“What does it mean?” Guy faltered¹.

“It means,” said Abner, hoarsely², “that that fiend, Captain Richmond, has served us as he did the poor sailor, John Wolf.”

“But he can’t have gone away for good! He will come back!”

Guy spoke³ hopefully, but he did not himself believe what he said.

“Just as we had succeeded, too!”

“If we had only made the discovery yesterday; but now it is too late!”

“Boys,” said Abner Titcomb, “let us sit down and discuss our position as calmly as we can. If there is any favorable side to it let us try to find it.”

“But is there any?” sighed Luke Clark.

“Yes; to begin with, we sha’n’t starve. The{277} products of the island will sustain us, as they did John Wolf.”

“But life won’t be worth sustaining if we have to live as he did. We may be driven, like him, to throw ourselves into the sea.”

“He was alone, and there are three of us. Besides, our fate will be known to the whole ship’s crew.”

“I don’t understand why the mate permitted it.”

“No doubt he protested, but what could he do? In a conflict of authority between the captain and the mate the latter must go to the wall.”

“Then what hope is there?”

“As soon as the ship reaches Bombay someone on board will notify Mr. Saunders of what has happened.”

“Frank Low would do that, if there were no one else,” said Guy, beginning to be hopeful.

“Yes; and he would send for us.”

“But weeks must pass before help can arrive.”

“True; and they will seem more like months; but I am sure all will come right in the end.”

“Meanwhile,” said Guy, recovering in a measure from his depression, “we must adapt ourselves to circumstances, and make ourselves as comfortable as we can.”{278}

“Let us begin, then, by taking lunch. We have been so occupied with the treasure that we have forgotten to eat.”

Meanwhile the Osprey was speeding from the island, and was already fifty miles away. Everyone on board, even to the humblest sailor, looked grave. Everyone was thinking of poor Guy and his companions on their island prison.

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