to do anything now."

And the yacht returned to Rockpoint.

It was Harry who selected a landing place on Hermit's Island. He found a
smooth, sandy beach, and here the row-boat was drawn up well out of the
water.

Back of the beach was a little clearing. On one side were tall rocks, and
on the other the woods.

"As good a place as any to pitch the tent," said Jerry. "Come, Blumpo,
stir yourself."

The tent was brought out and put up, and a camp fire was lit. While Blumpo
gathered brush to put into the tent to sleep on, Jerry and Harry tried
their hands at fishing.

S