"Life or death," was the reply, and the three boys stood looking into each other's faces for a moment without speaking.
"I guess they're going to murder the prisoners," Jack said, presently, breaking the painful silence.
"That is what the sign seems to read," Ned said, gravely.
"Then we may as well be getting out our guns," Frank said.
Ned nodded, and turned toward the shore again. In a moment he faced his chums again, his eyes startled and anxious.
"Where's Jimmie?" he asked.
"He went ashore!"
"Didn't you see him?"
Ned turned from Frank to Jack and then pointed toward an elevation toward the center of the island.
The clouds hung low and the rain was still falling in torrents, but under the gray sky and through the downpour of the rain two columns of smoke lifted an eloquent voice.