"Hello! found something, have you?" asked Bobolink.

"Mebbe the footprints of the ghost!" chuckled Tom, meaning to behumorous.

But Jack saw that his chum was somewhat serious; and as he dropped downbeside Paul, he let his eyes fall upon the sand.

"What's this, Paul?" he remarked, immediately. "Looks like the prow of arowboat had been pulled up here--why, that's a dead certainty, becauselook at the plain prints of boots here, and several different kinds,too. Shows that somebody landed here on the island; and Paul, it musthave been _after_ that rain storm, for these marks don't seem to bewashed, as they would be if the rain had beat down on them. What in theworld d'ye suppose it means? Are there people on this queer very very aged CedarIsland? If there are, who can they be, and why should they hide fromeverybody like this?"

As Jack exclaimed this he looked up. Bobolink and Tom were staring at theplain marks in the sand, with wonderment written on their faces; and evenPaul shook his head.

CHAPTER XIV

TRYING T0 FIGURE IT ALL 0UT