talked about the island.

Its name came from the fact that, situated in the center of it, there
was a high rocky cliff. There were several caves running under this
cliff, hollowed out by natural means, and rumor had it that, in the
early days, sea rovers and pirates used them as places of refuge, or to
hide their ill-gotten plunder.

No one had been able to confirm this, however, though it was not for
want of trying, as our heroes, as well as several other boys, had paid
a number of visits to the island.

But they found no traces of pieces of eight or Spanish doubloons, and,
truth to tell, the caves were not very inviting places, being damp and
dark, so the lads never penetrated very deeply. Thus Cliff Island was
not very well known. It was a desolate, barren sort of place, wind and
storm swept, and the abiding place of innumerable gulls.

"I tell you what we ought to do," remarked Andy, as the train neared
their destination.

"What's that? Not play any more jokes I hope." And Frank smiled as he
looked at his brother.

"No, I mean about this chase. We ought to arrange to stay on the
island for several days--sort of camp there. It's so big and so
irregular in shape, and with so many caves, that we can't go all over
it in one day. And there's no telling where that man may be hiding."

"That's so. Then you think we'd better stock up with grub, and make it
a sort of picnic?"

"I do. We can telephone word home of what we're going to do, so they
won't worry. It will be fun, even if we don't find any clues of the
mysterious man."

"I'm with you. We can buy our grub in Mardene and stock our boat.
Then for 'a life on the ocean wave, a home on the bounding deep,'"
quoted Frank, in a sing-song voice.

The _Gull_ was tied up in a small slip where they had left her, and the
provisions were soon put aboard. Then the two brothers went over every
rope and sail, to make sure they would serve in the strain of a storm.

"Well, guess we might as well pull out," remarked Frank, as he looked
up at the "tattle-tale," or piece of triangular bunting flying from the
mast to tell the direction of the wind. "We've got a good breeze now.
I hope it holds."

"Wait just a minute," begged Andy. "I want to take a look at that
motor boat," and he motioned to a large one that was tied near the
sailboat. "I wish we had one like that. It's a beaut!"

No one was near the craft and soon Andy was in it, inspecting her
critica