"Hey, fellows!" he cried. "Don't leave me. Help! He'll get me sure! Stay with me!"

His appeal touched the hearts of his chums.

"We can't leave him like that!" said Frank.

"No," panted Sammy. "We'll have to stay with him."

They slid along, unable at first to stop on the slippery ice, and then they slowly came to a halt. Turning, they went back to pick up Bob, but he had already scrambled to his feet, and was running after them.

"He isn't coming," said Frank, catching sight of the strange man, standing on the shore of the island, near where the boys had landed. "I guess he isn't going to chase us."

"It's a good thing, too," panted Bob.

"Why?" asked Frank, with a smile.

"Because if he'd come after me I'd have hit him with my skates; that's what I would!" boasted Bob.

[Pg 42]

[Pg 42]

"What did you run for then?" asked Sammy.

"'Cause you fellows did. Think I was going to stay there all alone and tackle him? I was not! So he isn't coming after us; eh?"

"No, there he stands," answered Sammy, peering through the darkness. They could just make out the old hermit, and as they looked they saw him shake his fist at them. Then he disappeared behind a tree.

"Well, come on, let's get on our skates and make for home," proposed Frank. "It's getting late, and the folks will be worried."

"That's right," agreed Sammy. "But I guess, after this, you fellows will believe what I tell you about hermits and—and things; won't you?"

"Well, you were right about the hermit," admitted Frank. "He sure is there. But that doesn't say there's treasure on the island."

"Treasure! Of course there is!" insisted Sammy. "Did you ever know of a hermit where there wasn't treasure? That's what hermits are for—to guard a treasure."

"Well, maybe," said Bob, slowly. "Anyhow if there was treasure on the island, I wouldn't want to hunt for it if that terrible old 

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