y.

"There's something I want to tell you, Miss Wiley, about--about that
little Indian girl--" He stopped, his tanned face flushing. It was as
if he had no words to express himself in terms that she would
understand. "You see I--I----"

"Ahoy, there, Gregg! Jean! A ship! Look, it must be the _Hoonah_!"
Boreland's joyous call broke in on them. He had run down from his own
rocker and was pointing far out where the sunlight fell on the sails of
a vessel heading directly for the Island of Kon Klayu. It was the
first sail sighted since the schooner went away.

"Hurrah boy! She's coming with the provisions!" Boreland tossed his
cap into the air. "Jean, run down to the cabin and tell Ellen the
glorious news!"

The girl looked at the approaching ship a moment. Happy as she was at
the sight she could not help wishing that Boreland had discovered it a
few minutes later. She leaned toward Harlan.

"Tell me some other time," she said softly, and with a word to Shane
started for the cabin.

She found Ellen, who never threw anything away that might later be used
for food, rolling some hard, sea-soaked lumps of flour beneath the
rolling-pin trying to crush them fine enough to use.

"O, angel child, you won't have to save that stuff now!" Jean shouted,
bursting in upon her. "The _Hoonah's_ coming! We sighted her!" She
caught Ellen about the waist and whirled her madly over the floor,
releasing her suddenly to dash out the door with a "Come on, sis!"

The two arrived breathless on the point of the bluff from whence the
ship was visible, and whence the men had gathered. Jean began eagerly
pointing out the sail, but even as she did so, she faltered. She
turned and caught the sickening look of disappointment on the faces
about her. A thin line of smoke was now trailing out behind the
vessel. It was not the _Hoonah_, but a steamer. Also it had swerved
in its course and now, broadside to the Island, it was headed south.

"O-o-o!" With a world of hopelessness in her voice Jean uttered the
sound and threw her arm about Ellen's waist. Together they watched the
departing vessel with that desperation of heart that hopes, even while
the brain knows there is no hope. A quarter of an hour passed, but the
ship did not change its course.

They turned from the sea to find that the men had begun to gather up
the tools and the clean-up from the sand.

"It's a cannery steamer, El, with the sail up, going to the States