uestioned Songbird.

"So he told Merrick," answered Wingate. "He said he was the one to
speak of the isle first, for he had visited it half a dozen times
during his voyages among the West Indies."

"Then they may be on the north side of the island now!" cried Fred.

After that Walt Wingate was questioned closely and he told all he knew
about Merrick and his plans. He was very humble, and insisted upon it
that he had meant to do no more than put Bahama Bill into a sound
sleep.

"Well, you are a dangerous character," said Captain Barforth. "For the
present I am going to keep you a prisoner," and a few minutes later he
had Wingate handcuffed and placed under lock and key in a small
storeroom. The deck hand did not like this, but he was thankful to
escape a worse fate.

Anxious to know if the _Josephine_ was anywhere in the vicinity of the
isle, some of those on board the _Rainbow_ ascended one of the masts and
attempted to look across the land. But a hill shut off the view.

"We'll have to wait until morning," said Mr. Rover, and was about to
go down to the deck when something attracted his attention. It was a
strange shaft of light shooting up from along the trees in the center
of Treasure Isle.

"A searchlight!" he cried. "Somebody is on shore, and it must be
Merrick with his crowd." And this surmise was correct, as we already
know.

CHAPTER XXIV

A MISSING LANDMARK

The searchlight was watched with interest for fully quarter of an
hour. It was, of course, visible only now and then, but from the
shafts of light seen, those on the steam yacht were certain somebody
was moving from the north side of the isle to the location of the
treasure cave.

"We ought to head them off, if possible," declared Anderson Rover.
"Should that be Merrick's crowd and they meet my sons there will
surely be trouble!"

"Let us go ashore without delay!" said Songbird, who was sorry he had
not accompanied the Rover boys.

"That's what I say!" added Fred. "We can take plenty of lights."

"I vos not von pit sleepy," declared Hans. "I go kvick, of you said
so, Mr. Rofer."

"If yo' go, don't forgit Aleck!" pleaded the colored man.

"You shall go, Aleck," answered Mr. Rover, who knew he could depend
upon the colored man in any emergency.

"I hope you find Dick, and Tom and Sam," said Dora. "It was foolish
for them to go off alone."

"And don't let Merrick hurt anybody," pleaded Nellie.

It was quickly decided that the