The supply appeared to be inexhaustible. As nearly as he could judge, the bed of the stream was literally covered with these yellow lumps, which represented wealth in any civilized country; and his labor ceased only when he began to realize how impossible, under the present circumstances, it would be to derive any benefit from this unexpected discovery.
Now, more than ever, was it necessary he should devise some means of finding his fellow-man, even though it should be impossible to carry his treasure away. With a vessel and a crew such as could be procured at Batavia untold wealth might be taken away; but how the first step was to be made he had no idea.
In order to give himself time for reflection he first hid the nuggets behind one of the statue-like formations in the outer chamber, and then returned to the grotto.
Here he found the chimpanzee looking disturbed and alarmed because of his absence, but she gave way to manifestations of the greatest delight at his appearance. With an instinct which seemed almost like human intelligence she had brought more bananas, and by gestures which were unmistakable gave him to understand that as yet it was dangerous to leave his hiding-place.
Then, after fawning upon him like a dog once more, she walked slowly away in the direction of the village, turning from time to time, as if to be certain he would not follow.
When finally the animal was lost to view amid the foliage, Philip retreated to the further end of the grotto as if desirous of guarding the entrance to the treasure-cave, and there gave himself up to speculations regarding his flight from the island, forming some plans which were hardly more than wild dreams, and others possible of execution.
The desire to learn the fate of Captain Seaworth and his party was almost forgotten in his eagerness to profit by the rich discovery, and during the remainder of that day the only thought in his mind was how to leave the island, taking with him at least a portion of the newly-found wealth.