thout orders," Scotty
replied. "Maybe the real brains of the gang aren't even interested in
us."

"I hope that you're right. See any coral heads?"

Although most coral growth was limited to the reef area, outcroppings of
coral called "heads" had grown up toward the surface in some places.
There were none in the stretch of water before the beach house where
Rick planned to land.

"The water's clear. Pick your direction. There's not enough wind to make
any difference."

"I'll land parallel to the beach."

Rick turned south down the center of the island. When he had reached the
right position he cut the throttle, and the nose of the Sky Wagon
dropped. He banked tightly, reversing course, until the plane was headed
north a hundred yards out from the beach. He let the plane feel its way
toward the water, then felt the first bump as the pontoons touched. In a
moment they were down, and Rick swung the plane to taxi in toward their
new home.

Scotty was already stripping off his shoes and socks. As the pontoons
touched bottom a few yards from shore, Scotty climbed out. Rick cut the
gun while his pal pulled the plane up on the beach.

Rick got out and waited until Scotty slipped his shoes on again, then
they walked to the cottage.

The door was unlocked. Few people came to Clipper Cay, and locks weren't
considered necessary. The boys pushed open the front door and walked in.

There was a large living room and three bedrooms, each with twin beds.
In the rear of the cottage was a kitchen with kerosene stove and
kerosene refrigerator. A fifty-gallon drum out back provided the fuel
supply, which was piped in through copper tubing. Rick checked the fuel.
The tank was full. He read the simple instructions tacked to the wall
over the refrigerator, then lighted the burner. There were frozen foods
and soft drinks as well as dairy products among their supplies, packed
in dry ice in the _Water Witch's_ food locker; the refrigerator would be
cold enough for the supplies by the time the boat arrived.

For bathing in fresh water there was an outdoor shower, a shower head
rigged to a five-gallon drum and supported on a frame of two-by-four
wooden members. A canvas curtain gave privacy. Other sanitary facilities
were equally primitive but effective.

Scotty opened the door of a lean-to shed on the rear of the house. "We
can stow our diving gear in here. There's a bench, too. Looks as though
the owner used the place for cleaning fi