e.

Oliver drew a long deep breath as he gave a stamp upon the sand.

"Hah! That's better," he sighed. "Well, Panton, how do you feel?"

"I don't know. So weak yet, but--yes, I am better, a good deal. I say,
couldn't we make a little expedition somewhere, say as far as that
cavern where the sulphur hole goes right down into deep strata?"

"No, no, let's keep out in the fresh air."

"That's better, gentlemen," said the mate, descending in turn from the
deck of the brig, which now looked quite like a fort with its breastwork
of new planks. "Puts strength into you, don't it, to get out here?"

"Oh, yes," cried Panton, "now one has got over the first bit of it. I
felt as if I was too weak to walk down, but I'm coming round now. Hi!
One of you two go and get me my gun and the cartridges. Shall he bring
yours, Lane?"

"Yes, I think so," said Oliver rather dubiously though, as Panton
shouted to "One of you two," which proved to be Smith, who was standing
looking out of a sheltered loophole with Wriggs.

"Think of going shooting?" said Mr Rimmer.

"Yes, a short trip would not hurt us, would it?" asked Oliver.

"No; do you good if you walk steadily and don't go too far. You'll go
with them, Mr Drew?"

"Only too glad," said that individual, "I'm longing for a bit of a trip.
But hadn't we better send out scouts first?"

"Yes, of course," said the mate, "we mustn't be taken by surprise.
That's the worst of being down here on so flat a place, you can't make
out whether there's any danger."

Hailing one of the men directly, he sent him up to the main-topgallant
cross-trees with a spy-glass to carefully "sweep the offing," as he
termed it, and then as Smith brought down the guns with a very inquiring
look which said dumbly but plainly enough, "You won't leave me behind,
will yer, gents?" the mate spoke out,--

"Let's see, you have been with these gentlemen before, Smith?"

"Yes, sir, me and Billy Wriggs," cried Smith excitedly.

"Humph. Like to have the same men again, Mr Lane, or try some fresh
ones?"

"Oh, I say stick to the tools you know," said Oliver, smiling at Smith.

"Yes, let's have the same men again," put in Panton.

"Hi! Wriggs," said the mate--"down here."

Wriggs came down smiling all over his face, and after a certain amount
of scouting had been done, and the man at the cross-trees had turned his
telescope in every direction in search of danger, and seen none, the
little party started