"Two days afterwards we passed a party of natives, who were not aware of our presence, and then we saw that Walter, and the man with him, had been captured, and later believed that they had been killed. We searched the island, to find the cave, but were unsuccessful and thinking that an error might have been made, we concluded to sail for the island to the south.
"We found a tribe of natives when we landed, and owing to the exposure and the trials we had gone through I was taken ill, and grew worse and worse, and from that time on to the time I recovered two days ago, I had not the slightest idea of what passed."
"When I spoke against Walter a few moments ago," said John, "you said he was not to blame. What did you mean by that?"
"During my wanderings, I found parts of the chart, which, I assumed, had been lost by John, and, probably, destroyed by the natives. The part I recovered was of no value to me, but it entirely changed my opinion of Walter."
But Clifford's story left something to be told. It did not explain why Walter tried to avoid meeting Clifford; or why he was so startled upon seeing the[p. 230] two skulls, or the reason for avoiding the reference to the letter to which his name was signed.
The boys were so intensely interested in his story that they did not notice the entrance of Blakely, who had brought Walter back, but when Clifford saw Blakely there was immediate recognition.
Clifford held out his hand to Walter, as he said: "I did wrong in doubting you. I understand from the statement made by Ta Babeda, that they found the chart the next day, after we met them, and that, of course, clears you."
"But I would like to know," said Harry, "what the other part of the inscription on the skulls means?"
"Do you refer to the sign of plus and the V?"
"Yes."