“I’m game for anything,” said the boy. “Perhaps he only intended to frighten us off. He would hardly be likely to shoot us in cold blood when we got near, would he?” “Jim, your skin is as precious to you as ours is to us,” Tempest said. “Are you agreeable to running the risk of looking like a sieve?” “Sieve?” the Kanaka repeated without understanding. “There’s a kindly disposed gentleman over there who wants to make little holes in us with a gun, and he may do so if we go much nearer. But we particularly do want to go nearer. Do you mind?” Jim shrugged his shoulders. “Good enough,” said Tempest. “Now, Joe Flagg, we’ll just see a little further into this matter. I’ll have a word with you if it kills me.” He brought the boat round and she moved once more towards the wreck. There was no sign of any human being ashore. The _Nautilus_ ran another hundred yards without interruption before the crack of another shot rang out, and there was a splash sixty feet ahead of them. “Keep your heads ducked well down, boys,” said Tempest. “He couldn’t shoot a haystack in a passage. If only we can get ashore we may be all right.” They were twenty yards from the beach when a bullet crashed through the side of the _Nautilus_ just above her water line, and grazed Jim’s leg. At the same moment the form of Joe Flagg emerged from the trees. Holding his rifle up menacingly he advanced to meet the incoming boat. “Good afternoon, Mr. Flagg,” greeted Tempest. “You’re looking very well. Pretty scenery about here, isn’t it.” “If you come any nearer I’ll shoot the lot of you,” snarled the fat man. There was nothing urbane about his manner. The mask was off now. “You’re not feeling very well, Mr. Flagg,” said Tempest. “Perhaps you had a bad night’s rest. I’m afraid you’ve had a long journey and you must be tired.” “This island is private property,” snapped Flagg. “It’s mine, see? And I don’t allow any trespassing. Keep off, or there’ll be a quick funeral.” “You’ve bought it in a mighty hurry,” replied Tempest. “You don’t happen to have the title-deeds about you, do you? Now, don’t try to be funny,” he added sharply. “We’re a long way from civilization, but even in the middle of the Pacific you can’t kill people with impunity. There’s a law against it, you know, Mr. Flagg.” “Dead men don’t tell tales,” Flagg snapped, “and I warn you you’ll be as dead as mutton if you land here. It’s my island, and I won’t have any one on it.” “I hate to argue with you under the circumstances,” said Tempest, “but I’m afraid I don’t believe that yarn. Now, listen, I’ll make you a little business proposition.” “What is it?” asked Flagg. “We will assume that we are all here for the same purpose.” “I’m not here for my health,” said Flagg ungraciously. “Precisely. You came after our treasure.” “That’s my business.”