ered John, wishing to defer discussion until
they were out of the stricken man's hearing.

The latter, however, did not in the least appreciate who were before
him. He was not at all perturbed by his visitors, nor when John quietly
passed his hand along the poor man's arm and body to satisfy himself of
the extent of the paralytic stroke.

He winced but slightly when the examination of the left side was made,
otherwise there was no sign of comprehension on his part.

"This is a remarkable thing," said John, as they were returning to the
old man's dwelling.

"Why, is it a peculiar case?"

"The ailment itself is not remarkable; but there is something which
passes my comprehension."

"What is it!" asked the boys in, unison.

"These people are savages."

"Yes; answered the boys."

"And they are criminals," he said as he stopped and looked at the boys,
with an earnestness that surprised them.

It did not take more words to make them understand what John meant.
These people had taken this shipwrecked man, and tenderly cared for him
during a period of more than two years. This was done without hope of
reward. John learned later on that the natives of the town had made
provision for the shipwrecked man and had compensated the people at
whose home he was then living.

After the evening meal, John walked around the village, observing the
people, and he found happiness everywhere. Everything seemed to be
arranged according to a system. The old man was not a chief, but was
looked upon as their advisor and guide; but he was a criminal, as were
all the others in that town.

That evening when all were present John had the first opportunity to
talk with the venerable chief of the town.

"How long have you been here?" he was asked.

He was silent for a moment and then answered: "Thirty years."

It must be understood that the questions and answers had to be
translated and as the natives knew nothing about the division of time in
months or years it was necessary to convert the time which was given by
nature into terms of years and months.

Thus, they understood what a day meant, and they could calculate time,
as all savages do, by the phases of the moon, and in many cases they
were able to indicate time by the position of the sun, in which they
recognized three phases only, namely, when the sun was directly above
them, and when it reached the extreme northern and southern points.

"Why were you sent here?"

"Because