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Rh The second mate's warning had had its effect upon Captain Kenny, and a roaring blaze greeted us, which, in the gathering twilight looked quite homelike. The captain had also kicked up about a bucketful of shell-fish in the shallow water of the cove.

By the time the fish and other things were cooked, Vincent and Sandram came back, each having traveled a good mile out and return. Both brought back with them some nearly ripe plantains, commonly called bananas in America. All were hungry, and never did a meal taste better than did that to me, although I have dined at some of our leading hotels.

"I saw nothing but some driftwood," reported Sandram. "The wood looked as if it might have belonged to the Dart, but I couldn't get close enough to make sure, as it was out on a reef, among the breakers."

Vincent had seen nothing of boats or crews, but had made a most grewsome discovery.

"I thought at a distance they might be big cocoanuts, lying upon the sand," he said. "But when I came closer I discovered that they were the heads of seven negroes, all of whom had been buried in a circle in the sand up to their necks."

"Negroes' heads!" I ejaculated. "And were the poor fellows dead?"