island."

It was shortly after the meal, partaken of while the little boat was
pitching and tossing on long ground swell, that the younger lad, who
had stationed himself in the bow, called out:

"Land ho!"

"Where away?" demanded Frank.

"Dead ahead."

"It's the island, all right," exclaimed Frank. "I laid a straighter
course for it than I thought."

In a little while the barren speck loomed up lore plainly. As they
approached closer the boys eagerly scanned the shores for a sight of he
mysterious man, or the wrecked motor boat. But they saw nothing, even
through the powerful glasses they used.

"Now to tie up and go ashore," said Frank, after the circuit was
completed. A little later the anchor splashed into the shallow waters
of the inlet and the two brothers were rowing ashore.

"Look out for yourself, Mr. Mysterious Man!" exclaimed Andy, as he
stepped out of the boat. "We're on your trail."

"Bur-r-r-r! It's as desolate as the place where Robinson Crusoe was
stranded!" cried Frank, as he looked about.

Overhead gulls were wheeling and circling with noisy cries, but this
was the only sign of life on Cliff Island.

CHAPTER XVIII

"THERE HE IS!"

"Well, what's the first thing to be done?" asked Andy, after he had
assisted Frank to pull the boat up on the beach beyond high-water mark.

"There's plenty to do," declared his brother. "In the first place
we've got to decide whether we'll stay on shore over night, or sleep on
the boat. If we stay on land we've got to bring our grub ashore.
Then, the next thing is to map out a plan so we can search the island,
and not go over the same ground twice."

"My! You'd think you had done this sort of thing all your life, and
had it down to a science," declared Andy with a laugh.

"Well, if it's going to be done at all, it might as well be done right.
This thing is getting serious, and I want to clear it up if possible.
For our sakes as well as for Paul's."

They talked the matter over at some length, and decided that it would
be more fun to camp on shore instead of going back and forth to the
boat to sleep and eat.

"The weather is warm," said Andy, "and we can sleep out in the open,
especially as we have plenty of blankets. And it will be jolly to
build a fire on shore and sit around it nights. Just like some old sea
pirates. Wow!"

"Easy!" cautioned his brother. "This isn't a joy-picnic. We're here
on serious business, and there may be