The girls had nearly forgotten their adventure at Smugglers’ Cove in the newer excitement of the accident, but now they told of the day there, and of the mystery, until the Captain leaned back his head and laughed over it.
“Now, who do you suppose it can be, Captain?” asked Isabel and Ted in one breath.
“Is there a passage from that cave up to the old ruins?” Kate added.
“They were footprints with shoes on,” Sue exclaimed.
“Were they indeed?” The Captain laughed till he coughed, and wiped the tears out of his eyes. “Well, now, you take my advice and keep off the island, for I’m thinking it’s inhabited.”
“Do you know who lives there?” Polly leaned forward to meet his glance, and the Captain slowly winked, oh, but so wisely and cautiously.
“I am saying nothing,” he told them. “Can you hear me?”
Mrs. Carey appeared in the doorway just then.
“Come along home, father,” she said. “We’ve decided not to get any doctor. I guess Welcome’s about right. She says they frets around, and muddles things up, and gets in the way, and she can mix up just as queer a mess as they can any time. I don’t think the child is hurt much, anyhow. She’s pretty well scared, and salted, and that’s about all. Polly, I’ll send over some fresh string beans and a mess of peas in the morning by Nancy, and Tom’s going to the village if you need anything.”
“Aren’t they good to us?” Polly said, as she came back after saying goodbye and watching the gleam of the lantern swing along the hummocks over to the shore road. “I thought he’d scold us hard.”