Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/208

194 Starboard again! Keep it up! There, straight ahead! Bend to it, bend I tell you! A little more to starboard—not too much! There, now we are out of it!" And in a moment more the small boat was out of the breakers and riding into a tiny cove, where there was a stretch of sand, dotted with palms. The two sailors were all but exhausted and glad enough to rest up and allow the boat to drift ashore.

"So this is Cave Island?" remarked Dave, as he hopped out on the sand, followed by his chums. "Well, it doesn't look much different from the other islands in this portion of the globe."

After everybody had alighted, the small boat was pulled up on the sand and tied to a palm tree.

"What's to do next?" asked the shipowner's son, as he looked inquiringly at Dave. "This is your expedition, Dave."

"How big around do you suppose this island is, Captain?" asked our hero.

"Four or five miles at least."

"Then we could walk completely around it in a couple of hours, that is, if we found it wasn't too rough in spots."

"You won't find it smooth like this all around, lad."

"Some of us might walk in one direction and some in the other," suggested Roger. "Then, if