many de time!"

"If they walked in that direction they took the wrong course," was
Bahama Bill's comment. "Like as not they got turned around among the
trees an' in the dark."

"We must locate the party with that strong light we saw from the
yacht," said Mr. Rover. "Perhaps in doing that we'll come up to my
sons."

Once on shore, the old tar said he remembered the locality well, and he
did not hesitate in pushing forward, across the path taken by the three
Rover boys, and then to a trail which the Rovers had missed. They had
to climb a small hill, and here it was that Bahama Bill showed the
first signs of perplexity.

"Queer!" he muttered, coming to a halt and gazing around. "Mighty
queer!"

"What is queer?" questioned Anderson Rover.

"This looks changed to me. When I was here afore there was a rock
yonder, an' the crowd placed a mark on it fer a guide, as I told ye.
Ain't no rock there now!" And he scratched his head as if he was afraid
he was not seeing aright.

"When you were here was a good many years ago," said Songbird. "The
rock may have tumbled down the hill. Let us look around."

This advice was followed, and after a long hunt a rock was found in a
hollow. It had a peculiar mark cut upon it.

"That's it!" cried Bahama Bill, in delight. "I knew it must be around
here somewhere. But what made that big rock tumble down?"

"Maybe somepody pushed him ofer," said Hans.

"Four men couldn't budge that rock," declared Fred.

"I believe an earthquake must have done it," came from Anderson Rover,
and suddenly his face grew grave. "I trust no earthquake has disturbed
the treasure cave," he added.

They pushed on, but scarcely had they covered a quarter of a mile when
Bahama Bill called another halt. And well he might, for the trail they
had been following came to an abrupt end in front of a pit several rods
in diameter and twenty to thirty feet deep. The bottom of the pit was
choked up with rocks, dead trees and brushwood.

"What now?" asked Mr. Rover, and his tone betrayed his uneasiness.

"This wasn't here afore," said the old tar, briefly. He was so
"stumped" he could scarcely speak.

"You are sure?"

"Dead certain."

"Then this isle has undoubtedly been visited by an earthquake within
the last few years."

"Thet's it, Mr. Rover."

"Maybe the trail can be picked up on the other side of the hole," came
from Fred. "Let us walk around."

He and some of the others started to do so, but soon cam