The boys had responded, as all boys will, not for the love of gain or for power or glory. Our boys had none of these. Other boys do not need them any more than those on Wonder Island. What they do need is a true stimulus for work; and when that evening they were gathered together in the cozy little living room at the Cataract, the Professor who for two days had been particularly reticent and retired, said:
"Can you imagine the condition of the pirates who gathered all that hoard in the cave? What do you think their aim was in life?"
"It seems to me," was Harry's reply, "that the only thing they were after was wealth."
"If what we see in the cave is any indication, the principal thing they lived for was to kill somebody," was George's conclusion.
The answers made him smile. "You have, I presume, answered the question in the two sentences. But there is something that you haven't mentioned, which is at the bottom of it all."
"Yes; wanting to kill to get the money."
"That only states your previous answers in a more concrete way. There is one word which describes it accurately: Selfishness. When a man inquires into the secrets of nature; when he tries to turn the knowledge gained into account, either for money or glory; when he consistently devotes his days to labor, and his nights to thoughts to find out how he may do something better, or quicker, or cheaper, it might all be denominated selfishness, and so it is, in a way. It is a selfishness, however, that does no injury to a fellow-man. That kind of selfishness is the great quality which has produced the wonderful things that we see all about us, and which distinguishes the man from the brute creation."
"But I have read of a great many men who made millions and millions and who never did any of the things you have just referred to," answered Harry.
"Then do you think they are any better than the pirates were?"
Notwithstanding the exciting times, food was a necessity, and it had to be found and prepared. It could not be bought. All the gold in the cave would not purchase a single meal. More barley had to be ground and the stock of honey was almost exhausted. Their duties in the shop, consequent on the haste exhibited to get the boat and weapons ready, contributed to the low state of supplies.