This island is not uninhabited at all." "Not uninhabited!" exclaimed Clara and Edith together.

I saw each of them give a rapid look at her goatskin suit.
"Nonsense, Croyden," I said, "this island is one of the West Indian keys.

On such a key as this the pirates used to land.

Here they careened their ships----" "Did what to them ?" asked Croyden.
"Careened them all over from one end to the other," I said.

"Here they got water and buried treasure; but beyond that the island was, and remained, only the home of the wild gull and the sea-mews----" "All right," said Croyden, "only it doesn't happen to be that kind of key.