"And how are you going at it?" came from Tom. "A friend of mine in Philadelphia, a Mr. Dale, has a steam yacht which he is not going to use this summer, as he is going to Europe. I have determined to charter that yacht and go on a cruise among the West Indies. It will be a fine outing for the summer, even if we don't locate Treasure Isle, as Mr. Stanhope called the spot." "And you'll take us along?" asked Tom, quickly. "If you want to go." "If we want to go? Does a duck want to swim, or a dog want to scratch fleas? Of course we want to go." "Such a trip will suit me to a T," said Sam. "And I hope with all my heart we locate that treasure," he added earnestly. "Of course you'll take this Bahama Jack along," said Dick. "Yes, and I have promised him a big reward if the treasure is recovered," answered his father. "Who else will be in the party?" At this question Anderson Rover's eyes began to sparkle. "I was going to keep it a secret, but perhaps I had better tell you. The steam yacht is a large one and can readily accommodate fifteen or twenty passengers. I have decided to ask Mrs. Stanhope to go and bring Dora, and will also ask the Lanings. Then they will know exactly what is being done to recover the treasure. In addition, if you want to take some of your chums with you, as you did on that houseboat trip----" "Hurrah, just the thing!" burst out Sam. "Let us take Fred Garrison by all means." "Yes, and Songbird Powell and Hans Mueller," added Tom. "They will help to make things lively." "Can they go?" questioned Dick. "We can telegraph and find out," answered Tom. "I'll telegraph this afternoon," he added, always ready to do things on the rush. "We ought to get an answer to-night or to-morrow morning." "When do you want to start on the trip?" asked Dick. "As soon as the party can be made up, and the steam yacht can be gotten in readiness. I have already instructed the captain to provision her for the trip." "Then she has a captain and a crew?" "Oh, yes, she carries ten men, including an engineer and his assistant." "That is certainly fine!" said Dick, and he smiled as he thought of what a nice trip they would have with Dora Stanhope on board. Dick was not "moonstruck," but he had a manly regard for Dora that did him credit. After that Anderson Rover gave them many more details regarding the treasure, and his talks with Bahama Jack and of what he hoped to accomplish. He had a fair idea of the latitude and longitude of Treasure Isle, which, he had been told, was of coral formation, covered with palms and shaped somewhat like a horseshoe. "Bahama Jack says the treasure cave is about In the center of the inner curve of the island, but that you cannot sail close to it on account of the numerous reefs. You have to land on the island in a small boat, and that is why very few ships stop there. Natives of that vicinity occasionally go there for fruit and for birds, but there is no regular village on the island."