The Hilltop Boys on Lost Island | Page 8

into deeper water, but as far as we can tell now we are safe enough.
Where we are, however, will have to be determined when the sun
comes out."

The boys were reassured by this news, and after a time some of them
went out on deck, the yacht being now almost motionless, the waves
just lapping their sides, and running lazily up a beach, which they could
now just make out at a little distance.
It grew lighter and lighter quite rapidly, and at length the sun appeared,
and they found themselves in a landlocked bay with a white beach in
front of them, beyond that a thick grove of palms of various kinds,
green hills on all sides and in the distance, straight ahead, a hill of
considerable size crowned with a thick growth of trees.
As the sun grew brighter the scene increased in attractiveness, and the
greater part of the boys were charmed by it, making many exclamations
of delight, as they turned from one object to another.
"It's a fine place wherever it is," said Jack. "I suppose they will locate it
to-morrow, and perhaps some one will come out to the yacht, and tell
us where we are."
"I don't see any sign of dwellings," murmured Percival. "Perhaps there
are no people on it. Not all of these little islands are inhabited, and I
suppose it is an island?"
"Probably, for I do not think we are near the South American coast.
Some one will know after a bit, doubtless. At any rate, we are safe and
that is a good deal."
One of the officers came along where the two boys were standing, and
Jack asked him if he knew where they were.
"No, I don't," was the answer. "We have not been able to get an
observation yet, and we started off at such a gait that it was impossible
to tell where we were going or at what rate. We will probably locate
ourselves in the morning, but there is no danger so you can make your
minds easy on that point, young gentlemen."
"There is a good deal in that, sir," said both boys.

CHAPTER IV
CAUGHT ON LOST ISLAND
The sun set gloriously, and after a short twilight common to those
latitudes the full moon arose over the hills, and all the stars came out
little by little till the heavens were full of them.
The moon dimmed their brightness somewhat, but they were still very
brilliant, and the night was a glorious one, the air warm and balmy, the
breeze just enough to temper the heat of the air, and all around them sea
and shore bathed in moonlight.
After dinner, which was served in the saloon as usual, the boys went
out on deck for the most part, and enjoyed the beautiful evening, being
dispersed in little groups here and there, some seated and some walking
the decks.
"We are safe enough, anyhow," observed Jack to Percival and a few of
the boys who were seated on deck with him, "and I suppose we will not
leave here till the morning at any rate."
"We are sheltered in this bay, and even if there should be a storm
outside we will not feel it," returned Percival. "I hardly think there is
one, and it seems strange that we should have caught that cyclone at
this time of the year. Isn't it unusual?"
"You can't call anything unusual in the tropics," laughed Jack. "I
believe you are liable to catch anything at any time here from yellow
fever to a tornado. They seem to have them always on hand."
"Well, we are safe now, at any rate, and I am glad for that much. We
will make the best of this fine night, and take other things as they
come."
It was late when the last of the boys went to bed, for they all wanted to
make the most of the fine night, but they were all up early the next

morning, anxious to learn where they were, and if they would stay at
the island or put to sea again.
Jack was the first of the boys on deck, and when he reached there he
saw Dr. Wise talking to the captain and the first officer, there being a
grizzled old seaman conversing with Bucephalus at a short distance.
The doctor and the officers seemed to be carrying on a very earnest
conversation, and Jack heard a little of it as he came forward, and then
suddenly stopped, fearing that he might be intruding.
"We are on the bottom, sir, and I don't know how long we may be
there," said Captain Storms. "The next high tide may raise us, and it
may not. It is my opinion that