CHAPTER XXIV.
THE DRUG IN THE WATER.
I really felt sorry for Mrs. Lola, and as soon as I had made certain that her worthless husband was nowhere in the vicinity, I did what I could to calm her down, and bade her return to the hut.
Here Oliver and Dan told their tales. After I had left them they had remained quiet for the best part of an hour, when, of a sudden, they were attacked by Lola and Delverez, and after a hard fight were made prisoners and taken to the hut. Delverez had abused them shamefully and had gone off, saying that he now knew the secret which had brought us to the islands and intended to profit by it. He had left them in Lola's custody with instructions to keep them close prisoners until the Kanaka should hear from him again.
"The woman has been kind to us," said Dan. "I believe she would have let us go had she not feared the wrath of her good-for-nothing husband."
"Do you think Delverez will really be back?" I questioned.
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