The island that lies there is a long, narrow, barren strip of sand, dotted thickly with dunes. Only a coarse marsh grass grows, with dwarfed pines and cedars. In this bleak spot live and thrive droves of wild ponies, of uncertain ancestry. It was these creatures that just now held the attention of two persons on the yacht. Under the awning in the stern, two girls were chatting as they dawdled over their morning chocolate. The younger and prettier of these was Josephine Blaise, the motherless daughter of the yacht-owner; the other was Florence Marlow, her most intimate friend. "Dad told me I could have the runabout ashore," Josephine was saying, with a sudden access of animation. "We'll go along the beach, as long as the going's good, or till we scare up the ponies." "I do hope we'll see them digging holes in the sand, so as to get fresh water," Florence exclaimed. But Josephine was quick to dissent: "They don't dig for water," she explained, with a superior air. "They dig the holes in the beach when the tides out, and then the tide comes in and fills the holes, of course. When it ebbs, the ponies go around and pick out the fish, and eat them." Florence stared disbelievingly. "Oh, what a whopper!" she cried. "Captain Hawks told me himself," Josephine asserted, with confidence. "He knows all about them--he's seen them wild on the island and tame on the mainland." "Same ones, probably!" was the tart retort. "I thought the doctor lied ably, but he's truth itself compared with that hairy skipper of yours." Josephine tossed her head. "We'll run 'em down and observe their habits, scientifically, and convince you." A glance shoreward showed the car awaiting them. As they descended the ladder to the launch, a yelp sounded from the deck, and a bull-terrier came charging after. Florence regarded the dog without any evidence of pleasure. "Does the pest go, too?" she asked, resignedly. Josephine pulled the terrier's ears fondly, as it cuddled close against her skirt. "Chubbie deserves an outing after the bump he got from that horrid man yesterday," she said.