"So Wonder and Venture Islands are the only ones which have the inscriptions on the skulls?" asked Harry.
Clifford sat up with such a sudden start that the boys were alarmed. He leaned forward, and hurriedly asked the following questions: "You say, 'Inscriptions on the skulls?' How do you know? and why do you say that they are on Wonder and Venture Islands?"
"Because we have two of them."
He dropped back on the pillow, and reflected for some time, and then slowly said: "But there must be three. One of them is still with the records."
"No; we have the one with the records."
A smile illuminated his features, the tension was relaxed, and he dropped back, and pressed his hands over his forehead, as he muttered: "I am so glad, so glad, so glad," and his voice died down, and he remained quiet, as though in sleep.
The questioners sat there in silence, and watched him as he slept. The Professor motioned them to withdraw, and they passed into the adjoining room.
"It is clear to me now," remarked John. "The knowledge of the record was known to others, and I was not aware that any one besides ourselves[p. 223] really had figured out the secret," remarked John, as he turned to the Professor.
"Well, I came pretty close to it," exclaimed Harry. "I told you that the three X's meant thirty leagues."
"So you did," said John. "Prior to the finding of the skull I did not know of the full inscription. Its significance did not come to me until we reached Venture Island."