ohn. "Let's go to work."

CHAPTER XVI

THE RIDDLE

Days passed and weeks rolled by. The four friends and their colored
companion still remained on the mysterious island. The flag still flew
from the hill and all day long one or another of the boys kept a lookout
from a spot near by. No boat came to rescue them, however, and the
little party of castaways had almost come to believe that the rest of
their days were to be spent on this little island somewhere in an
unknown sea.

Once John on watch had seen smoke. Far off on the horizon appeared a
smudge from the funnels of some passing steamer. It was too far away
however to discover their signal or even to see their island. He had
watched it hopefully until it finally disappeared over the rim of the
ocean. That was the only sign of a vessel that had been sighted so far.

However, the boys were not in want. Their clothes were becoming ragged
and their hair unkempt, but they were well fed and healthy. If it had
not been for the fact that they knew they could not leave they might
have been measurably contented. They were now living in the cave as snug
and comfortable as could be desired. The fact that they were short of
clothes did not bother them, either, for the weather was warm and
clothes were more of a burden than a necessity.

As yet they had discovered no treasure. Hour after hour they had puzzled
over the mysterious numbers on the parchment, but as yet no one had been
able to solve their riddle.

"It makes me mad," said John one day. "I sit and stare at those crazy
figures until it seems as if I must go crazy myself. I never get even a
clew as to what they mean, but at the same time the more I study them
the more sure I am that they have a meaning."

"And I, too," agreed Grant. "I know they mean something. I'm sure of
it."

"Until we discover what it is we are practically helpless," said John.
"We can't dig up the whole island looking for buried gold, you know. We
must have directions."

"I certainly would laugh," exclaimed George, "if some one did find out
what those figures mean and then we discovered that it didn't apply to
this island at all."

"What would be so funny in that?" demanded Fred.

"Think how you'd all be fooled."

"Yes, and you'd be just as badly off as any of us," said Fred. "If we
don't find any money, you won't get anything any more than we will."

"Maybe he doesn't like money," said John. "He seems sort of hopeful that
w