The Rovers suspected that Dan Baxter wished to remain behind, leaving the mate to go after the others.  But Lesher would not go alone, and off they started at noon, each carrying a good supply of food with him, and also a pistol and some ammunition.

“I wish they weren’t coming back,” murmured Dora.

“I wish the same, Dora,” said Dick.  “But it can’t be helped and we must make the best of it.”

There was a general air of relief when the two had departed.  Later on each told his or her story once more, and a general conversation ensued regarding the future.

“Lesher is not the man I thought he would, be,” said Captain Blossom.  “If he insists on getting drunk he will surely cause us a good deal of trouble, and if I try to keep the liquor from him he will get ugly.  More than that, he has several sailors with him who are old friends, and they like their liquor just as much as he does.”

It was seen that the flag of distress was down, as already mentioned, and after Baxter and Lesher had departed, Tom and Dick set off to put the flag up once more.

The way was by no means easy, for the storm had washed the dirt and stones in all directions and the path was strewn with broken branches and torn-up bushes.  On the way they picked up hard a dozen dead birds and also saw three dead monkeys.

When the spot where the flag had been was reached they found the tree still standing.  The halyard of the flag had snapped and the colors lay in a mass of bushes a hundred feet away.

To get to the bushes the boys had to leap over something of a gully.  Tom took the leap in safety, but Sam went down out of sight.

“Help! help!” cried the youngest Rover.

Tom looked back, to see Sam’s fingers clutching at some brushwood which grew at the edge of the gully.  Then the hand disappeared and he heard a crashing far below, for though the gully was not wide, it was very deep.

“Sam!  Sam!” he called.  “Are you hurt?”

No answer came back, and much alarmed, Tom got on his knees and tried to look into the opening.  At first he could see nothing, but when his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, he made out the form of his brother lying on some broken brushwood which the storm had swept into the opening.

How to get down to Sam was a problem, and Tom was revolving the matter in his mind when Sam let out another cry.

“Are you hurt, Sam?”

“N—­not much, but m—­my wind was kno—­knocked out of me.”

“Can you climb up to the top?”

“Hardly, Tom, the sides are very steep, and—­yes, there is a regular cave down here,” went on Sam.

“A cave?”

“Yes.”

“Where does it lead to?”

“I don’t know.  It’s on the south side of the opening.”

Tom’s curiosity was aroused, and bringing forth the new rope they had brought along for hoisting the flag, he tied one end to a tree and lowered himself to his brother’s side.  By this time Sam was on his feet and inspecting some scratches his left hand had received.