t.

Away off to the south, a distance of about five miles in a small harbor
lay two ships, one of which, even at that distance, the boys had no
difficulty in recognizing as the Marjorie. They were riding quietly at
anchor, but there were small boats passing to and fro between the two
vessels and the shore.

They also noted that the mountains extended to the south, with another
range a little farther away, beyond which the ground sloped away again
down to a nearly level plain, which ran away to the water's edge. The
mountains were heavily wooded, and the plains or more level surfaces, as
well. To the east the mountains appeared to extend in an unbroken range
to the shore.

"Well," said the professor, when they had climbed down. "What did you
find out?"

"The Marjorie is off there," replied Tom.

"And another, vessel, too," added Jo.

"Humph!" ejaculated the professor, "this doesn't seem to be any place
for us!"

"But what about Jim?" asked Tom.

"Oh, that's another matter," said the professor, in a whimsical way he
had when confronted by a serious problem. "One thing at a time, you
know."

"How do you think they know we were here?" asked Berwick.

"I have it!" cried Tom, excitedly, "The smoke!"

"What about it?" said Jo.

"Why, don't you see," responded Tom. "It was a signal."

"Well, suppose it was, what has that got to do with them?"

"Everything," replied Tom. "That was a sign that the Storm King was
here."

"But who did it?" persisted Jo.

"That villain of a steward," asserted Tom. "You know that someone on
board was signalling to the Marjorie, and just as soon as we got in here
he made some pretense to get ashore."

"Tom is right," agreed Berwick.

"I knew it was him," lamented Tom, "and to think we let him get away."

"I am afraid that that was because of my over-confidence," admitted the
professor, "but I was deceived in him. He had been to the South Seas
with me, you know."

"Well, it can't be helped now," declared Jo, philosophically. "The
question is, what is the next thing to do?"

"Let us make a reconnoitre down by the harbor, and see what we can find
out," suggested Berwick. "Perhaps we might get an opportunity to
capture a prisoner or two that we could hold as a hostage for Jim."

"That's a good scheme," agreed the professor.

"I hope we can get a hold on that villain of a steward," cried Tom,
vindictively.

"Or that imp, Manuel," added Jo.

"Don't speak of him," remonstra