"No news," answered Phil. He gazed at them curiously. "What's up? You look rather excited!"
"Didn't you send for us?" gasped Dave.
"Send for you? What do you mean?" queried Roger.
"The first mate said you sent a native to the bark, asking us to come to you," said Captain Marshall.
"We sent nobody—we have seen no natives to-day."
There was a pause, during which each looked blankly at the others.
"I can't understand this," said Dave, slowly. "Mr. Shepley certainly delivered that message."
"It is a trick of some sort!" burst out Captain Marshall. "The very best thing we can do is to get back to the vessel without delay."
The others thought so, too, and in a moment more all were on their way to the shore, hurrying through the undergrowth as rapidly as the bushes and vines would permit. Phil and Roger had managed to shoot two small animals that looked like hares, but that was all.
At last they came out on the sands, and a shout of dismay went up.