Part 24 (1/2)

We pulled our boat high on the beach and cut brush and covered it, to hide it and protect it from the hot sun. We searched all over the south half of the island--it was three or four miles long. We saw no signs of our two missing friends.

Near noon, we came to the eastern end of the island, where were two hills. And there we were surprised to see a schooner in a small bay. A tent was among the trees close to the beach.

”We'll have to see what's here,” said Grant Norris. And he walked up and lifted the flap of the tent. ”No one home, it seems,” he added.

We had a good look at the schooner. _Susanna_ showed on her bows.

”I won't be satisfied till we've had a look at the Susannians,” said Norris. ”We'll take a look round for them.”

”Here's a new trail, going up this way,” said Robert, moving toward the north.

We'd gone above half a mile, a good deal of it in forest not so thick in underbrush, when we heard voices. Then we came upon four rough-looking, bearded men, digging. They saw us, and one of them came forward.

”Good morning,” said Norris. ”We're looking for a couple of boys that are on this island--wonder if you've seen anything of them.”

”Boys,” said the man, ”I ain't ever seen no boys on this island 'cept them two you got with ye.”

”Well,” said Norris, ”maybe you've seen some black cannibals with a white cannibal among them?”

”Lor' bless you!” returned the man, ”there ain't no cannibals in these parts.”

”Well,” said Norris, ”you can take it from me, there's no less than a dozen cannibals on this here island right now, and a white skunk is their leader.”

The man had no reply. He looked a little nonplused.

”Well, boys,” said Norris, ”I guess we'll hike along.”

And we moved off, leaving the man staring after us.

It was nearing noon, so we moved directly west. We had promised to be back at mid-day.

”I don't like the looks of those men,” said Robert. ”And that fellow we talked with--I think he pretended to be surprised when you told him about the black men.”

”They don't any of them s.h.i.+ne with honesty, that's certain,” said Norris. ”We'll have to have another look at their place, and their boat.”

He had some thought he didn't express.

”What do you suppose they're digging for?” I asked.

”I guess they've got a hunch there's treasure buried on this island,”

answered Norris. ”I wouldn't wonder if this place has been dug over twenty times.”

We approached a region of low, wet ground. The smell of the place was sickening. It gave me a feeling of giddiness, a nausea, and depression of spirits. Robert afterward confessed the same thing. He said it made him feel something like death and corruption was rising and surrounding him.

At last we got to our boat, and rowed aboard the _Pearl_. Captain Marat reported that Duran had remained on board the _Orion_ all morning, and that the blacks had been busy putting on a new foresail.

Captain Marat and Carlos took their turn on sh.o.r.e, after the noon meal, to search over the north half of the island. Norris, Robert, and myself were to keep watch over the movements of Duran and his black crew.

”What do you think, boys?” said Norris, when we had seen Marat and Carlos disappear among the palms on sh.o.r.e. ”Do you think Wayne and Ray might be on that s.h.i.+p of those treasure-hunters?”

”Not very likely,” said Robert. ”Duran has found a better hiding place.