duds," said Jarrow. "As soon as there's
a capful of wind, we'll see what we can do about gittin' out of
this hole, unless you want to go prospectin' ashore, Mr. Trask."

"Not with those fellows there," said Trask, looking over to where
the boat was making a landing far up the beach. The other two men
came down to meet the boat's crew, and there was a lively
conference.

"But we can't go and leave poor old Dinshaw," said Marjorie.

Jarrow looked at Trask questioningly.

"How about it?" he asked. "Are we goin' to hang around and take
chances just to pick up the old un?"

"We can't leave Dinshaw," said Trask. "We've got to get him before
we think of leaving."

"You can suit yerself," said Jarrow. "I'm for gittin' out. They
won't hurt him. Soon's we're gone, they'll all make over for the
mainland. They've got some canned meat and hard bread. They took a
lot of stuff with 'em last night."

Jarrow departed for his room, leaving a wet trail behind him.

"He's all right," whispered Locke. "If we can get Dinshaw, we're
fixed up to leave."

"We'll keep an eye on the captain just the same," said Trask. "I
rather think he's had all he wants of Peth and the crew, even if he
was going to stand in with them at one time."

"Oh, I guess he's straight enough," said Locke. "But you didn't
tell him about that gold."

"He was keen about what you'd found," said Marjorie. "I suppose he
didn't understand what the steward said."

Trask laughed, and leaning over to Locke, whispered: "There wasn't
any gold in the sand."

"No gold?" said Locke, staring at him.

"No. The 'gold' was just some brass filings I made in the
forecastle out of an old brass cleat that was hanging on a nail in
my room for a clothes hook," and he took from his pocket the piece
of metal and displayed the groove he had cut in it with the file.

"What the dickens did you do that for?" asked Locke.

"To see if Doc would stand in with the crew, although I didn't
expect it would result in his pulling a gun on me. I thought that
if he was against us, he'd try to get back ashore with the news.
Now if they think the island is full of gold, they'll be content to
stay there and not bother us. But I didn't want to fool Jarrow. He
might not be so anxious to leave, if he had what he thought to be
proof that there was plenty of gold."

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Marjorie. "I'd hoped that Dinshaw's dream had
come true."

"Had me going all right," said Locke.

Before l