I made no further inquiries about the “Death.”

“But where are the Frenchmen?” asked I, after a moment.

“Clane gone, yer honner,” replied Chane.

“Gone?”

“Yes, Cap’n; that’s so as he sez it,” answered Lincoln.

“Gone! What do you mean?” I inquired.

“Desarted, Cap’n.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because they ain’t here.”

“On the island?”