ther but dimly, and the darkness and quietness made
them anything but lighthearted.

"Supposing some wild beast comes to chew us up," said Sam, presently,
after a silence that was positively painful.

"We know there are no big beasts on these islands," answered Dick.
"Don't worry yourself unnecessarily, Sam. We've got troubles enough as
it is."

"The only beasts here are human beasts," said Tom, "and their names
are Merrick, Sobber, Cuffer and Shelley," and he said this so dryly
his brothers had to laugh.

Slowly the night wore away, each hour dragging more than that which
preceded it. Two or three times the boys tried again to liberate
themselves, but fared no better than before, indeed, Dick fared worse,
for he came close to spraining his left wrist. The pain for a while
was intense and it was all he could do to keep from crying out.

"I'd like to know what time it is," said Sam, when the first streak of
dawn began to show among the trees.

"And I'd like to know if Merrick has found the treasure cave," added
Dick.

"It will soon be morning," came from Tom, and he was right. The rising
sun did not penetrate to where they stood, but it tipped the tops of
the trees with gold and made it light enough for them to see each
other quite plainly.

The boys were glad that day had come at last, for being prisoners in
the light was not half as bad as in the dark. Each looked at the
others rather curiously.

"Well, we are still here," said Tom laconically.

"Yes, and liable to stay here," added Sam.

"I wonder if father is getting ready to land," said Dick. "I suppose
if he does he will come ashore where we did."

"Yes, but that is a good distance from here," was Sam's comment.

"Wonder if it would do us any good to yell?" said Tom.

"And bring Merrick and his gang down on us," said his younger brother.
"No, thank you."

"I don't believe they are around," said Dick. "I am going to try my
lungs." And he began to yell with all the power of his vocal organs.
Then Tom and Sam joined in, and they kept this up, off and on, for
fully an hour.

"I am not only dry but hungry," said Tom. "Wish I had that lunch we
brought along."

"Tad Sobber sneaked that away," said Dick. "If ever there was a fellow
with a heart of stone he's the chap. Why, Dan Baxter in his worst days
wasn't as bad as this young rascal."

Another hour went by and then Dick uttered an exclamation:

"Listen!"

"What did you hear?" asked his brothe