IT was in Batavia I met him--at the H#65533;tel des Indes--the leather--visaged, stormy-voiced ruin of a very powerful man. I shall call him Thurston. He laughed when I spoke of Five-Skull Island."Where they found the five skeletons?" he said. "I see you've made the Aru voyage. Or was it the K#65533;? Lived in K#65533; once myself!""Yes! Would he take anything?"He would, and did--then did again, and expanded."You're a young chap to have gone poking down into that out-of-the-way corner. Not trade, I can see! Money to throw away, eh? Or was it Science? Never mind! About this Five-Skull business! People here will tell you I'm the man that sailed a prahu single-handed from K#65533; to Celebes. Well--I didn't! Six of us left K#65533;--the others stopped half-way--at Five-Skull Island. Don't care if I tell you!"And here--a little dramatized--is what he did tell me...