"But it may be one just put up for a
night or two by a hunter. Anyhow, we'll soon find out what it means, and
if anyone is there who can tell us which way to go."
He and Paul resumed their rowing and a little later were close beside the
moored motor boat. It was a large craft, and well appointed, though now
it showed signs of being weather-beaten; it was scratched and marred. But
it seemed to be in good running order.
"Ahoy there!" called Russ, as he made fast their own boat. "Ahoy in the
hut!"
There was no answer.
"Maybe they're asleep," suggested Ruth.
"We can apologize for waking them up," said Alice. "Oh, to think we have
help at last!"
Russ and Paul looked at each other. They were not quite so sure, now, in
view of the silence, that help was at hand.
Still, the fact that the boat was tied showed that it had not merely
drifted to the spot. Some human agency must have been about at some time
or other.
With Russ and Paul in the lead the little party made their way to the
palm leaf hut. It was ingeniously made--a glance showed that. A palm tree
had been taken for the centre pole, and about this had been tied layer
after layer of palm leaves, so laid as to shed the rain.
The hut was circular, and at the outer edge of the roof poles had been
driven into the ground to support it.
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