The person who had last spoken seemed at the first to be less mad than his companion.
“I am glad of your decision, gentlemen, and the sooner we get on board the better. But tell me, did you come here alone? Have you no companions?”
“Companions! Yes, we had. We frightened them away. They fled from us.”
“Where are they now?” asked the mate.
“On the other side of the island,” answered the least mad of the strangers. “They dare not approach us. Perhaps you may find them. They will gladly go away. While you search for them we will prepare for our departure.”
“Very well, gentlemen, we will return for you,” answered Mr Merton, in his usual calm tone. It had a wonderful effect in soothing the irritation of the madmen.
We took our way in the direction they pointed across the island. After walking and climbing some way over the uneven ground, we came in sight of a hut built of driftwood and pieces of wreck, almost hid from view in the sheltered nook of the rock. No one was moving about it. Its appearance was very sad and desolate.
“Perhaps the unfortunate people are all dead,” remarked Charley to me. “I think, from what those two strange men down there said, they have not seen them for a long time.”
We went on, apprehending the worst. As we got nearer, we hallooed to warn anybody who might be there of our coming, so as not to take them by surprise. Again we hallooed, and directly afterwards we saw the head of a man appear at an opening in the hut which served as a window, while he thrust out of it the muzzle of a musket.
“Hillo, mate! don’t fire. We come as friends,” shouted Mr Merton.