"You just said they had," Grant reminded him. "You also said that the treasure was gone. You are contradicting yourself."

"Well, you'd think some one would find it," exclaimed George. "An island as big as this one couldn't very well be overlooked if any one came near it at all."

"Apparently no one does come near it," said Fred. "How many boats have we seen since the _Josephine_ burned?"

"Not one," said Grant.

"Why is it?" demanded Fred. "In this day and age, when the ocean is so covered with ships, you'd certainly think we'd see at least one."

"We never even saw any of the other lifeboats," said John.

"That's true," Fred exclaimed. "How do you account for it?"

"I don't," said Grant. "It's a strange thing all around."

"Well, if we're going to be stranded here for a few years we might just as well spend part of the time looking for the treasure," said Fred.

"Everything seems to point to the fact that there is some here. That cave and the chest and the two codes and the queer rock that fits in so well with what Sam has heard, everything about it sounds like treasure and lots of it."

"If we could only be the ones to find it," sighed John. "Just think of going home rich; rich with pearls and diamonds and emeralds and gold doubloons and bars of gold all dug up from some old pirate's hiding place. If we only could!"

"Perhaps we can," exclaimed Fred, much thrilled by John's description of the wealth that might be theirs. "My opinion is that we must translate those codes first, though. Wouldn't it be awful if they didn't apply to this island after all."

"But they do," insisted Grant. "I know they do."

"And I think so, too," exclaimed John. "Let's go to work."

CHAPTER XVI

THE RIDDLE

Days pa.s.sed and weeks rolled by. The four friends and their colored companion still remained on the mysterious island. The flag still flew from the hill and all day long one or another of the boys kept a lookout from a spot near by. No boat came to rescue them, however, and the little party of castaways had almost come to believe that the rest of their days were to be spent on this little island somewhere in an unknown sea.

Once John on watch had seen smoke. Far off on the horizon appeared a smudge from the funnels of some pa.s.sing steamer. It was too far away however to discover their signal or even to see their island. He had watched it hopefully until it finally disappeared over the rim of the ocean. That was the only sign of a vessel that had been sighted so far.

However, the boys were not in want. Their clothes were becoming ragged and their hair unkempt, but they were well fed and healthy. If it had not been for the fact that they knew they could not leave they might have been measurably contented. They were now living in the cave as snug and comfortable as could be desired. The fact that they were short of clothes did not bother them, either, for the weather was warm and clothes were more of a burden than a necessity.

As yet they had discovered no treasure. Hour after hour they had puzzled over the mysterious numbers on the parchment, but as yet no one had been able to solve their riddle.

"It makes me mad," said John one day. "I sit and stare at those crazy figures until it seems as if I must go crazy myself. I never get even a clew as to what they mean, but at the same time the more I study them the more sure I am that they have a meaning."

"And I, too," agreed Grant. "I know they mean something. I'm sure of it."

"Until we discover what it is we are practically helpless," said John.

"We can't dig up the whole island looking for buried gold, you know. We must have directions."

"I certainly would laugh," exclaimed George, "if some one did find out what those figures mean and then we discovered that it didn't apply to this island at all."

"What would be so funny in that?" demanded Fred.

"Think how you'd all be fooled."

"Yes, and you'd be just as badly off as any of us," said Fred. "If we don't find any money, you won't get anything any more than we will."

"Maybe he doesn't like money," said John. "He seems sort of hopeful that we won't find any."

"You've got to prove to me that you are going to find any first," said George. "A set of funny looking numbers and a queer looking rock that Sam says he remembers hearing about and a cave with an empty chest in it doesn't necessarily mean money, in my opinion."

"Dey does in mine," exclaimed Sam, rolling his eyes rapturously towards heaven. "Ef we only could find dat treasah Ah sho' would show dem fresh c.o.o.ns back dar in Richmond a thing or two. Oh, Lawdy!" and Sam executed a few steps of a clog dance just to show his delight at the mere thought.

"What would you do if you had a lot of money, Sam?" asked Grant smilingly.

"Well," began the enthusiastic darky, "de berry fust thing dat Ah would do would be to buy mahself de grandes' lookin' suit ob clothes yo' ebber did see."

"What kind of a suit?" inquired Grant.

"A checked suit," said Sam. "A checked suit wif black an' white checks as big as a postage stamp. Den Ah would get mahself some ob dem dare patent leather shoes. Den," and Sam drew in his breath luxuriously, "Ah would purchase a bran' span red necktie an' square in de middle ob dat Ah would place de bigges' an' de grandes' diamon' ho'shoe yo' ebber set yo' eyes upon."

"Is that all you'd buy?" laughed George.

Sam gave him a scornful look. "No, indeedy," he maintained stoutly.

"Nex' Ah would buy one o' dem high shiny hats and den a cane, den a pair of dem yaller gloves, an' say, mebbe dem n.i.g.g.ahs back home wouldn' be jealous ob Samuel."

"I guess they would, all right," exclaimed Grant, much entertained by Sam's description of the way he would spend his money. "Wouldn't you buy anything but clothes, though?"

"Ob co'se Ah would," said Sam. "Not at de fust, though. Ah'd jest get mah new clothes on an' den walk down de street so't ob cahless like an'

in two minutes yo' gwine see ebbery wench in town jes' a follerin' me.

Oh, say, golly, mebbe dem n.i.g.g.ahs wouldn't be jealous!" and Sam laughed aloud, the thought was so pleasant for him to contemplate.

"Well, I hope you get it, Sam," said Fred heartily. "If you get it we all do."

"Except Pop," added Fred.

"Why not me?" demanded George in an aggrieved tone. "Why don't I get any?"

"Because you don't think there's anything here worth taking," said Fred.

"You keep making fun of us all the time and telling us there is no treasure on the island. If you aren't interested enough to do some work it seems only natural that you won't want any of the treasure."

"Why, you little shrimp," exclaimed George, pretending to be very angry and glowering down upon his stubby companion, "don't you know that I have been joshing you fellows all this time? If there's anything here worth working for you can be dead sure I'm willing to do my share. All I say is that you prove it to me first."

"Why should we prove it to you?" inquired Grant. "Why don't you get to work and help us prove it to ourselves? After we have found where the stuff is any one can go and get it. What we want to know is the spot where it's hidden."

"Quite true," George admitted. "At the same time you must admit that you are all taking a great deal for granted. You seem to think that there is no doubt about there being treasure on the island and also that this code when deciphered will tell you just where it is."

"We hope that's the case," said Grant. "Of course we can't tell until we've found out what the code says. That's what we're trying to do now."