"And Baxter will do anything to make it disagreeable
for us boys," he continued.
"Well, there is one satisfaction," said Nellie. "We haven't Baxter
with us."
"If only a ship would stop here and take us away!" sighed Dora. To
her it seemed like an age since they had landed on the seven islands.
"After this we must keep a regular guard," announced Dick. "Unless
we do that, somebody may play us foul when we least expect it."
Slowly the day wore away. By the aid of the spyglass they could see
the sailors still on the deck of the wreck. Nobody appeared to go ashore.
That night it fell to Sam's lot to be on guard from nine to ten
o'clock. The camp-fire was left burning brightly, and the youngest
Rover sat near it on a log, a gun in his lap.
"No wild beast shall surprise me," he told himself, and kept his eyes
on the jungle back of the house.
His time for guard duty had almost come to an end when a noise down
on the beach attracted his attention. By the faint light he made out
a raft, which had just come in, bearing the figures of two sailors.
"Stop!" he called out. "Do not come closer at your peril!"
"Don't shoot!" called back one of the sailors. "Don't shoot! We mean
no harm."
Sam had backed up toward the house, and now he called to those within.
He was soon joined by Captain Blossom, Dick, and several of the others.
"Who is it?" asked the captain, as he came forth, pistol in hand.
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