nly possible, but very probable.

Like philosophers, they governed themselves accordingly. The signal
was kept flying and they busied themselves fishing, talking or doing
odd things which were done simply to pass away time. But the two felt
that a most urgent duty was upon them, respecting Inez Hawthorne.

"We must do what we can for her," said Storms. "With the material
which I have on hand we can construct garments that will keep her clad
with comeliness, though she may not be in the fashion; and yet I don't
know but what she will," he added, with a smile, "for we may strike
some of the vagaries without knowing it. Then, too, she must be
educated."

"I'm not well up in the line of an education," said the captain, with
some embarrassment, "being as I never attended any other than a
district school, but I believe you graduated, didn't you, Abe?"

"Yes, I went through Harvard three years ago, and stood second in my
class. I haven't any fear that I won't be able to teach her, for she
is a child of unusual brightness."

And, as may be supposed, the mate went to work thoroughly in the
instruction of Inez Hawthorne, who proved herself one of the most apt
of pupils, and advanced with a rapidity which delighted her teacher.

CHAPTER XXIV

THREE YEARS

Three years have passed, and still Captain Bergen, Mate Storms and
Inez Hawthorne are upon the lonely Pearl Island in the South Sea.

Could they have believed when they left Boston that they would be
doomed to such an imprisonment, it may well be doubted whether they
would have made the voyage, even if assured of the vast fortune which
thereby came into their hands.

The three years had been dismally monotonous to them, and their
courage had been tried to the utmost, for there had been times when
both agreed that they would probably stay there until released by
death, and then they fell to speculating as to which would be the last
one to survive. According to human logic, it would seem that that lot
would fall to Inez, and their hearts sank at the thought of her being
left to perish in the lonely spot.

When the coat fluttering from the top of the mast was blown away by
the gale, Captain Bergen climbed up and nailed another in its place,
grimly remarking that it looked as if they were going down with their
colors flying.

It was surprising what was done by Mate Storms, whose ingenuity was
almost incredible. With the material at his command, he kept Inez
cl