boat. Why, lad, you
must be joking."

"I was," replied Jim, laughing. "I just want to reassure brother
Jo,--that was all."

"Somebody ought to go and cheer up Tom and Jeems Howell," remarked Jo,
in order to give himself some sea standing in the eyes of Captain
Kerns. "They are as sick as puppies down in the cabin."

"Don't blame 'em much," cried Jim, "this motion would upset a shark's
liver."

If you have read "The Frontier Boys in Hawaii," you will be well
acquainted with these conversationalists on the good sea-going yacht,
the _Sea Eagle_, but if not, you will have to be introduced, "Mr.
Reader, this is Skipper James Darlington."

"Happy to make your acquaintance, hope you are a good sailor?"

"Mr. Reader, allow me to present Captain Kerns."

Captain Kerns merely grunts, and, kind Mr. Reader, you must overlook
his lack of formality, because the captain is an old salt and his
manners are a little briny.

In way of further explanation, I may say that the Frontier Boys are
just returning from a trip to Hawaii in which they have explored the
wonderful crater of Haleapala on the Island of Maui, and their ship
the _Sea Eagle_, whose capture is another story, is pointing her prow
eastward through the rough channel that separates Hawaii and Maui.

They are en route to the coast of California, and as soon as they
land they have planned to make an exploring expedition into the
wilds of The Sierra Nevadas, in search of a lost mine, rumors of which
have come to their ears. Besides the three Frontier Boys and their
comrade Juarez, there is their friend Jeems Howell, a shepherd and
philosopher, from a small island off the coast of California; Captain
Kerns, a retired ship's master who was persuaded to come along merely
to supervise; Jim, the oldest of the three brothers, being the acting
commander, though generally referred to as skipper. And besides these,
there is old Pete, an ancient mariner, the engineer, and a sturdy boy
below who does a good deal of the stoking.

Besides these _dramatis personae_, there is a general chorus of
Mermen and Mermaids, sharks, porpoises, sea serpents _et al._; as Jo
Darlington would say, it was the sharks that _et all_. But this is no
reflection upon the appetites of the boys, which was invariably good,
if we may except Tom Darlington and Jeems Howell just at the present
moment.

Now, on with the voyage: as the principals have been introduced and
are ready, they can come to close gr