make a
move.

Two hours were spent in wandering over the island, calling to the
missing lad. They awoke the echoes in the dark woods, but the echoes
were the only answers to their cries.

Disheartened and desperate, they returned to the cove in which the yacht
lay. They were troubled by fears that something had happened to her
while they were away, but when they obtained a view of her, she was seen
riding peacefully at anchor.

The small boat was there, and Bart was the first to reach it. Suddenly
he uttered an exclamation, and then called the attention of the others
to a slip of paper that lay beneath a stone that had been placed on one
of the seats. A moment later he secured the paper.

"There is writing upon it!" he declared.

"Read it!" exclaimed the others, pressing nearer.

On the paper, which seemed to be a leaf torn from a pocket account book,
were scrawled the following words:

"You fellers Haid better git erway Frum Devul irelan in a Blame big
Hurry or you will git used the saim as frank Merryfull did. you
wunt Naver se no moar of Him."

"That settles it!" said Diamond, bitterly. "Frank is done for this time!
They have finished him--the devils!"

"Well, they'll never drive me away from this island till I have found
out how they did it and who they are!" vowed Hodge. "Right here I swear
I will spend the rest of my life in avenging Merry, if it is necessary."

"I am with you!"

"And I!"

"Yaw! Me, too!"

They shook hands on it, with bared heads. Never were four lads in more
deadly earnest.

The sun was low in the western sky, tinting the rippling waters with
golden light. The scene was a peaceful one, and it did not seem possible
that an awesome and appalling tragedy had taken place on that quiet
little island that day.

Despite their determination, the boys were stunned and at a loss to know
what was to be done. They entered the boat and rowed off to the yacht.

It was plain no one had visited the _White Wings_ while they were away,
for nothing on board was molested.

Hans was hungry, but he was the only one of them all who seemed to have
any appetite. They did not talk much, but all were thinking, and the
Dutch boy cried softly over the food he ate.

Little had they dreamed when they started out on the cruise that
anything so terrible could happen and that they would be so completely
dazed and bewildered. Their hearts were full of sorrow, but on their
faces were looks of