A DISMAL HOME
Captain Bergen and his mate were not certain that one or more of the
mutineers had not survived the foundering of the schooner _Coral_, and
had managed to reach the island.
If such were the case, they considered it important that it should be
known as soon as possible, and on the morrow, therefore, they made
careful search, but none of the three men was ever seen again. A few
fragments of spars, floating here and there, were all the signs that
such a craft had ever sailed over the Pacific.
Since the captain and mate were now given the opportunity to think of
their own situation, they did so like men of gravity and sense. They
were safely upon Pearl Island, as they had named it. They had secured
the prize for which they had come so many thousand miles, and they
were, as the world goes, wealthy men. More than that, they had found a
pearl of such marvelous size and purity that, being dedicated to
little Inez Hawthorne, it was a great fortune indeed to her.
And yet, in one sense, the little party were paupers; that is, so long
as they were held prisoners upon the atoll, for the treasure of pearls
could not purchase them food, clothing, friends, happiness--nor, in
fact, were they anything more than so many valueless pebbles. They
must reach civilization again to realize anything from the riches
which had come into their possession.
But how were they to leave the island? This was the one great question
which faced them, and which they were called upon to solve, for now
that there was no further cause for staying, the homesickness of the
men increased, and it was not long before they felt they would give
half their wealth for the means of getting back to Boston.
Since they were absolutely without this means, it was evident they
could do nothing but rely upon Providence to send some vessel to their
relief. It was not impossible that Abe Storms, gifted as he was with
so much wonderful ingenuity, might have attempted to construct some
sort of craft from the palm trees, and it is quite likely he would
have succeeded in making something that could be utilized. But the
awful blotting out of the _Coral_, before their eyes, had alarmed
both, and made them more timid than they otherwise would have been.
It was a good many miles to the nearest inhabited island, as laid down
on their chart, and they might succeed in reaching it, provided they
could be assured of a week of good weather. But there could be no such
assurance, and a disturbance meant the same fate that overtook the
mutineers.
It is not at all unlikely, too, that the presence of little Inez
Hawthorne increased this timidity. Had they been without her, they
would not have hesitated to take great risks, but, somehow or other,
her life was inestimably precious in their eyes, and they would never
have forgiven themselves had any ill befallen her through their
dereliction of duty.
"There is a mystery about her life which shall yet be cleared up," Abe
Storms frequently remarked; "and we must not do aught that shall
endanger or delay the solution of the question."
There were comparatively few stores which the schooner had left them
before its final departure, and the survivors were forced to rely
mainly upon what the island afforded. Of course there were fish in
abundance, and they frequently rowed out in the lagoon in the tender,
or small boat, or cast out their lines from shore, and never failed in
a short time to catch all they wanted.
The spring of clear, cool water bubbled and trickled steadily, and
never failed them. And the several species of tropical fruits about
them were used sparingly, the men having the prudence to seek to
prevent the supply giving out.
It was a great relief to Storms and Bergen to find, after the most
thorough exploration they could make, that there were no poisonous
reptiles upon the island.
"We may as well face the situation," said Captain Bergen, after they
had held frequent consultations; "we have been here five weeks now,
and we haven't caught sight of the first sail, with the exception of
our own, which has gone to the bottom, and it may be that weeks and
months more may pass before we shall see another."
"It is not unlikely that it may be years," added Storms, gravely;
"for, according to the narrative of Grebbens himself, he was here a
long time before he was taken away. The wisest thing we can do is to
prepare ourselves for an indefinite stay."
A long time before, the captain had laboriously climbed the mast which
was erected in the sand by the inlet, and had securely fastened an old
garment to the highest point. There it was still, fluttering in the
wind, when there was enough breeze to raise the irregular folds, but,
alas! it had not brought the friendly sail which they longed for, and
they had been forced at last to look upon an extended residence upon
the island as not only possible, but very probable.
Like philosophers, they governed themselves accordingly. The signal
was kept flying and they busied themselves fishing, talking or doing
odd things which were done simply to pass away time. But the two felt
that a most urgent duty was upon them, respecting Inez Hawthorne.
"We must do what we can for her," said Storms. "With the material
which I have on hand we can construct garments that will keep her clad
with comeliness, though she may not be in the fashion; and yet I don't
know but what she will," he added, with a smile, "for we may strike
some of the vagaries without knowing it. Then, too, she must be
educated."
"I'm not well up in the line of an education," said the captain, with
some embarrassment, "being as I never attended any other than a
district school, but I believe you graduated, didn't you, Abe?"
"Yes, I went through Harvard three years ago, and stood second in my
class. I haven't any fear that I won't be able to teach her, for she
is a child of unusual brightness."
And, as may be supposed, the mate went to work thoroughly in the
instruction of Inez Hawthorne, who proved herself one of the most apt
of pupils, and advanced with a rapidity which delighted her teacher.