“Does any one else aboard know how to use those instruments?” he finally asked. “No one,” answered the Captain, briefly. “Then the secret is safe with us,” resumed the Major. “I’ll just trouble you, my good fellow, to give me the exact latitude and longitude of the island. I’ll mark them down in my note-book.” “Come to me tomorrow noon,” said Captain Gay. “Why tomorrow noon?” with a sudden frown. “Can’t you understand? Don’t you know it requires hours to figure out so complicated a problem?” “Oh, does it?” A nod. “Well, I’ll come in tomorrow. But understand, not a word of the true reckoning to a soul on board. Not even to Perkins or the boy here, who has no business to be listening to this conversation, and had better forget it. The island is mine!” Captain Gay sat silent; merely drumming with his fingers on the little table before him. The Major gave him another curious look and stalked away, whistling softly to himself, as if something had occurred to puzzle him. Indeed, the Captain’s face was so set and stern that it made me uncomfortable, and I soon left him and returned to my own room. The “Flipper” made good time during the afternoon, and before darkness fell those on board saw the island where they had labored so hard and endured so much, gradually sink into the sea and disappear. The breeze held all through the night, and daybreak found the sturdy ship plowing steadily onward over the waste of gray waters. The sailors had fallen into their usual routine and performed their labors with mechanical precision, while the miners lay around the deck and watched them with the interest landsmen usually show when on a sailing ship. At the stroke of twelve I saw the Major promptly approach the Captain’s room, where I knew the seaman was busily engaged in writing. Wishing to learn the result of this second interview I crept forward and without hesitation established myself beside the door, which the red-beard had carelessly left ajar. I even ventured to peer curiously through the opening; but neither of the men observed my intrusion. The Major for a moment stood staring with the same wondering gaze he had bestowed on Captain Gay the day before; but suddenly his face brightened and he said: “By Jupiter! I’ve struck it at last!” “Struck what?” asked the Captain, looking up. “The resemblance that bothered me. You’re the living image of that man Daggett, who caused us that trouble on the island. It’s a wonder I never noticed it before.” The Captain flushed, but said nothing. “No relation, I hope?” queried the Major, grinning. “To Daggett?” “Yes; the scoundrel who stole our gold.” Captain Gay had resumed his writing, but said, lightly, as if the matter was too preposterous to be treated seriously: “Is it likely, sir?” But already the Major’s mind had turned to a more important subject. “I’ve come for that little memorandum, sir.” “What memorandum?” asked the Captain, quietly. “The location of the island.”