“Well, you’d think some one would find it,” exclaimed George. “An island as big as this one couldn’t very well be overlooked if any one came near it at all.”
“Apparently no one does come near it,” said Fred. “How many boats have we seen since the Josephine burned?”
“Not one,” said Grant.
“Why is it?” demanded Fred. “In this day and age, when the ocean is so covered with ships, you’d certainly think we’d see at least one.”
“We never even saw any of the other lifeboats,” said John.
“That’s true,” Fred exclaimed. “How do you account for it?”
“I don’t,” said Grant. “It’s a strange thing all around.”
“Well, if we’re going to be stranded here for a few years we might just as well spend part of the time looking for the treasure,” said Fred. “Everything seems to point to the fact that there is some here. That cave and the chest and the two codes and the queer rock that fits in so well with what Sam has heard, everything about it sounds like treasure and lots of it.”
“If we could only be the ones to find it,” sighed John. “Just think of going home rich; rich with pearls and diamonds and emeralds and gold doubloons and bars of gold all dug up from some old pirate’s hiding place. If we only could!”
“Perhaps we can,” exclaimed Fred, much thrilled by John’s description of the wealth that might be theirs. “My opinion is that we must translate those codes first, though. Wouldn’t it be awful if they didn’t apply to this island after all.”