once more, the mate accompanying them for a few
hundred yards towards the south-west.

"I'd make for the sea," he said, "but don't go too far."

"I can walk that distance easily," said Panton. "The stiffness has gone
out of my legs already."

"Glad of it," said the mate drily; "but it isn't the walking down to the
sea."

"What is it, then?" asked Panton, who kept on turning his head in
different directions to take great breaths of the warm spicy air.

"The walking back," said the mate. "There, take care of yourselves, and
be very careful; mind, Mr Drew, they are not to go too far!"

"They will not want to," said Drew, smiling, and the mate gave them all
a friendly nod, left them at the edge of the forest, to the south of the
plain, and they at once began to move forward beneath the boughs which
sheltered them from the ardent sunshine.

It was a glorious morning, and to the prisoners newly escaped from
confinement the sight of the forest with the long creepers which draped
the boughs with dewy leaf, tendril, and brilliant blossom seemed
brighter than ever, and, once more all eagerness, the collecting began.

Panton, who grumbled a little at there being nothing in his way, devoted
himself to helping first one and then the other of his companions,
picking some fresh leaf or flower for Drew, or bringing down an
attractive bird for Oliver.

As for the two sailors, they were as pleased as schoolboys, and had to
be kept back from plunging into the forest and complicating matters by
losing themselves. They had not gone far before Smith uttered a shout,
and on the party hurrying up he was ready to point in the direction of a
piled-up clump of rocks.

"What is it?" cried Oliver.

"Deer, sir, two on 'em! They was just by that bit o' green stone
nibbling away at the grass; but as soon as I hailed you they just lifted
up their heads, looked at me, and then they were gone."

"Of course," said Oliver, quietly. "Next time draw back so that they
can't see you, and come and tell us quietly."

"Right, sir, if you think that's the best way, only t'other takes least
time. They might be gone before I could get to you and back again."

"Perhaps so; but you see they are sure to be gone if you shout."

The deer were missed; but a couple of bush turkey were soon after
secured, and followed by the successful stalk of a wire-tailed bird of
Paradise and a couple of gorgeously plumaged paroquets. Then followed
the capture of