Newmarch gave a peculiar chuckle as he turned toward me when the party had disappeared.

“Now, Mr. Verslun,” he cried, “we have plenty work to keep us busy for the week or so we will be here.  Get about it the moment the boats return, and keep the men on the jump.”

I nodded, and he went below without another word, leaving me still staring at the spot where the explorers had dived into the leafy wall.  The strange loneliness of the place seemed to clutch me hard at that moment, and I mentally abused myself for not making a stronger protest against the whole affair.  But I knew as I damned my own inactivity that protest would have been useless as far as the Professor was concerned, and the filial affection of the two girls would not allow the old ancient to wander off alone.

I had planned to allow the party a few hours’ start before I made any attempt to follow, feeling certain that I would be able to find the track, and, moreover, I wished to catch up to the expedition at a point where Leith would have no chance of verifying the story I would tell to account for my presence.  The big brute would probably think I was lying when I told him that Newmarch had sent me after him, but the Professor’s desire to push on would probably prevent him from making an effort to check my story by sending a runner back to the boat.  And luck was with me at that moment.  As I racked my brain in the construction of a suitable excuse to account for my appearance, my eyes fell upon the Professor’s camera that had been overlooked in the hurry of departure, and I sprang upon it joyfully and hid it till the time had elapsed.  Knowing the importance which the old scientist attached to the photographs which he intended to take, I knew that he, at least, would reason that the captain had acted wisely in sending me in pursuit with the instrument, and I trusted that his gratitude would move him to get Leith’s permission to allow me to remain with the expedition.

The party had been gone some six hours when I slipped over the side into the dory.  Newmarch was below, and only one of the crew was on deck.  I seized the oars and struck out for the shore, but I had hardly covered twenty paces when the captain rushed to the rail, took one glance at me, and then dashed toward the companion-stairs.

I sensed the motive in that mad dash for the cabin, and I pulled madly.  Thoughts of Edith Herndon thronged my brain, and I drove the dory toward the promontory with every ounce of strength I possessed.  To return to the yacht while she was in the eerie jungle-growth under Leith’s protection would be worse than death, and I didn’t pause for an instant when the captain’s squeaky voice hailed me.

“Come back at once!” he shouted.  “Are you coming?”

I bent my back to the oars and pulled with every muscle strained.  The perspiration half blinded me, but one glance upward convinced me that I had sensed the captain’s motive when I saw him rush from the side.  He was standing on the poop, taking deliberate aim at me with a Winchester rifle that he had taken from the rack in his own cabin.