COCOS— A TALE OF TREASURE 273 



One day, months after they expected relief, a 

 schooner was sighted. She seemed to be headed for 

 the island, but eventually drifted away and was seen 

 no more for twenty days, when they woke one 

 morning to find her dropping anchor in the bay. 

 She had been sent out by the company in Valpa- 

 raiso, and several of the men were those who had 

 been there on the previous trip. The first remark 

 of her captain was, "Wliere's Frank?" 



He was the mate, also of the first party. 



"Frank?" said Gissler, completely puzzled. 

 "How should I know?" 



When they had first sighted the island, days 

 before, and had seen that the ship was going to 

 have trouble in fetching it, Frank had put off in 

 a small boat with provisions, fearing that those 

 marooned there so long might be suffering for 

 want of supplies. One man went with him. They 

 had seemed to be making good progress landward 

 for some time; then the mist had shut down, and 

 they were seen no more. The captain supposed 

 that Frank had reached the island days before the 

 ship did. 



He was given up for lost. Weeks later, when the 

 expedition reached Valparaiso, Frank was the first 

 person they saw as they stepped ashore. He had 

 drifted for eleven days, becalmed, and bailing con- 

 stantly to keep the open boat from sinking in the 

 torrents of rain, before he was picked up off- 

 shore. 



"Hello!" said Frank, "I got here first." 



The next attempt on Cocos was made the fol- 



