“But why should he want to do a thing like that?” “That’s not so plain. But we’d better get back and see if Bill is all right. There may be more than one of them after us.” “There’s one anyhow all right,” Gordon said as he started after Rogers on the run. Bill was cleaning the motor of the Albatross when they got back and looked up in surprise as he heard them. “Found it all ready?” he asked. “Seen anyone around here?” Rogers asked instead of replying to his question. “Not a soul.” “Well, we have,” Gordon told him. “You have?” “And he pretty near got one of us,” Gordon added. “You mean——?” “Yep, just that,” and Gordon told him what had happened. “That’s serious,” Bill said when he had finished. “I’ll say it is,” Rogers agreed. “And it means that we’ve got to find out what’s up before we do any more searching after the lost treasure,” Bill told them. “You hit the nail on the head that time,” Rogers declared. “And the best way to do it is to take the plane and make a search all over this part of the island,” Bill advised. Ten minutes later they were in the air and for two hours flew back and forth until they had covered the entire end of the island. But not a sign of human life did they see, and about six o’clock they returned to camp greatly disappointed. “But there’s plenty of places where a fellow could hide so that we couldn’t see him from the plane,” Rogers told them as they climbed from the cockpit. “And it doesn’t mean a thing that we didn’t see him,” Gordon added. “Or them,” Bill amended. “But we’ve got to find him or them,” Gordon insisted. “Or else give up and beat it home,” Bill grinned. “Not on your life,” Gordon snorted. “I’m not going to be run off by any little two by four like that fellow.” “I thought not,” Rogers said. “But one thing’s certain. We must not go below those cliffs again till we know what’s up. We haven’t a chance against a fellow up on top with a good sized rock.” “Not a chance in the world,” Gordon agreed. “How about some eats?” Supper was rather a quiet meal. No one seemed to have much to say, each being busy with his own thoughts and, even when they were gathered around the fire after darkness had fallen conversation languished. “I’ll take the first watch until one o’clock,” Bill finally said. “Call me then,” Rogers told him. “And when do I come in?” Gordon demanded. “I’ll call you at four,” Rogers promised. “After it gets light: nothing doing. It’s nine now and Bill will watch till twelve and you till three and then I’ll finish it out. Get me?” “All right, have it your own way,” Rogers laughed. “And you call us if you see or hear the least thing that seems suspicious,” Gordon added as he rolled himself in his blanket and crawled into his tent. “I won’t take any chances,” Bill promised as he put some more wood on the fire. CHAPTER VII WHERE IS GORDON?