agreeable and pleasant.

But there is still so much to be said about the town, the people, the
actions of the chiefs, the work that was being prosecuted, the farms and
plantations that were started, the manufactured articles turned out, the
new houses erected everywhere, and the intense interest exhibited by the
people under the new order of things.

The boys knew they had been a great factor in the regeneration of the
island, and were proud of it. Lolo, and boys of like ages with our boys,
were given special training, due to the suggestion of the Professor.
Some were taught the theory of medicine, as the necessity of proper
medical treatment was essential. Many received the rudimentary knowledge
of carpentry and other occupations from John.

The ship was the principal topic of conversation, and to that the main
energies were directed. The finest oak trees were cut and brought in; a
new and larger sawmill installed; the machine shop was busy day and
night in the making of two new lathes, a planer, and several drilling
machines.

During the rush and the excitement of all these new enterprises, the
boys could not forget their earlier experiences, and about the
mysterious things which formed parts of their adventures.

To enumerate all of them would take too much space, and be unnecessary,
but some of them had an intense personal interest, and they recalled how
the missing flag was accounted for when John appeared; the removal of
their boat at the Palls of South River was explained; the discovery of
the light beyond the West River really indicated the location of the
savage village.

But there were other things still unaccounted for, and the boys craved a
solution to the mysterious happenings. Who wrote the message found in
the _Investigator's_ lifeboat, No. 3? Who took the flagstaff at
Observation Hill? Who placed the crude oars and the strange ropes in
their boat which was found stranded on the sea beach ten miles from the
place where they left it?

The boys determined to know these things, and they trusted to the future
to be able to give the answers.

Little of the time was devoted to pleasure now. The great forest to the
west was looked on by the boys with longing eyes many times. They had
heard about the experience at Blakely's old home on the hill. One day
Harry said: "There is one thing lacking in the town."

"What is it?" asked Tom.

"The American flag."

"Good! We must get a fitting flag pole for t