Read Ebook: The Rover Boys Shipwrecked; or A Thrilling Hunt for Pirates' Gold by Stratemeyer Edward Rogers Walter S Illustrator

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Ebook has 274 lines and 14327 words, and 6 pages

ainly have had plenty of things happen to-day. We'll tell you all about it when we get back to camp."

Seated comfortably in camp and partaking of a substantial meal gotten ready by the other boys, Jack and Randy told first about the encounter with the lion.

"Gee, I hope you killed him!" cried Fred. "I don't want to meet such a beast as that around here."

"The lion must have come from the yacht," put in Ira Small. "An' if that's so, then the ship must have come ashore on the island."

"That's just what she did," answered Randy. "We saw the wreck lying between the rocks away off to the southeast."

"Did you visit the ship?" questioned Andy, eagerly.

"No. We were too far away, and climbing over those rough rocks is no easy task."

"And now we have something of more importance to tell," said Jack. "That is, we hope it may prove of more importance. Small, I'd like to see those photographs of those thirteen rocks you've been talking about."

"Jumping toadstools, Jack! you don't mean to say that you've spotted those thirteen rocks?" ejaculated Andy, and for a moment he stood straight up, forgetting all about his twisted ankle.

"We certainly did see thirteen rocks; great big ones, too, and all in a circle!" cried Randy, proudly. "Of course; they may not be the thirteen rocks Small has been talking about, but there were thirteen of them, and all in a circle, just as plain as the nose on your face!"

"Hurray! I knowed them rocks was on an island somewhere around here!" burst out the lanky sailor. "I been figgerin' it out in my mind ever since we come ashore. Wait! Somebody give me a sharp pocketknife an' I'll cut them photygraphs loose so you kin see 'em."

The two photographs were soon brought forth from the shirt pocket into which they had been sewn; and by the aid of the searchlight Jack and Randy examined them carefully.

"The same place!" exclaimed Randy. "Don't you think so, Jack?"

"I certainly do!" was the ready reply. "Just look at that rock there and the one over here! Don't you remember how this one had two points and that one had three?"

"Yes, and this one here was just a bit flatter than any of the others. Oh, it's the same place! I'm sure of it!"

"Well, if it's the same place, do you suppose the pirates' gold is there?" questioned Andy, quickly.

"I don't know about that," answered the young major. "The whole center of the circle seems to be formed like a huge bowl and is very rocky. We had no means of getting down to the middle of it. As it was, we slipped two or three times and nearly broke our necks."

"The gold is there, I know it is!" came solemnly from Ira Small. "We'll have to go on a hunt for it first chance we git."

"Of course these pictures weren't taken from anywhere near where we stood," said Jack, after looking at the photographs a second time. "It looks to me as if they'd been taken from the north. And if that's so, then there must be some way of getting down into the rocky bowl from that direction."

"I've no idee how they got to the place," said the lanky sailor. "There must be some kind of a path leadin' from the shore. Mebby the pirates cast anchor outside of the keys an' come ashore in small boats."

"We've got to keep all our weapons handy and somebody will have to remain on guard after this," he said. "We don't want a couple of lions or tigers surprising us."

"Yes, and we don't want any big snakes crawling in to sleep with us," put in Fred, with a shudder.

"Let's keep the fire bright," suggested Andy. "Wild beasts don't like a blaze."

"If we could only get to the wreck of the steam yacht, perhaps we'd be able to find some rifles," said Jack. "Then I'd feel almost like going after those wild beasts. But I don't care to do it with a shotgun or a pistol."

They talked the matter over still further, and in the end made up a regular schedule so that each of the boys, as well as the old sailor, would take his turn at remaining on guard. Of course, the old tar could not do much in the way of moving around, but his eyes and his ears were as alert as any one's, and that was all that was necessary.

The night, however, passed without incident, and morning found Jack and Randy much rested; and with daylight the alarm over the wild beasts subsided somewhat.

"Why can't we build a sort of scow out of the wreckage?" questioned Fred. "We've got plenty of boards and ropes, and I think we could get quite a lot of nails out of the stuff if we set to work to do it."

As nothing else suggested itself, the boys surveyed all the wreckage they had brought ashore and finally concluded they might utilize a portion of it in building a sort of sharp-pointed scow. Then they set to work, Ira Small hobbling down the sandy shore to watch them.

It was no easy task to build the scow, and it was not until noon of the next day that the craft was ready for use. They had nailed it as tight as possible, but this was not saying much, and they relied mostly on the solid flooring with which the scow was furnished to keep them afloat.

"Now we'll have to make some sort of sweeps for it and then we'll be ready to set sail," declared Fred.

All had become so interested in making the scow seaworthy, that, for the time being, the camp had been forgotten.

"I suppose it's about time somebody got grub ready," murmured Andy, presently. "Scow or no scow, I want my dinner."

"Well, you go on back and start things," returned Jack. "Perhaps you'd better go with him, Fred. Randy and I can finish here. We'll be along in a few minutes."

Fred and Andy walked back in the direction of the camp with Ira Small hobbling after them. They had covered not more than half the distance when Andy gave a sudden cry.

"Look what's going on in camp!" he exclaimed. "What in the world are those things, anyway?"

Fully two dozen small forms were moving rapidly in and around the camp. What was being done neither of the boys could surmise until suddenly Fred let out a yell of dismay.

"They're monkeys! What do you know about that!"

"They must be the monkeys from the wrecked yacht," answered his cousin. "And look! Do you see what they're doing? They're carrying off our things!"

AT THE WALL OF ROCKS

Had it not been such a serious situation, the two Rover boys would have been inclined to laugh at what was happening. But they realized that the canned food and other things in the camp meant a great deal to them, and they did not intend that the monkeys should make away with the stuff.

"Get out of there! Scoot! Scat!" yelled Fred, running forward.

He was followed by his cousin, and in a moment more both boys found themselves in the midst of the simians. The monkeys chattered and squeaked in alarm, but none of them seemed to be inclined to retreat. Many of them had found something to eat, and the others were snooping around, doing their best to tear open packages or break open some of the canned goods.

"Get out of here!" yelled Fred. He had scarcely spoken when one of the monkeys dropped a can of beans on his toes and leaped upon the youth's left shoulder. "Hi! Get off of there!"

But instead of getting away, the monkey caught hold of Fred's ear and held tight, shrieking and chattering loudly as he did so.

In the meanwhile two other monkeys leaped upon Andy, one on his shoulder and the other on his back, holding tight to the alarmed boy's collar. The other simians ran back and forth, chattering most infernally. One had picked up a pan brought in from the wreckage, and this he banged upon any object that came to hand.

"For gracious' sake! what's that racket in camp?" exclaimed Jack, looking up suddenly.

"Hi! Hi! Come here! Some monkeys have attacked the two boys!" yelled Ira Small at the top of his lungs. And then, somewhat scared at the unexpected turn of affairs, the lanky sailor blazed away with a shotgun he was carrying.

The aim of the old tar was poor, and the shots scattered into the jungle back of the camp. But the noise had its effect, and in a twinkling all but two of the monkeys began to take their departure. But they did not go empty handed. With loose food, canned stuff and other things in their paws, they scrambled into the jungle, and, amid a wild chattering, disappeared.

"Monkeys, of all things!" burst out Randy, rushing forward beside the young major. "Who ever thought they would come to attack us!"

"They're probably hungry, just the same as that lion was," answered Jack. "There they go!"

The two monkeys that remained were the ones that had clung fast to Fred's ear and one of those which had fastened itself to Andy's collar. These continued to chatter and squeak, but held fast as if seeking companionship and protection.

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