y seen figures emerged from the
darkness, looking grotesque and strange.

"Down with the ladder, my lads," cried Mr Rimmer, and directly after,
the rescue party and the explorers climbed on board, two of the men
panting with exertion, and dropping to the deck the carcases of a couple
of little bucks.

"That's what made them so long," said Mr Rimmer, merrily. "They had
shot all this good fresh meat, and it has taken them hours to bring it
along. Here, cook, set to work on one of them at once, and let's all
have a hot grill for supper. Two of you hang the other up here in the
rigging for the night."

"But what news, Drew, of the blacks?"

"None at all. We found the marks where two great canoes had been
dragged up over the sands, and the foot-prints of those who launched
them again. Not a sign of them beside."

"And our boat?"

"All right. Looks as if it had not been touched," said Drew. "Hear the
grumblings of the volcano?"

"Yes, plainly enough."

"And the rush of quite a large herd of scared animals? They nearly ran
us down and would, if it had not been for the shelter of some rocks. I
am glad to get back. We had an awful job to carry those two little
bucks."

There was a merry supper that night, and on the strength of Drew's
information, the watch was somewhat relaxed, while it was late when they
assembled for breakfast that morning.

"Eh? What's that?" said Mr Rimmer, as the cook and Smith came to the
cabin door.

"Want you to come and have a look, sir," said Smith.

"Look? What at? Is anything wrong?"

"Well, sir, seems to me as it is a little bit not quite what it oughter
be," said Smith.

"There, don't talk in riddles, man," cried the mate, and he strode out
to the deck, followed by Drew--Panton and Lane following to the door to
see.

Smith led the way to where a group of the men were standing, some with
buckets and swabs, but waiting before using them until their officer
gave orders.

The sight that met the eyes of the new arrivals was not pleasant, but it
was startling, for there was a patch of blood upon the deck, and signs
of something bleeding having been dragged for a few yards to the
starboard bulwarks, and then drawn up and over them, the ugly stains
being on the top of the rail as well.

"I don't quite understand it," said the mate, hoarsely. "Who was on the
watch?"

There was a dead silence.

"Someone must have been. Does it mean that the poor fellow has been
as