He could form no estimate as to the cause of the death of this poor unknown, nor the time since the tragedy had occurred.
Jenks must have stood many minutes before he perceived that the skeleton was headless.

At first he imagined that in rummaging about with the stick he had disturbed the skull.

But the most minute search demonstrated that it had gone, had been taken away, in fact, for the plants which so effectually screened the lighter bones would not permit the skull to vanish.
Then the frown on the sailor's face became threatening, thunderous.

He recollected the rusty kriss.

Indistinct memories of strange tales of the China Sea crowded unbidden to his brain.
"Dyaks!" he growled fiercely.