Hurriedly they dumped their supplies into the canvas boat, then paddled rapidly for the shore. They were soon partaking of a hearty meal as they sat upon the fallen trunk of a giant palm in the shade of a delightfully cool grove.
Johnny could scarcely finish his meal in his eagerness to explore that region of the island close to the shore. Before the others had finished eating, he hastened around the end of the grove and came out upon the shore close to an out-jutting rocky cliff. At the base of this cliff he paused in astonishment. Back a little from the beach and against the end of the cliff was a rude cabin built of drift-wreckage from the ship.
With much hesitation he approached the door of the cabin, which was a real door taken from the ship. “Some white man; no native built that,” he murmured as he knocked on the door.
Getting no answer, he knocked again; this time louder. Still no response. Having turned the knob he was surprised to find that the door was not locked. Pushing it back, he looked within. Then, quickly closing it, he raced back to camp.
“Come see what I have found!” he exclaimed. “There must be at least one survivor of the wreck who did not escape with the ship’s crew. There is a cabin built of driftwood at the end of the cliff!”
“A cabin! A cabin!” exclaimed the others, as they sprang up and prepared to follow him.
An inspection of the cabin convinced them that it had been occupied for some time and had been but recently abandoned, if, indeed, the builder might not be expected back at any moment. Some garments of an oriental design hung upon the wall.
“Wonder if he’s a Chinaman?” said Johnny.
There was a well-built bunk on one side of the room, and on the opposite a wood-burning stove improvised out of empty gasoline cans. There was a small table, a ship’s chair and a box of dishes, also a handmade set of shelves well stocked with ship supplies.
As the Professor rummaged about one corner of the room his hand fell upon an object which immediately absorbed his attention. For a few minutes he stood staring at it. Then he whispered to himself: