was the mouth of the South River. As they had definitely planned to go
north along the coast line to the cliff rocks, the explorations to the
south must be reserved for some future day.

The sea front showed delightful stretches of beach, but at intervals
small trees and bushes grew close to the ocean on the elevated spurs
which broke up the otherwise smooth beach line.

The clam, as a source of food supply, had practically been neglected,
because it was quite a distance from the Cataract home to the beach, and
principally for the reason that other foods were so plentiful. Harry
wanted some clams, and with one of their bags the beach was scoured for
fully a mile, until he gathered a staggering load.

As he reached one of the little knolls which broke off abruptly close to
the sea, Harry dropped the bag and ran to the brush. The Professor
looked on in wonder. When Harry disappeared in the bush George and the
Professor both hurried forward. Harry reappeared in an instant.

"What do you think I have found?"

"Another cave?" queried George, without stopping.

"No; our boat."

There, perched less than five feet above the level of the ocean, was the
boat which they had left at the foot of the falls in the South River,
fully three months before. One of the puzzling mysteries was solved.

It was some labor to dislodge the boat from its position between the
cleft branches of shrubbery which also held other debris, and
furthermore the boat was full of all sorts of rubbish. This was
laboriously removed.

"You will remember I stated at the time of the disappearance the most
likely explanation would be that high water coming on suddenly would
wrench the boat from its fastenings, and----"

The Professor got no further; he suddenly stopped and glanced to the
forward end of the boat. "Who tied on that rope? It really does look as
though some one has used the boat. That is not one of the oars we made."

"But where are the lockers we had on the boat, in which we put our
provisions?"

"They have been removed by some one. This is a rope entirely unlike any
we have had, and it is a native, or rather, hand-made article."

"Well, we have struck a greater mystery now than when we lost the boat."

This discovery brought up several other questions which, as it now
appeared, might be linked together. The removal of the flag and
flagstaff; the "hole" in the hill; the fire in the forest; the branded
bull, all indicated that people