Their mother skipped gaily hither and thither, and I myself was hardly able to control my transports of excitement and exhilaration.

Even Gunda beamed upon the preparations for our release.

I did not demolish my hut of pearl shells, but left it standing exactly as it had been during the past two and a half years.

Nor must I omit to mention that I buried my treasure of pearls deep in the sand at one end of the island, and in all human probability it is there at this moment, for I have never returned for them, as I fondly hoped to be able to do so at some future date.

It is, of course, possible that the precious box has been washed away in a storm, but more probably the contrary is the case, and still deeper layers of sand have been silted over this great treasure.