Emily noted that Lavelle's voice rang with genuine happiness.
With the enthusiasm of a boy Lavelle next ordered a drink of water for all hands in celebration of Chang's discovery. Never was a health in rare wine drunk with finer appreciation than the simple tepid draught which these waifs quaffed from a tin cup.
Lavelle took the helm himself and a half-hour before sundown fetched a low-lying island which appeared to be between three-quarters of a mile and a mile long from north to south and about half a mile broad. It had a rise in its center like a camel's hump. The northern side of this and the lower land abutting upon it were sprinkled sparsely with cocoanut palms. There was not a visible sign of life.
Emily, standing alongside of Lavelle as they came within sound of the sea breaking against the island's weather shore, saw the happiness which had come into the commander's eyes suddenly depart. It was replaced by an intense seriousness. She could not help asking what was the matter.
"Nothing," said he simply, but the felt that he was withholding something from her.
Lavelle was reading signs which made him pause. First he had noticed the absence of any reefs—an invariable and natural formation of islands in that region of the world. The shore rose abruptly and sheer from the sea. The land was brown and raw-looking.
The wind was heightening, and this fact, in combination with the swift approach of darkness and the unweatherly qualities of the boat, determined him to abandon a momentary impulse to seek the lee side of the island.
Just to the southward of the hump or camel's back Chang sighted what seemed to be a beach. With the coolies and Rowgowskii at the oars Lavelle laid the boat toward this point, bow on, taking the precaution to drag the sea anchor astern so as to prevent her from broaching to in the heavy sea that was making.
Chang, with the painter in his hand, leaped ashore as the boat grounded. One of the coolies followed him. He heaved on the painter with Chang and then ran hack toward the boat to keep her from slewing round. Lavelle saw him reach the side of the boat. The next instant he had disappeared—straight down in the twinkling of an eye.
Everybody in the boat, looked on with dumbness. Not even Emily cried out. They sat in their places appalled.