'Don't say so, sir,' said Meek. 'Mr. Grinson 's not so fat as he was--not by a long way. I 'm afeard if he stays, I must stay too.'
'Thank 'ee, Ephraim, me lad,' said Grinson warmly. 'But Mr. Hoole is pulling my leg. You take him too serious; he 's a gentleman as will have his joke. He wouldn' go for to desert two poor seamen.'
'I never could understand a joke--never!' said Meek. ''Tis a misfortune, but so I was born.'
Hoole and Trentham, meanwhile, had been examining the relics and discussing the bearing of their discoveries on the situation.
'It's quite clear that the wreck is visited,' said Trentham.
'By natives, of course. Why? How often? It doesn't matter much, except that if we saw them, we might get a notion as to whether we could safely go among them and get their help. You are sure the chimney is climbable?'
'Certain. The notches are deep, and you could set your back against the opposite wall and climb without using your hands.'
'I 'll have a look at it. Then we had better go back to our boat, get some grub, and talk things over. It's too late to go in for further adventures to-day.'
'That's so. Say, I 'd leave the hatch off for a while. The place reeks--it would give us away.'
'Right! We 'll clear out. The men can keep guard above while we 're examining that chimney.'