," he continued,
"that the old man is going to steer for the further island."

"Then you will have to swim for your home," remarked Juarez.

"I can wade," he replied whimsically, looking down at his long legs.

"You are a humorist," said Juarez.

"No, you can put me down for a philosopher, that is to say, a man who
has much time to think and nothing to do."

"I should like to be one," said Juarez. "Suppose you holy-stone these
decks while I try it."

"No, my friend," replied the shepherd, "I am too much of a philosopher
to make any such swap."

"Is Captain Broom one?" asked Juarez.

"Well, he is a sort of a philosopher till he gets mad, then he becomes a
living active volcano, belching out a lava of hot language and scorching
things generally. I guess that I had better be moving along. I see that
he is eyeing me from the Bridge, and he is likely to get active any
moment if I keep you from working." With this the lanky shepherd
strolled forward and seating himself upon the top of the boys' sleeping
place in the bow, smoked his pipe in meditative comfort.

His estimate in regard to the destination of the Sea Eagle proved to be
correct. For in the early afternoon the ship passed under the lee of the
long island and was steaming up the channel between it and the mainland,
which was distant some thirty-five miles.

The fog had cleared by noon, and there was that complete transition to
brilliant, sunny weather. There was a sort of a white haze along the
distant coast and beyond far inland, rose the faint summits of the high
mountains.

Fortunately Juarez and Tom had a chance to observe their new
surroundings for they had been set to work sewing on a small sail that
was to be used in one of the boats. They sat upon the top of one of the
hatches, under the watchful eyes of old Pete and the philosophic gaze of
the shepherd. Sewing was one of the accomplishments of the Frontier
Boys. They had been obliged to learn.

"What is that particular bronze looking weed, floating in these waters?"
asked Tom. It was as Tom phrased it, bronze and a most beautiful color.

It was indeed a giant among weeds; just such as the garden of the ocean
would grow. The stems were fifty to eighty feet long, with peculiar
colored leaves eight to ten inches in length, growing on little boughs
from the parent stem. The whole structure was held up by small bronze
buoys, of a round shape.

"Well as ye seem likely boys and want to learn, I'll