"Of course that is the wisest plan," Walter agreed, "but since my experience in that pit I have a dread of the place."
"That will wear off in time. Hallo, there's our island and there's the captain and Chris on the bank waiting for us."
"I expect we will get a good lecture," grinned Walter, "I guess we deserve it, too."
But the captain was so delighted over their safe return, that he let both off with a light scolding.
Over the supper, the boys related the story of their discoveries amid exclamations from the captain and Chris.
The captain readily agreed to their proposal to move camp to the larger island. "The young chief showed me how to fix signs that would tell him which way we had gone in case we left the island before he returned," the captain observed.
This removed the only possible objection to the plan, and early next morning the hunters prepared to shift camp.
The little patch of yams was dug up, yielding several bushels of the sugary tubers, the remaining ears of Indian corn were plucked from the stalks, and a large quantity of dry gourds gathered, these, together with the little that remained of their stock of provisions, were conveyed to the canoes and our hunters were ready to depart. Before leaving, the captain arranged the signs agreed upon with the young chief. These were very simple, consisting merely of twigs partly broken off and laid to point in the direction they had gone.
"I reckon he'll see those," observed the captain, "The worst of it is, though, that Injin Charley ain't likely to overlook them either."
"That can't be helped," said Charley, "and once we are in our new home, we will stand some show of being able to defy them. I only wish we had the two rifles that were lost when the canoe upset. I wouldn't fear the outlaws at all then."