“Only there isn’t any cave,” Freddie said.
“Maybe there is,” returned Nan. “We haven’t looked around yet. Maybe we might find a cave here; mightn’t we, Mother?”
“Oh, yes, you might. But don’t go looking for one. I don’t want you to get lost here. We must all stay together.”
In a little while Bert and Mr. Bobbsey came back with baskets filled with good things to eat. They were spread out on a cloth on the clean sand, not far from where the waves broke on the beach, and then, under the waving palms, the picnic was held, Captain Crane and Cousin Jasper having a share in it. On the Swallow the men still worked to mend the broken engine.
“How long shall we be here?” Mr. Bobbsey asked.
“About two days more,” answered Captain Crane. “It will take longer than we at first thought to fix the break.”
“Oh, I’m sorry about that!” exclaimed Cousin Jasper. “I wanted to get to the other island as soon as we could, and save Jack. It must be very lonesome for him there, and perhaps he is hurt, or has become ill. I wish we could get to him.”
“We’ll go there as soon as we can,” promised Captain Crane. “I am as anxious to get that poor boy as you are, Mr. Dent. At the same time I hope he has, before this, been taken off the island by some other boat that may have seen him waving to them.”
“I hope so, too,” said Mr. Dent. “Still I would feel better if we were at the other island and had Jack safe with us.”
They all felt sorry for the poor boy, and wondered what he was doing just then.