produced the strange scene the night before. Not only was the ground trampled, but on one mangrove root that bent upward and curved into a sort of prong, they discovered a strip of cloth that looked like part of a bed sheet. But there was no sign of the chests of treasure! 

“It’s a queer thing!” Nicky declared. His chums agreed. 

“Say!” exclaimed Tom suddenly, pointing toward the sloop, “what’s Sam doing? Look—he’s hoisting the mainsail!” 

Sam was doing exactly that. 

“Ahoy—Sam!” hailed Nicky through cupped hands. Sam did not answer. 

“Sam! Sam!” shouted all three. They saw the colored man turn and look toward them. Then he picked up a small megaphone that was part of the boat’s equipment and roared at them. 

“I’m going away from here, sars! Yes, sar! Going from here!” “He’s been scared almost crazy!” declared Cliff, “but he can’t go away——” “——And leave us—and Mr. Neale!” cried Tom. 

Nicky began kicking off his shoes. As he doffed coat and cap, his chums followed his example. Together they plunged into the water and swam lustily toward the Treasure Belle. It was a race against Sam’s swift movements. The sail was up. The anchor came in with a groan of its chain. Cliff, a few strokes in the lead, redoubled his efforts. The Treasure Belle began to move through the water, taking a puff of wind in the early morning gusts.Nicky and Cliff desisted from their effort. Tom, desperate, seemed fairly to race toward the stem of the moving slope—but her pace accelerated. She stood away toward the neck through which she would apparently head out toward Biscayne Bay and the open water. From the stern Sam waved a hand in farewell!

CHAPTER XI

ONE MYSTERY IS SOLVED

Swimming dejectedly back to their small bit of beach the chums took off their soaked clothes and hung them in the sun to dry.

“Well, here we are!” observed Nicky ruefully.

“Well, here we are!” mimicked Cliff. “Don’t you like it? I thought you were fond of mystery and adventure!”

“Whether I am or not, I’m getting it!” Nicky admitted. “But this was more than I bargained for.”

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