"Yes; Hutoton. But the positions! Yes; you will understand! One point is the Southern Cross, near the South polar Circle, the second point is the fixed star Antares, and the third is the fixed star Spica, which, together form a perfect triangle, one limb of which pa.s.ses through a cl.u.s.ter of stars called the Compa.s.ses."

"But what has that to do with the locations of the three islands?"

"They are situated, with relation to each other, exactly the same as the three stars are placed in the heavens."

"What was the object of the three crosses before the star?"

"The three represented thirty."

"Thirty what?"

"Leagues."

"And the arrow?"

"The direction from Spica."

"Why from Spica?"

"Because that star is the one which represents the island on which this particular chart happens to be found."

"Do you mean that a similar chart will be found on each island?"

"No; on only two of them."

The boys were astounded at this information. John and the Professor remained quiet while the boys thus questioned Clifford.

John interrupted to inquire why there were only two charts.

"The record is found on the third."

"So Wonder and Venture Islands are the only ones which have the inscriptions on the skulls?" asked Harry.

Clifford sat up with such a sudden start that the boys were alarmed. He leaned forward, and hurriedly asked the following questions: "You say, 'Inscriptions on the skulls?' How do you know? and why do you say that they are on Wonder and Venture Islands?"

"Because we have two of them."

He dropped back on the pillow, and reflected for some time, and then slowly said: "But there must be three. One of them is still with the records."

"No; we have the one with the records."

A smile illuminated his features, the tension was relaxed, and he dropped back, and pressed his hands over his forehead, as he muttered: "I am so glad, so glad, so glad," and his voice died down, and he remained quiet, as though in sleep.

The questioners sat there in silence, and watched him as he slept. The Professor motioned them to withdraw, and they pa.s.sed into the adjoining room.

"It is clear to me now," remarked John. "The knowledge of the record was known to others, and I was not aware that any one besides ourselves really had figured out the secret," remarked John, as he turned to the Professor.

"Well, I came pretty close to it," exclaimed Harry. "I told you that the three X's meant thirty leagues."

"So you did," said John. "Prior to the finding of the skull I did not know of the full inscription. Its significance did not come to me until we reached Venture Island."

"I remember now! I told George that I saw the chart you had made."

John smiled. "It would have deceived you, however."

"Why?" asked Harry.

"Because, if you remember it the third island was to the south of Venture, and not to the north as we really found it."

CHAPTER XVIII

THE STORY OF THE LETTERED SKULL

It was late that afternoon when Clifford awoke, and plainly much, refreshed, and improved physically. When he saw the Professor he said: "I have not told you all, but I want the boys here for that purpose, because I know it will interest them."

When the boys arrived they awaited the coming of John, who informed them that Uraso had received word of the capture of Walter, but that he would not arrive until noon.

Clifford greeted them effusively, and it was evident that he had recovered his spirits, and was well on the road to recovery. After some general talk on uninteresting topics, he began his story:

"I was on the vessel with Ephraim when we ran into the monsoon which wrecked the vessel. After days of suffering I became unconscious, and when the spar finally reached the sh.o.r.e, I was aroused sufficiently to save myself, and after wandering around for some time, came up to a tribe of natives, who took good care of me.

"I had no means of determining the lat.i.tude or longitude, because I was then only about twenty years of age, and had shipped on the vessel at Shanghai, because I was anxious to return home. I remained with the people about three years, and they were called Osagas."

"Why, this town is built in the Osagas' territory," said Harry.

"That may be so, but it is enough for the present to know that it was somewhere on this island that I reached the sh.o.r.e, and that about three years thereafter I was fortunate enough to catch sight of a sailing vessel, and on her I reached San Francisco.

"In course of time I built up a profitable shipping business, and owned several vessels engaged in the coast and Alaska trade. Like all shipping men on the western coast, I learned of the many accounts, most of them fables, concerning the treasures on the islands in the South Seas, but they never had any effect on me until about three years ago, I had a hand in furnishing the outfit for a vessel which departed on such a mission, that sailed some time in December or January, of that year."

"Do you know the name of the vessel?" asked John.

"Yes; the _Juan Ferde_. Why do you ask?"

"I sailed in that vessel with Blakely, one of the owners."

"Blakely? Blakely, did you say? Why he is the man who purchased all the provisions from me."

"He is here on the island, and now has charge of all the business matters connected with our venture."

"Well, that is remarkable, indeed; but I must proceed. Four months after the _Juan Ferde_ sailed, I came into contact with a peculiar character, who had been all over the southern part of the universe, and he finally interested me sufficiently to look over some peculiar doc.u.ments which he had, bearing on the subject of the lost treasures, and from the information which he gave, it occurred to me that the location could not be far from the island where I was cast ash.o.r.e.

"With a good business, and entirely free from all family entanglements, I made up my mind that I would accompany him, and finance the undertaking. What induced me more than anything else, was the fact that the stories he told corresponded so nearly with the information which Blakely gave me, although the latter did not go into many details, that I looked on the venture in the nature of a lark. Besides I wanted to meet my old friends on the island, and possibly induce them to gather the products of the island for me.

"We sailed about five months after the _Juan Ferde_ left, and had a quick run to the island where it was supposed I had been left years before. It seems that at the time I landed there the tribe was at war, and we had a terrible time to get away from the people, who, of course, did not remember me, even though the tribe was the same, but of this I had no absolute knowledge at the time.