Unaware of the tragedy, the lads urged the boat almost over the fatal spot, and five minutes later the cutter"s forefoot grounded on the sandy beach.
"Terence, I want you and Quexo to stay in the boat," said Ellerton, after the survivors had, by a common impulse, knelt down and returned thanks to Divine Providence for their escape. "Keep her stern from slewing round, so that we can push off in a hurry. Andy and I are going to explore."
And, buckling on a revolver and an ammunition belt, and grasping a rifle in his hand, Ellerton took a flying leap over the bows and alighted on the sand.
The lads found themselves on the sh.o.r.e of a small bay, its extremities bounded by two towering cliffs, that rose sheer from the lagoon. That to the left was not less than five hundred feet in height, while the other was but slightly lower. Midway between these impa.s.sable boundaries the land sloped abruptly to the beach, and was thickly covered with cocoanut palms.
"Keep your weather eye lifting, Andy," cautioned Ellerton, who had taken the precaution of charging both the magazine of his rifle and the chambers of his revolver.
It was an unnecessary warning, for Andy was an infinitely better scout than his companion; still, it showed that Ellerton was fast adopting the manner of life required in a wild and unsettled country.
Skirting the edge of the wood, the lads kept a vigilant look-out for any traces of human agency, but nothing was visible.
Presently they came to a small stream, which, trickling down the steep hillside, was lost in the sand.
"There"ll be no lack of fresh water," exclaimed Andy thankfully, for he knew the value of that precious fluid. "But, I say, isn"t everything quiet?" For, save the babbling of the brook and the distant roar of the breakers on the reef, there was an unaccustomed silence. Not a bird sang in the groves, not an animal rustled the thick undergrowth.
"I think we may take it for granted that the island is uninhabited--at least, this part," said Andy, as they completed their walk along the sh.o.r.es of the bay. "Otherwise, there"s almost sure to be a beaten track to the sh.o.r.e."
"It doesn"t promise much for the boat"s crew," answered Ellerton.
Then, with an exclamation of surprise, he shouted: "Look! What"s that?"
Lying on the sand a few feet from the water"s edge was a mournful relic of the unfortunate boat, her back-board bearing the words _San Martin_.
A little farther they found an oar.
"There were two boats, remember," said Ellerton. "And one we know was capsized."
"I vote we explore the next bay," exclaimed Andy. "There"s no suitable clearing here for a camp, and felling trees takes time; so let"s get back to the boat."
"Well?" asked Mr. McKay on their return.
"We must push off and land on the other side of the cliff," said his son. "There may be a better site for our tent. It"s too steep and densely wooded here."
"Any signs of the crew?"
"Only part of their boat."
"I feared as much," replied Mr. McKay.
"This looks more promising," exclaimed Andy enthusiastically, as the boat slowly rounded the northernmost of the two cliffs.
Here the land sloped less abruptly towards the lagoon, while in places there were terraces almost bare of trees. In the background towered a range of mountains whose rugged sides gave the appearance of being unclimbable, while on either hand of the bay rose lofty cliffs.
The beach, too, was better adapted for landing purposes than where they had first touched, consisting of sand interspersed by ledges of rocks jutting seawards, thus forming convenient natural jetties.
"This will do admirably," said Ellerton, pointing to a narrow cove betwixt the ledges. "There"s sand at its head, so there"s no fear of the boat being damaged."
CHAPTER V
THE CAMP
Slowly the cutter was backed in till its sternpost stuck on the smooth, even bottom.
The castaways could not have chosen a better harbour. On either hand the rocks, smooth and flat-topped, allowed a boat to be moored alongside without danger of being left high and dry at low water, while the ledge shelved so gradually that it was possible to bring the boat"s gunwale level with the natural pier at any state of the tide.
"I think we had better make a tour of exploration as we did before,"
said Andy. "Not that I think this part of the island is inhabited any more than yonder bay."
"Say, Andy," exclaimed Terence, "isn"t it about time I had a spell ash.o.r.e?"
"All right, Terence," replied Ellerton. "You go with Andy and take Quexo; I"ll stay with Mr. McKay."
"Thanks, Hoppy," replied Terence, and without further ado he jumped ash.o.r.e.
"Here, take this rope and make her stern fast before you go," said Ellerton. "And you, Andy, stand by with the painter."
"Where shall I make fast to?" asked Terence. "This rock is as smooth as a table."
"See if there"s a lump of rock on the other side."
Terence crossed the landing-place, holding the rope"s-end in his hand.
Suddenly he shouted:
"Come here, you fellows! Here"s a boat!"
There was a rush to where Terence stood, while even Mr. McKay raised himself on his elbow, eager to hear the news.
Lying bottom upwards on the sandy sh.o.r.e was the ill-fated boat in which the last of the crew attempted to reach the sh.o.r.e. Her bows were considerably damaged, while amidships a portion of her keel and both garboards had been stove in, leaving a jagged hole nearly two feet in diameter.
Four or five oars lay on the sh.o.r.e within a few feet of the boat, but there were no signs of the hapless crew; the sand above high-water mark was innocent of footprints.
"They are drowned, sure enough," said Andy sadly.
Alas! though they did not know it, the fate of the crew was far more terrible. Holed on the outer reef, the boat, rapidly filling, had been swept into the lagoon, where the waves, though high, were not so terrific as outside the coral barrier.
Well it was that the watchers on the wreck heard not the awful shrieks as the sharks fought for and seized their helpless prey.
Ellerton returned to the cutter to inform Mr. McKay of their discovery, while the others set off to explore.
In less than an hour they were back, and reported that there were no signs of human habitation, although the sh.o.r.e was strewn with the remains of the first boat that left the wreck, including most of the oars, gratings, also a quant.i.ty of timber, presumably from the shattered decks of the _San Martin_.
"But we"ve found a fine place to pitch the tent," continued Andy. "You see the second terrace? Well, at the extreme right is a steep ravine.
The other two sides are enclosed by a wall of rock, while on this side there is a natural path, although you can"t distinguish it from where we are."