h leaves resembling palms, and
further on at the shore Juarez dropped upon his knees examining a mark
upon the sand.

"A foot print," he said, "but not very recently made."

The return to the ship was without incident, and by the following day
all except the captain and Tom, the latter was not feeling well, made
trips to the shore. Jo and Juarez made a long detour inland and on their
return reported many interesting sights, but no sign did they find of
inhabitants. They had climbed to a high altitude, reaching the uppermost
point by a circuitous route, but descending again by a rugged route much
shorter but very difficult to negotiate.

"Phew!" exclaimed Tom, on coming on deck the following morning as the
sun like a ball of fire was showing in the eastern horizon. "It is going
to be a corker to-day, all right. Why, even the ocean is sizzling."

"Feel all right to-day?" asked Jo.

"Yes, or I would if it was only cool."

The yacht was still lying to, about a half mile off shore. The sails
hung loosely with not enough air to stir them.

"It's a nice morning for a row," suggested Jo. "The water is as smooth
as oil. You are the only one who has not been ashore. Want to go?"

"No rowing for me," groaned Tom. "I'm not a phoenix. I'm going to sit in
the shade and fish."

"Fish!" cried Jo. "What do you expect to catch here?"

"I don't know," replied Tom. "Maybe I might catch a boiled cod or
something like that."

"Don't you want to go on shore, then?" asked Jo.

"Not bad enough to row there," answered Tom. "Glad to go if you will do
the rowing."

"We will have to take the long boat. The steward went ashore in the yawl
early this morning."

"Early!" cried Tom. "What do you call this? I guess it was late last
night."

"Well, he's gone, anyhow. We want to get off pretty soon if we are going
before the sun gets hot."

"Before!" cried Tom. "Say, if you wanted to do that you ought to have
gotten away last week."

"Say, fellows," cried Juarez at this moment, "what do you think that
means?"

The party were soon gathered on the after deck and were looking with
interest at the land.

"What is that?" asked Tom in turn.

"That smoke over there."

"Smoke! Where?"

"See the top of that hill," Juarez indicated with his outstretched arm.
There was an elevation which must have been miles inland, and from which
a thin column of smoke was rising into the still air.

"It is a signal of some kind," said Jim. "I didn't