“Merciful Father! are these Thy creatures?” exclaimed Philip.

“No!” replied Krantz, “they worshipped the devil as Mammon.  Do you imagine that those two, who could now divide more wealth than they could well spend if they return to their country, will consent to a division?  Never!—­they must have all—­yes, all.”

Krantz had hardly expressed his opinion, when one of the men, taking advantage of the other turning round a moment from him, passed his sword through his back.  The man fell with a groan, and the sword was again passed through his body.

“Said I not so?  But the treacherous villain shall not reap his reward,” continued Krantz, levelling the musket which he held in his hand, and shooting him dead.

“You have done wrong, Krantz; you have saved him from the punishment he deserved.  Left alone on the island, without the means of obtaining his subsistence, he must have perished miserably and by inches, with all his money round him—­that would have been torture indeed!”

“Perhaps I was wrong.  If so, may Providence forgive me, I could not help it.  Let us go ashore, for we are now on this island alone.  We must collect the treasure and bury it, so that it may be recovered; and, at the same time, take a portion with us—­for who knows but that we may have occasion for it.  To-morrow we had better remain here, for we shall have enough to do in burying the bodies of these infatuated men, and the wealth which has caused their destruction.”

Philip agreed to the propriety of the suggestion; the next day they buried the bodies where they lay; and the treasure was all collected in a deep trench, under a cocoa-nut tree, which they carefully marked with their axe.  About five hundred pieces of gold were selected and taken on board of the raft, with the intention of secreting them about their persons, and resorting to them in case of need.

The following morning they hoisted their sail and quitted the island.  Need it be said in what direction they steered?  As may be well imagined, in that quarter where they had last seen the raft with the isolated Amine.

Chapter XXVII

The raft was found to answer well; and although her progress through the water was not very rapid, she obeyed the helm and was under command.  Both Philip and Krantz were very careful in taking such marks and observations of the island as should enable them, if necessary, to find it again.  With the current to assist them, they now proceeded rapidly to the southward, in order that they might examine a large island which lay in that direction.  Their object, after seeking for Amine, was to find out the direction of Ternate; the king of which they knew to be at variance with the Portuguese, who had a fort and factory at Tidore, not very far distant from it; and from thence to obtain a passage in one of the Chinese junks, which, on their way to Bantam, called at that island.