run away without him,
and he is the only one we want anyhow."

So the boat was rowed out to the anchored schooner, while those left on
the beach watched the departure of their son and brother with the same
apathy that they had shown towards all the other happenings of that
eventful morning.

"Look at the young scarecrow, taking things as coolly as though he had
always been used to having white men row him about a harbour," laughed
Cabot, "and yet I don't suppose he was ever in a regular boat before."

"No," agreed White, "I don't suppose he ever was."

They did not allow Arsenic to enter the "Sea Bee's" cabin, but made him
stay on deck, where, however, he appeared perfectly contented and at
his ease. Here Cabot brought the various supplies for their proposed
journey and put them up in neat packages while White prepared
breakfast. The former had supposed that their guest would be greatly
interested in what he was doing, but the young savage manifested the
utmost indifference to all that took place. In fact he seemed to pay
no attention to Cabot's movements, but squatted on the deck, and gazed
in silent meditation at the beach, where his mother and sisters could
be seen also seated in motionless expectation.

"I believe he is a perfect idiot," muttered Cabot, "and wonder that he
knows enough to eat when he's hungry."

Then White called him, and he went below to breakfast.

"Do you think it is safe to leave that chap alone on deck with all
those things?" asked the former.

"Take a look at him and see for yourself," replied Cabot.

So White crept noiselessly up the companion ladder and peeped
cautiously out. Arsenic still squatted where Cabot had left him,
gazing idiotically off into space. At the same time a close observer
might have imagined that his beady eyes twinkled with a gleam of
interest as White's head appeared above the companion coaming.

"I guess it is all right," said White, rejoining his friend.

"Of course it is. He couldn't swim ashore with the things, and there
isn't any other way he could make off with them, except by taking them
in the dinghy, and that chump couldn't any more manage a boat than a
cow."

In spite of this assertion Cabot finished his meal with all speed, and
then hurried on deck, where he uttered a cry of dismay. A single
glance showed him that their guest, together with all the supplies
prepared for their journey, was no longer where he had left him. A
second glanc