The good news spread like lightning.

"A ship! an American warship is coming!" was the cry.

"Oh, how thankful I am," came from Dora.

"What shall we do next?" asked Nellie, with tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

"We'll go to the sh.o.r.e and meet the small boat that is sent in,"

answered Captain Blossom.

Without delay he set out, accompanied by d.i.c.k and old Jerry, leaving the others to defend the cave during his absence.

It was nearly two hours before he returned.

"The ship is the cruiser _Jefferson_," he said. "She is bound for Honolulu, to await orders. The captain says he will take us on board willingly, and he will do what he can to help us bring those other fellows to justice."

"Hurrah!" cried Tom. "If that is so, then our troubles as castaways are over."

"And we are not sorry," said Grace. "Not a bit sorry."

And all of the others agreed with her.

A few words more and I will bring to a close this story of the Rover boys' adventures on land and sea.

The captain of the warship was true to his word, and before nightfall all who had been in the cave were safe on board of the Jefferson.

Those who were wounded or hurt were given the best of medical attention, and everybody was made comfortable.

"What attracted me to the islands was the bright reflection in the sky when the wreck was burnt," said the captain of the cruiser. "I thought perhaps that a volcano had become active. But at daybreak we saw nothing unusual, and were about to turn away when the lookout discovered your flag of distress."

"What will you do about the mutineers and Dan Baxter?" asked d.i.c.k.

"We'll bring them to justice, if we can, lad."

When a visit was paid to the burnt house n.o.body was in sight. But in the woods nearby a wounded sailor was discovered. He was badly hurt, and, though given every care, died two days later while on shipboard.

"You'll have a job finding Lesher, Baxter, and the others," he said, when being attended. "They said they wouldn't give in to anybody, and when they learned the warship was here they rowed away in a boat for one of the other islands, They'll hide away until after you are gone."

"If that's the case, let them stay here," said Captain Blossom. "It will be punishment enough for them to live here without any stores."

"They may find those at the cave," said Tom.

"Even so, those stores won't last forever," said d.i.c.k. "Yes, they will be punished enough, for there is no telling when another ship will stop here and take them away."

"More than likely they'll have to remain here a year or two," said Captain Blossom.

Everything of value was taken to the warship, and twenty-four hours later the Jefferson steamed away on her journey to the Hawaiian Islands.

"How glad mother will be to learn that I am safe!" said Dora to d.i.c.k.

"It will be good news to all of our folks," answered d.i.c.k. "They will welcome us as from the grave."

"I hope we can get a steamer directly from Honolulu to San Francisco,"

said Tom. "Our little vacation has proved unusually long."

"Do you think that we will ever see Dan Baxter again?" questioned Sam.

"I hardly think so," said d.i.c.k. "After what has happened he will not dare to show his face again." But Dan Baxter did show himself, and what he did to harm the Rover boys in the future will be told in another volume of this series, ent.i.tled "The Rover Boys in Camp; or The Rivals of Pine Island," in which we shall meet many of our old friends again. It may be as well to mention here that Baxter and two sailors escaped from the seven islands just one week after our friends left it.

The others, including Jack Lesher, lost their lives while in a quarrel over the last bottle of rum which the mate had brought with him from the burning wreck. Their taking off was an awful example of the evils of intemperance.

It was soon seen that Bostwick was not seriously burnt, and before the trip to Honolulu was over he was able to sit up and to walk a little. The wounds of those who had been shot proved slight.

"We are well out of that adventure," said Tom one evening, as the Rover boys and the girls sat on the deck in the starlight. "And I don't know as I want to go through anything like it again."

"All I am thinking of is home, sweet home," said Sam.

"Just what was in my mind," answered d.i.c.k. "How father and Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha will welcome us!"

"Let us sing," put in Dora, and in a moment more all were singing the first verse of "Home, Sweet Home"; and here let us bid them good-by.