"You're about right," said Ben, "but there's plenty who do look for it,
and spend their lives at it and don't get nothing. This here is one of
them islands, and I thought mebby you boys had come a-lookin' for
something like that. Boys haven't anymore sense."

"Thank you, but you'll find that the Hilltop boys have a good deal more
sense than that."

After breakfast two of the yacht's boats were lowered, and some of the
boys went ashore to explore the island and amuse themselves in various
ways while the captain sent a party to find the outlet of the bay, and see
what their chances for leaving the island might be.

Jack, Percival, Harry, Arthur and young Smith went on one boat, and were
the first to land, walking up the beach and into the woods as the other
boat came ashore.

Picking a path as they went on Jack and his companions pushed into the
deep everglade, the lush undergrowth sometimes quite impeding their
progress, and making their advance very slow.

"If we were going to be here any time," said Percival, "we should have to
make a path so that we could get about with greater rapidity. If we had
thought to bring an axe it would have been better."

After a time their progress was more rapid, as the undergrowth was less
rank, and they went on with more comfort.

Many varieties of cactus, prickly pears, plums and plants with the most
gorgeous flowers lined their path, and gave constant delight to young