It seemed a very long time before he caught a movement there, and then
saw the hand of the scout-master beckoning to him.

"Stay here, as Thad wants to talk with me," he told the rest, after
which he strode forth to join the other.

"Well, did you find out anything?" he asked, the first thing.

"Only this," replied Thad, solemnly, "the island is occupied by a party
of several rough men, who have a boat in a sheltered cove over there,
and a cabin half hidden among the rocks and brushwood; but the mystery
of it all is, what they may be doing here, and why they look on us as
enemies!"




CHAPTER XIX

BAD NEIGHBORS


"It seems to be getting worse and worse, the further we go, don't it,
Thad?" Allan asked, after he had had time to digest the startling
information which his chum had imparted, as they stood there within the
outer edge of the glow cast by Giraffe's camp-fire under the overhanging
ledge of rock.

"Looks that way," replied the other, seriously enough, for he did not