ave been to the island," added
Percival, "and probably that of men who are here now. That calf is a tame
creature and is probably owned by some one now on the island. The parrots
may have heard them."

"If that is the sort of talk they heard, the birds were not in very good
company," remarked Billy, "and it is just as well that we did not meet
them this time. In fact, I hope we won't."

"Well, I'm glad it was only Poll parrots!" grunted Ben, "for I was ready
for a fight."

"I'm glad myself," echoed Jesse W., greatly relieved, "for I don't want to
get into a fight at all."

"That accounts for the milk in the cocoanut," laughed Billy. "I wondered
what you two fellows were laughing at. If it had been Dick alone I would
not have thought so much of it, but Jack has more sense."

"Thank you," said Dick dryly. "I know a tame calf from a wild bull,
however, if I haven't much sense."

"Come ahead, boys," said Jack. "We must get back to the yacht. If there
are other men on the island besides ourselves we do not want to meet them
just now. They are not a desirable lot, most likely."

The entire party then pushed on, and in a short time reached the shore,
got their boat and returned to the yacht.

CHAPTER XIII

A STRANGE LIGHT AT SEA

The captain and Dr. Wise were very much interested in the report that the
boys brought back from their walk through the woods, and to the top of the
hill in the interior of the island.

"If there are people here they know how to get out through the reefs,"
observed the principal, "for they must have come here once, and no doubt
are in communication with the people outside."

"They may have lived here all their lives," returned the captain. "I never
saw any one on these islands, natives, I mean, that knew very much. We
can't tell how long they have lived here, they and their ancestors, of
course, and these fellows probably don't know when they came, and don't
suppose there is any other place in the world."

"H'm! that does not speak for a very high state of intelligence," remarked
the doctor with a grunt.

"You won't find it in these natives nor even in the half breeds, sir," the
captain returned. "The rating is pretty low. It'll be interesting to see
these people, but I don't think that you will find them very intelligent.
You'd better not expect too much."

The next day there was nothing to be seen of the wreck, and when Jack and
Percival went to the wooded point to look fo