“That’s what we think,” Jack replied soberly.
“Why don’t you try to rescue him?” she asked.
“Probably he’s past rescuing. Those fiends shot him up while he was on the water.” Jack’s words came slowly. “Besides, we have no boat, no plane, nothing.”
“You forget the native canoes,” she said.
“Say! That’s right!” Jack exclaimed. “Would the natives help us?”
“They’ll do anything I say. Besides, it will be a good thing to put them to work just now.”
“Why?” Jack asked in surprise.
“I’m trying to keep them from knowing there are Japs on the island,” said Mary. “They hate the Japs worse than snakes. Not long ago a Jap torpedo boat came across a big canoe loaded with these natives and killed every one of them, for no reason at all.”
“Come on! Hurry!” Stew exclaimed, swallowing half a cup of black coffee. “Let’s get out there and have a look for Ted. He’s the best pal we ever had, and if those fiends got him—” He did not finish, but the others understood.
By the time they had rounded up three stout canoes manned by husky natives and made their way around the end of the island, the large morning clouds had dropped to water level and become rain squalls.