e; but the lowest savages have usually some form of knowledge
about raising and caring for vegetables, so we should not count too much
on that. This cup here seems to indicate the presence of some civilized
being, whoever he may be."

"It is just as likely, is it not, that the savages may have captured a
prisoner who had the cup?"

"That is one solution. This writing is the most important piece of
information we have had up to this time. It is not at all likely that
the natives would preserve it, so that the only conclusion I can draw
from it is, that the one who wrote the message, or the one who got the
paper, was at the hut, and now the important thing is to arrive at some
sort of idea _when_, and what the message means."

"It does not seem," remarked Harry, as he carefully scanned the paper,
"that we can make out more than a few of the words. Here is the word
which looks like 'river.' Yes; I am sure of that."

"And besides that the words 'of' and a capital letter 'B,' and something
that looks like 'r-e-n,' which may be simply part of a word," added
George.

"As this is simply ordinary wrapping paper, it is likely that it may
have no meaning whatever. Still, I have been trying to recall whether
anyone on shipboard had a name that these initials would fit. My limited
knowledge in that direction does not help me, I confess."

"What do you suppose the cup is made of?"

"That is undoubtedly silver, or some alloy of metals of which silver is
the principal part. It is very hard, as you notice. It is certainly a
singular thing that a vessel of this kind should be left at the springs,
if the owner of it was there, and it is just as remarkable that the
natives would permit it to remain there. I now regard the finding of the
cup as of far more importance than the paper, because of these
considerations."

"Well, the finding of the huts, and these articles, are pretty strong
arguments in favor of our purpose to find the people who owned the
things we found there," responded Harry.

"But I have also a little news to impart," said the Professor.

"What is it?" asked the boys in concert.

"I have found a companion to the skeleton we discovered on the beach,
and also some information about the inhabitants of the island."

"Tell us about it. Where did you come across it?"

"It isn't much of a story, but an hour or so after you left, I felt like
taking a little stroll, so I crossed the valley east of us, and skirted
the