"No; and we shall probably do so some day."

An island full of bitter and vindictive savages, and a handful of men to
meet them. It looked, indeed, like a hopeless task. John's story left
many things unsaid; many things that they longed to know. Who were
Wright and Walters, whose names were in the note found in the
_Investigator's_ lifeboat, and who was Will, the writer of the note?

The Professor was just as anxious as the boys to have those matters
cleared up, but he knew it would be unwise to tax his strength with a
further recital, and the inevitable questions which would be propounded,
and it was well that his injunctions were followed, because he was not
yet well by any means, and the further news which they awaited was
postponed.

In the evening Ralph had the flute, but the bass viol was not yet ready,
so that the two instruments gave a little diversion to the day of
excitement and wonder.

John's illness did not now interfere with the work on the house. It was
pushed forward with the greatest energy, the roof and sides enclosed,
and they were now nearly ready for occupying it, by the time John was
again able to be about.

Shortly after they had made the first samples of glass, some months
before, the trip to the west had postponed the work in that direction,
and the Professor, with the aid of George, turned out the first samples
of glass, which they intended to use in the new building.

"Why can't we have a looking-glass? It would be such fun to set up
several of them."

"I think we have sufficient mercury for the purpose," answered the
Professor; so calling in Ralph they set to work, under the Professor's
direction, to make some mirrors.

"The principal thing in mirrors is to get a white reflecting surface.
Silver and mercury are metals which lend themselves to that use. If you
polish anything bright enough it will serve as a mirror, but the whiter
the surface is the better."

"Then why wouldn't white paper be the best?"

"It would if you could get a fine polish on its surface, but the finest
surface on the densest paper is not as smooth as the polished surface of
the metals."

"What is the best way to make the mirror?"

"The most available plan for us to follow is to make an amalgam of tin
and mercury."

"But what do you mean by an amalgam?"

"It means the combination of mercury, or quicksilver, with any other
metal."

"Will it be difficult to combine tin and mercury, so as to make an
am