“It won’t do to stay here another night,” said he, in explanation, as soon as the meal was concluded.
“I am sure we have no wish to do so,” replied Storms. “But wherein lies the particular peril?”
“That whole crew of the double canoe are scattered through town, and they only await the chance to kill us. They will find the chance, too, to-night, if we remain here.”
“But what is the prospect of getting away?”
“I was in despair nearly all the forenoon; but a little while ago I came upon a schooner which sails for San Francisco at three o’clock this afternoon. I have engaged passage on it for us three, for you know I go with you.”
“How can we ever repay you for your kindness?” said Inez, her lustrous eyes speaking eloquently her gratitude to the youth.
“There’s no service on earth that I can render you which will compare with what you have done for me,” was the reply of Captain Fred, whose manner showed his sincerity. Inez Hawthorne did not understand what all this meant, but the speaker ventured upon no explanation at the time.
As the three were about to start upon a long voyage, it was decided that some indispensable articles should be procured, and, since they had little spare time at command, the three set out immediately after dinner.
Wauparmur, as we have already intimated, is a town numbering several hundreds––perhaps more than a thousand––in population. Among these are a number of foreign shopkeepers, whose places are close along shore, so as to be the more readily accessible to their customers, who are almost exclusively confined to those on board the vessels which stop at the island.