"Yis; they are in hopes the saa may wash up some poor fellow that they may have the pleasure of hacking him to pieces."
"Are they such terrible creatures. Perhaps they have slain those who escaped from the steamer."
"Niver a fear; there was too many of 'em, as me brother used to say when his wife tuk her broomstick at him."
"But they had no weapons to use."
Tim shook his head. He evidently had a small opinion of the courage of the California aborigines.
"Had they massacred the survivors, we could see their bodies along shore," remarked Howard. "The sun throws such a glare upon the sand that we can detect a very small object."
This settled the matter in the mind of Elwood, who had been heartsick at the great fear of such a fate having befallen his friends.
"Then the burning of the steamer has attracted the notice of a great many vessels, and I think Mr. Yard was right when he was sure of being taken off by some one."
"What a mistake we made in wandering away and going to sleep where no one could find us!"
"We did, indeed, Elwood; we voluntarily banished ourselves."