e chimpanzee. What do you say to that, my boy? Won't that
be a grand change from fishing and dredging and bottling specimens?"

"Uncle Paul, don't!" cried the boy.

"Don't? What do you mean, sir?"

"You were talking just now of our having a good long sleep to-night to
make up for all we lost since we went to bed last."

"Well, sir, what of that?"

"How's a fellow to sleep, uncle, with such things as that to think of?
Why, I shan't get a wink for thinking of the big chimpanzees; and as for
eating any supper now, why, my appetite has completely gone."

"Stuff!" cried Uncle Paul, pressing the lad's arm to his side. "Rodd,
my boy, we must cork a bottle or two and throw them overboard to-morrow,
and then have a little practice with bullets in our guns. We may come
across dangerous beasts there, leopards and the like, while that there
are great man-apes in those forests of the West Coast there is not a
doubt."

"Well, I think I could shoot at one of those great spotted cats, uncle,
all tooth and claw; but wouldn't it be rather queer to shoot one of
those big monkeys which look so much like human beings? I mean those
big ones with ears like ours, and no tails."

"Humph! Ha! Well, I--Yes, all right, captain! We are coming down."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

GREAT FRIENDS.

The days that followed the attempt to salve the brig after so strange an
introduction to her commander and his son, fell calm all through the hot
sunny time, and only that a pleasant cool breeze ushered in the evening
and continued till the sun rose again, very little progress would have
been made by the schooner and its consort, sailing east and south.

But nobody seemed troubled. When the French and English sailors were
together they were the best of friends; while long conversations and
arguments often took place between the doctor and his new friend, the
skipper generally letting them have the cabin to themselves.

Sometimes they drifted into political questions and came very near to
losing their tempers; but each mastered and kept down his opinions, for
a genuine feeling of liking had arisen between them, and the Count
seemed never weary of listening to Uncle Paul's disquisitions upon the
marvels of natural history, nor of studying with him the wonders of
creation which he had collected and had to show. Then day by day the
brig, which was freed every day from as much water as she had gained
during the night, sailed steadily on in t