Page:Barbour--Lost island.djvu/199

 leaving it all these years in the main street of Sydney and leaving it stranded on a little island where nobody in their sane senses would think of poking their noses. There's islands there that don't have a human being on them once in a hundred years or more, and then, as likely as not, they might not happen to spot a half-buried wreck."

As he listened to Captain Grummitt, Dave began to see new interest in the lost Hatteras, and he would have liked to kick himself for not pumping his ancient mariner more.

"I think some fine day we shall have to go treasure-hunting, Dave," Tempest said with a quiet smile.

"If ever we get the chance," agreed Dave, cheerfully, as though a little trip to the neighborhood of Christmas Island was as simple as a jaunt on a trolley-car.

"If ever you get the chance," said Captain Grummitt, nodding his head with each word,