Every scrap in that mass of wreckage was gone over. There was nothing else visible by which they could gain the slightest clue. The skeleton was minutely examined. It was that of a strong, well-developed man, but from all appearances one leg was shorter than the other.
The bones of the shortened leg were closely investigated. "The bones show that this man met with an accident in early life, or before he was fully grown, or, he may have had some disease before he attained full growth, so that his right leg is shorter because not fully developed," said John, as he continued the examination.
"He must have been a soldier or an adventurer, as he has three bullet marks, one here in the right shoulder, one in the ankle, and the other on the cheek bone. All of the wounds were healed before he met his death."
"But there is one thing which is still more remark[p. 162]able. This man was a captive. He was tied in the boat and it was set adrift, and was likely on the open sea and washed ashore during one of the monsoons."
"Why do you think so?" asked Harry, as soon as he could recover breath after this announcement.
"This rope tells the story."
"But how does it happen that he and the boat were together. It seems to me that if the waves were high enough to bring the boat clear up to this point, he would be freed from the boat long before it reached this place."
"He was tied to the boat."
One mystery was solved, and another more terrible in its aspect came upon its heels. There was but one thing to do, and that was to bury the skeleton, and John ordered this done, as soon as he had taken the complete measurements of the remains.
"We don't want the box or the things in it now," said Harry.