with him; did he--those papers that contain the evidence?"

"No, I have them--he has only ze copies."

"Well, then you needn't worry. When this storm blows over, we'll all
get busy on this rescue business!" and Jack spoke with a return of
his old energy. He was becoming more like himself every day now, and
even the stress and danger of the storm had no hampering effects on
him.

"Oh, you Americans!" exclaimed Inez, with a pretty pathetic gesture.
"You speak of such queer English--to rescue is no business--it
demands intrigue--secrecy."

"Well, we'll make it our business," said Walter, grimly, "But, Inez,
don't scare the other girls. We have troubles enough without that,
you know, with Mr. Robinson away. Just make a bluff at feeling all
right."

"A bluff, Senor--a bluff--a high hill--I am to make a high hill of
feeling good?" and she looked puzzled.

"Translate, Jack," begged Walter, hopelessly, and Jack, nothing
loath, took Inez off into a corner of the hotel parlor to explain.

But with all their assumed right-heartedness, the boys were finally
genuinely alarmed. Indefinite reports came to the hotel of much
danger and damage to shipping, and several large steamers were said
to have gone on the reefs which abounded in that region of islands.
No direct news came of the Ramona. In fact, she had not been