“I mean that—well, at worst, I think, they can but hold your folks captive, in case the survivors from the shipwreck landed on one of the unfriendly islands.”
“Hold them captives?”
“Yes. You see these natives are peculiar. They get streaks, I might say. If a large enough party of whites landed they would be friendly, and would treat them well. But if only a few were cast on their shores they might be ugly, and make them prisoners for the sake of what few possessions they might save from the wreck.”
“And you think my parents may have landed on such an island?”
“It’s possible. I only tell you to prepare you for the worst.”
Tom was silent a moment, and then he said quietly:
“We brought arms along, didn’t we, captain?”
“Yes, Tom, but——”
“Then we’ll use ’em—if we have to!” exclaimed the lad, with an energy that caused the captain to like him the more. “If any cannibals or other natives are holding my folks captive we’ll go to the rescue.”