“The very thing!” As he spoke Jack stood up and waved his coat. The other boys did likewise, then, when they were sure that they had attracted attention, they beckoned and shouted. The two fishermen in the launch, believing that the boys were in trouble, decided to change their course, and so before long, they were within speaking distance. Upon hearing the story, they readily agreed to comply with the boys’ plans and fifteen minutes later, the launch was headed directly for the bank of mist, while the Nancy was tacking leisurely toward the mainland. At that same moment, the young people on the island had made an exciting discovery.
CHAPTER XXVII
AN INDIAN MOUND
When the girls with Winston and Peggy had watched the bottle until its gleaming red sails could no longer be seen, they had retraced their steps toward the other side of the island.
“I feel sure that we are to be rescued before many moons,” Eleanor said.
“That is what Indians called a month. I go you one better than that,” Betsy put in. “I’ll say that we’ll be back in Vine Haven before many suns.”
“Speaking of Indians,” Virginia remarked, “Winston, do you suppose there ever were Indians on this island?”
“I think so,” the lad replied. “In fact, one day when I was exploring, I came upon a mound which I am confident was an Indian grave. I have often thought I would like to go back there and dig into it. Some tribes, as you know, buried really interesting things with their dead, believing that the departing soul would have use of them in the world to which they were going.”
“Where did you find that mound, Winston? Could we visit it now?” Eleanor inquired. “We haven’t anything else that needs doing, have we?”
“No, indeed,” the lad replied. “We have fish enough for supper and for breakfast, too, for that matter.”
As he talked, he led the way toward the densely wooded hill that rose in the middle of the narrow, though long island. On the top, under old gnarled pine trees, they came upon the mound which Winston had seen on a former visit. It did indeed look like an Indian grave.