re we'll meet around on the other side of the island
somewhere."

"All right," agreed John. "We'll see you later."

"After we see what the shore of the island is like, I say we explore the
interior," said George, as he and John walked off down the beach.

"That's what I say," exclaimed John. "That part looks more interesting."

"It does to me, too. There are lots of birds here."

"Do you know the names of them?"

"No, I don't. All I know is that they are certainly beautiful. Look at
that one there," exclaimed George suddenly, as there was a flash of
scarlet showing for an instant among the trees to their left.

"I wonder if there are any parrots here."

"Wouldn't you like to have one?"

"I certainly would. I'd like to take it home with me."

"If we ever get there."

"Of course we'll get there," said John confidently. "Don't worry about
that for a second. It's only a question of how soon it will be."

"Don't be so sure about that, String. We don't know where we are and it
certainly seems queer that we haven't seen a single boat. That's what
worries me. If many boats went by this way, I wouldn't worry, but if no
boats come along, how are we to be picked up?"

"But some will come."

"They haven't yet."

"It seems to me we ought to have a lookout," said John. "A boat might go
right by and we'd never see it at all."

"I know it," said George. "I think we ought to take turns up on top of
the hill where the flag is."

"I'm willing. We'll talk about it to Grant and Fred, when we meet them."

"Look at that rock," exclaimed George suddenly.

"What's the matter with it?"

"Look at its shape."

"It is queer," admitted John. "It looks like a fish."

"Doesn't it? Maybe it's a petrified shark."

"I guess not that," laughed John. "Still it is shaped more like a shark
than anything else, isn't it? Isn't it queer?"

The odd shaped rock made a great impression on the two boys, and it was
a queer freak of nature. Black in color and about thirty feet long the
great bowlder stood out as a remarkable evidence of nature's handiwork.
It lay in a small opening in the midst of a grove of palm trees. The two
boys drew near to investigate more closely and were amazed at the
smoothness of its surface and the way it glistened in the sunlight.

"This is certainly strange," exclaimed George. "It looks as if it might
have been under water for hundreds of years and was worn smooth this way
by the waves."

"It's so differe