parts. Maybe we could catch them, Job, if we hurry!"

Job turned to his men and called, "What say you, lads--shall we give
them a chase?"

A chorus of vociferous "Ay, Ay's" was the answer.

"Here we go, then!" he shouted, and led the way back up the hill at a
trot.

As they reached the ridge, Jeremy cut over to the left a little through
the trees, so that his course lay past the treasure cleft. When he
reached it he found just what he had expected--the shattered staves of
the barrel lying open on the ledge, and several rough excavations in the
dirt at the bottom of the chasm, where the buccaneers had searched
greedily for more gold. The charred remnants of a bonfire, a few yards
further down the cleft, showed that they had worked partly at night.

Leaving the ledge, the boy was hurrying back to join the main party when
he came out upon an elevated space, clear of trees, from which one could
command a view of the sea to the west and south. Involuntarily he
paused, and shading his eyes with his hand, swept the horizon slowly.
Then he gave a start, for straight away to the westward, in a gap
between two islands, was a white speck of sail.

"Job!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "Job!"

The big skipper was only a short distance away, and he came through the
trees at a run followed by most of his men, in answer to Jeremy's hail.
No words were necessary. The boy's pointing finger led their eyes
instantly to the far-off ship. Job took a quick look at the sun and the
distant islands, to fix his bearings, then set out for the northern
inlet again, even faster than before.

As they came running down the slope toward the cabin, Amos Swan emerged,
gun in hand, evidently believing that they were in full rout before the
enemy.

"They've left the island," panted Jeremy, as he reached the door. "We
saw their sail--we're going to chase them! We're sure, now, that Bob's
aboard!"

His father looked relieved.

"Go--you and Tom!" he said. "I'll stay and mind the island."

Job, with a dozen of his men, was starting in the cutter, and had
already hailed the _Tiger_ to order the other boat sent ashore. Tom and
Jeremy hurried into the cabin, and stuffing some clothes into Jeremy's
sea-chest along with a brace of good pistols and a cutlass apiece, were
soon ready to embark.

CHAPTER XXXI

There was a bustle of action aboard the sloop when the boys swarmed up
her side. One chanty was being sung up forward, where half