By walking entirely
around the island he should find her he felt sure.
Shortly after noon he scaled a high promontory which
jutted out into the sea. From its summit he had an unobstructed
view of the broad Pacific. His heart leaped to his
throat, for there but a short distance out were a great battleship
and a trim white yacht--the Alaska and the Lotus! They
were steaming slowly out to sea.
He was just in time! Filled with happiness the mucker ran
to the point of the promontory and stripping off his shirt
waved it high above his head, the while he shouted at the top
of his lungs; but the vessels kept on their course, giving no
answering signal.
For half an hour the man continued his futile efforts to
attract the attention of someone on board either craft, but to
his dismay he saw them grow smaller and smaller until in a
few hours they passed over the rim of the world, disappearing
from his view forever.
Weak, wounded, and despairing, Billy sank to the ground,
burying his face in his arms, and there the moon found him
when she rose, and he was still there when she passed from
the western sky.
For three months Billy Byrne lived his lonely life upon the
wild island. The trapping and fishing were good and there was
a plentiful supply of good water.
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