"Now for the sailor!" exclaimed Walter.
"Hush! He'll hear you," cautioned Belle.
"Well, we want him to, don't we?" and he smiled at her.
Eagerly they gazed toward shore, 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 ashore?" 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 ashore in the morning, and search for the marooned
sailor supposed to be on Lonely Island. The night passed 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.
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