these here ropes?"

"No, I aren't going to ketch hold o' no ropes. Cause why? It's my
spell with the ladder, and I'm a-going to carry the ladder till it's
time to give it up."

"Well, you are a horbstnit one, Billy, and no mistake."

"Look-ye here, are you going to keep your mouth shut? 'Cause if you're
not, I'm a-going to get furder away afore the Injuns begins to shoot. I
don't want no pysoned arrows sticking into me."

"Course you don't, mate. Look-ye here, if I was you I'd stand that
there ladder straight up, and then go aloft and sit on the top rung.
You could rest yourself, and be a deal safer up there."

"Chaff!" growled Wriggs. "Chaff! Better hold your tongue, Tommy, if
yer can't talk sense. What does young Mr Oliver say--Forrard again?"

"Yes."

"Oh, all right, then, I don't mind. I'll go off 'lone with the ladder
if he likes. Where's the Injuns now?"

"Dunno. But they ain't Injuns, Billy; they're savygees, that's what
they are."

"Why, I heered Mr Oliver call 'em pap you hans. But there, I don't
care. Call 'em what you like, so long as I can get rid o' this ladder
and rest my soldier."

"Then why don't you put it over your other soldier, Billy, or else let
me carry it?"

"'Cause I shan't, Tommy, so there you have it, sharp."

"You men will be heard by the Papuans if there are any lurking about,"
whispered Oliver just then. "Silence, and keep close behind us."

As the moon rose higher it was not to shine out bright and clear, for
there was a thin haze floating over the sea, and consequently, as the
softened silvery light flooded the wave-swept plain, every object looked
distorted and mysterious. Tree-trunks, where they lay together, seemed
huge masses of coral rock, swollen and strange, and the hollows scooped
out by the earthquake wave appeared to be full of a luminous haze that
the eye could not penetrate, and suggested the possibility of enemies
being in hiding, waiting to take aim with some deadly weapon, as soon as
the light grew plain enough for the returning party to be seen.

But out in the open, as far as they could make out, no lurking savages
were visible, and as the light spread more and more, unless hidden by
some shadowy hollow, there was no danger close at hand.

This was satisfactory and encouraging, the more so that though they all
listened with every nerve on the strain, there was now not a sound to
betray the enemy's whereabouts.

On the other hand, in spite