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
fashion.
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 shore 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 grassy 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."
And there they saw him--the lonely sailor, crouched down, eating
something as--yes, as a dog might eat it! So far had he fallen back
to the original scale--if ever there was one.
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