But the boys had laid a piece of sailcloth for the floor of the girls’ tent; and when they went to bed they were no longer annoyed by the sandhoppers. Around the fire, after the Corner House girls had retired, Mr. Howbridge and the two young fellows talked very seriously indeed regarding their situation here on Palm Island.
“I have an idea from studying your chart, Neale, that we have been driven far off any steamship course,” said the lawyer.
“That’s my idea, too, sir,” agreed Neale.
“As long as it remains pleasant and we have enough to eat and drink, all is right enough. But do you notice, boys, that the water barrel aboard the launch is getting low?” said Mr. Howbridge.
“Crackey! I didn’t think of that,” muttered Neale.
“I did. And I’ve been smelling about for a spring. But I didn’t find any,” said Luke.
“And many of these coral islands don’t have any fresh water save in the rainy season.”
“That’s so. But—but, Mr. Howbridge, we’re not sure that this is entirely a coral island,” Neale said anxiously.
“There are coral reefs surrounding it, anyway,” the lawyer observed.
“Those rocks where we have moored the launch are not coral,” said Luke suddenly.