r and young Manners.

Captain Blyth listened most attentively to everything the engineer told
him--the raft meanwhile being worked to windward toward the harbour's
mouth--and when he had heard everything he remarked:

"Well, so far you have done admirably; I do not believe matters could
have been managed better had I been here myself. And as to this raft of
yours--if raft you call her--she is simply a wonder; why she turns to
windward like a racing cutter. I am sure _I_ should never have dreamed
of scheming out anything half so handy. You engineers are very clever
people, there is no denying that, and can even give an old salt like
myself a wrinkle now and then, as I have learned before to-day. But
now, to say a word or two about the future. You tell me that this is
your last cargo; and that on your next trip you propose to transfer all
hands to this bit of an islet that lies away inland there somewhere.
Now, let me ask you, have you had any craft of any description prowling
about in the neighbourhood lately?"

"We have not sighted a sail of any description since we saw the _Flying
Cloud's_ canvas sink below yonder horizon," answered Gaunt, pointing to
the eastward.

"So much the better," said the skipper; "and I am right glad to hear it.
These waters, as you may perhaps know, are not often traversed by the
craft of civilised nations; indeed, so far as I can make out, we are
quite out of all the regular ship-tracks. But Manners and I have been
alarmed on two or three occasions on our own island yonder by the
appearance of proas--a class of craft which, I may tell you, are usually
manned by Malays, or semi-savages of a somewhat similar race and
character; and if any such should come prying about here they will
certainly beat up our quarters and give us no end of trouble. Indeed,
to speak the whole truth, my dear fellow, I would as soon be in the
hands of a crew of mutineers as in theirs. So, if you will listen to my
advice, our first job should be the building of a house large enough to
accommodate all hands; and, if possible, it should be so fortified as to
enable us to hold out with some chance of success against such an attack
as those fellows would be likely to make in the event of their looking
in here."

This was news indeed, the gravity and importance of which is would be
difficult to over-estimate. Gaunt already knew something of the Malays
by reputation; and he was aware that Captain Blyth was spea