Chapter XII: Luck--Or Ill-Luck?

When Matt and Dick reached the top of the ridge they could see their Dutch chum prancing around on the beach. He was on the side of the island directly across from the cove, and the object, whatever it was, that claimed his attention seemed to be lying in the sand.

"Look, vonce!" he bawled. "Come here kevick und see vat I haf foundt!"

Full of wonder, Matt and Dick raced down the slope.

"What is it, Carl?" demanded Matt.

"Feetprints," cried Carl, "yah, so helup me! Vat you t'ink oof dot?"

Carl was right. There were footprints in the damp sand, together with other marks, which proved that a boat had grounded and been drawn up on the shore.

"Some one has paid this island a visit," said Matt, "and not very long ago."

"No doubt of it," averred Dick. "That boat must have put in here some time yesterday. Where did the men come from and where did they go?"

He tried to follow the footprints up the knoll, but they faded out before he had got half a dozen yards from the edge of the water.

"There were three men," said Matt, studying the marks, "and they landed, stayed a little while, and then shoved off again."

"But what did they stay for?" queried Dick; "what brought them here?"

"That's something we don't know, but the fact that the island has been visited seems to prove that it lies in the track of ships trading among the other islands. We'll get a white flag well up toward the top of one of those palm trees as soon as we can. Did you find anything else on the island, Carl?"

"Nod a t'ing," replied Carl. "I valked all aroundt it, und it ditn't dake more as fife minids to do it. Sooch a leedle islandt you nefer see. Led's ged oop der flag, for der kevicker vat somepody sees it, und dakes us off, der pedder vat I shall like it. I couldn't findt some cafes, neider."

"You were looking for a cave, eh?" asked Dick.

"Yah, so. I t'ought meppy dis mighdt be Durtle Islandt afder all, aber oof it iss, it don'd got any cafes."

"This island is too far north to be the one Townsend told us about, Carl," said Matt.

"I haf made oop my mindt about dot," returned Carl, as he followed Matt and Dick back up the knoll, "und I don'd t'ink dere iss any Durtle Islandt, or iron chest, or nodding. It vas all a foolishness und some bipe treams."

Matt and Dick put on their clothes and set about the work of putting up their distress signal.

From the canvas shelter which Matt had made for the Hawk a long streamer was cut. Thereupon Dick climbed the palm and tied the flag to it just under its tufted top. As the breeze opened the flag out, the boys stood off and surveyed it with a good deal of satisfaction.

"If any ships pass this island, and those aboard can see the palms," declared Dick, "they're bound to see that flag; then, if they're human, they'll send a boat ashore to investigate."

"If anything can help us," returned Matt, "that will. It's about all we can do, anyhow. Come on, now, and let's get something to eat. After that, you fellows can fix up a camp while I begin taking the car of the Hawk apart and making it ready for removal from the island."

The water cask was nearly full, which was a fortunate thing, considering that there did not appear to be a drop of fresh water anywhere on the island. The boys ate and drank sparingly, intending to husband their supplies so that thirst and starvation might not stare them in the face if their stay on the island was prolonged beyond the time they hoped and expected.

Following the meal, Carl and Dick took the canvas shelter designed for the Hawk and a coil of rope and made their way to the palm trees. Matt, opening the tool box in the car of the air ship, secured a wrench and set about taking the car apart.

Although he worked rapidly, it was dusk before he had finished his work. But the work had been well done. The motor had been taken out, the car had been divided into its various sections, the cordage had been neatly coiled, and the silken envelope had been carefully folded and bound with ropes into a compact bundle.

Another scanty meal was indulged in by the chums, and then all three made their way to the palms and crawled into the makeshift tent which Carl and Dick had constructed between two of the trees.

The events of the day had been exciting and all three of the boys were completely fagged.

"Great Bahama Island can't be very far from here, mate," said Dick, as he settled himself down on the warm sand. "Those men that landed in that boat may have come from there."

"It doesn't make much difference where the people come from, Dick," answered Matt, "so long as they find us. I haven't any desire to be hung up here for two or three weeks. We've got food and water enough to last us for six or seven days, if we use it sparingly, but after that there's no telling how we'd get along."

"Oof dere vas some pread-fruit trees," struck in Carl, drowsily, "und a shpring oof fresh vater, it vould be easy enough to ged along."

"There goes Carl with his bread-fruit again," laughed Dick. "But I don't think we'll have to worry much over the chuck question. There'll certainly be a boat along before the week is up."

"I vonder vat Downsent vill t'ink ven he don'd see us coming pack like vat he expects?" said Carl. "He vill feel pooty pad mit himseluf, I bed you, oof ve don'd show oop in a few tays."

"He's certainly fallen afoul of some mighty tough luck," went on Dick. "He must have been working for several years on the _Grampus_, and he no more than gets her finished when along comes Jurgens with his gang and cuts her out. But, as I said, Townsend could have saved himself all this trouble if he had jugged Jurgens the time the fellow was found going through his desk."

"All that isn't worrying me so much," said Matt, "as the trouble we had with the Hawk. I'm through making ocean voyages in air ships. They're all right on the land, but when you take them out over a big stretch of water you're running too heavy a risk. And we got to this island by the skin of our teeth, Dick. If it had been a little farther off we'd never have made it."

"I wouldn't have given the fag end o' nothing, one while, for our chances of getting out of that fix alive. But fate is always springing surprises on a fellow. I'm beginning to think with Carl, Matt, that you can't dodge your luck, no matter what you do. But, tell me, what did you think of Townsend's boat? You were aboard her for a while and must have found out something about the craft."

"I know the _Grampus_ has a strong steel room under her deck," said Matt, "and that she has an arrangement for firing torpedoes. Apart from that I know very little about the boat. I'd like to have a chance to take my time and examine her, but that opportunity, I suppose, will never come my way."

Carl had ceased to take a part in the conversation, and his snores were echoing through the tent. Matt and Dick presently fell asleep also, and when Matt awoke he found some one shaking him.

He opened his eyes and sat up.

"That you, Dick?" he asked, astonished to find that it was daylight.

"Aye, aye, messmate," replied Ferral, "it's Dick, all right enough. Come out of the tent--I've a surprise for you."

"What is it?" asked Matt, getting to his feet; "good luck or bad?"

"That's hard to tell, offhand. Come out and see for yourself. All I can say is, you're going to find something you didn't expect."

Dick's excited manner, and his veiled hints, aroused Matt's curiosity. Following Dick out of the tent, Matt swept his gaze in the direction of his chum's pointing finger.

The next instant Matt gave a startled jump.

"The _Grampus_!" he muttered, dazedly, rubbing his eyes and staring again.

There could be no mistake. In the cove, and close ashore, could be seen the rounded deck of a submarine. The conning tower was clear of the water, and on its curved side was painted in unmistakable letters the word, "_Grampus_."

But where had the boat come from? And what was she doing there?

"Get Carl," Matt whispered, "and duck over the ridge out of sight. I'll join you in a minute."

Without waiting for Dick to answer, Matt turned and sped toward the place where he had left the piled fragments of the air ship.

A box of supplies stood near the gasoline motor. Opening the box, Matt removed the two revolvers and the box of cartridges. Slipping the cartridges into his pocket, he leaped to the top of the ridge, dodged over it, and then made his way along the opposite side toward the place where Dick and Carl were waiting for him.

The presence of the _Grampus_ in the cove might mean either good luck, or ill, for the castaways; but if good luck could be helped any by energetic measures, Matt was determined to turn the call of the submarine at the island to the advantage of himself and his friends.

Coming close to the spot where Dick and Carl were kneeling and peering excitedly over the ridge, Matt knelt down beside them and likewise began to watch.

The _Grampus_ was in those waters for a purpose; and the only way to discover what that mission was, was by keeping track of Jurgens and his men.