Part 31 (1/2)

”Hus.h.!.+ He'll hear you,” cautioned Belle.

”Well, we want him to, don't we?” and he smiled at her.

Eagerly they gazed toward sh.o.r.e, but there was no sign of a human being around there. Lonely indeed was the little island in the midst of that blue sea, over which the setting sun cast golden shadows.

”Are you going ash.o.r.e?” asked Walter of Jack, in a low voice.

Somehow it seemed necessary to speak in hushed tones in that silent place.

”Indeed we're not--until morning!” put in Cora. ”And don't you boys dare go and leave us alone,” and she grasped her brother's arm in a determined clasp.

”I guess it will be better to wait until morning,” agreed Jack.

Supper--or dinner, as you prefer--was served aboard, and then the searchers sat about and talked of the strange turn of events, while Jim and Joe, in the motor compartment, tinkered with the engine, which had not been running as smoothly, of late, as could be desired.

”I hope it doesn't go back on us,” remarked Jack, half dubiously.

”Don't suggest such a thing,” exclaimed his sister.

They agreed to go ash.o.r.e in the morning, and search for the marooned sailor supposed to be on Lonely Island. The night pa.s.sed quietly, though there were strange noises from the direction of the island.

Jack, and the others aboard the Tartar, which swung at anchor in the little coral encircled lagoon, said they were the noises of birds in the palm trees. But Slim Jim shook his head.

”That crazy sailor makes queer noises,” he said.

”If he's there,” suggested Walter.

In the morning they found him, after a short search. It was not at all difficult, for they came upon the unfortunate man in a clump of trees, under which he was huddled, eating something in almost animal fas.h.i.+on.

With Jack and Walter in the lead, the girls behind them, and Joe and Jim in the rear, they had set off on their man-hunt. They had not gone far from the sh.o.r.e before an agitation in the bushes just ahead of them attracted the attention of the two boys.

”Did you see something?” asked Walter.

”Something--yes,” admitted Jack. ”A bird, I think.”

”But I didn't hear the flutter of wings.”

”I don't know as to that. Anyhow, there are birds enough here. Come on.”

They glanced back to where Bess had stopped to look at a beautiful orchid, in shape itself not unlike some bird of most brilliant plumage.

”Oh, if father could only see that!” she sighed. ”It is too beautiful to pick.”

Cora and her chums closed up to the boys, and then, as they made their way down a little gra.s.sy hill, into a sort of glade, Cora uttered a sudden and startled cry.

”Look!” she gasped, clutching Jack's arm in such a grip that he winced.

”Where?” he asked.

”Right under those trees.”