island to ourselves."

"But we shall only be examining the narrow band by the water side. What
about inland?" said the doctor.

"If we go partly to-day and partly to-morrow round the island, I fancy
we shall learn all we want," replied the captain. "If there are any of
the black fuzzy-headed Papuans here, or the browner South Sea Islands
type of men, more like the Maoris, or lastly the Malay flat-nosed
fellows, we are sure to find traces of them by the shore or up the
little rivers. They don't care for the inland parts of an island like
this, where there is a volcano still more or less active. They
generally give these mountains a wide berth, unless there happens to be
a tribe of the original people who have been driven inland by the more
warlike folk, who go filibustering about searching for new lands in
their great outrigger war canoes."

"Hang their war canoes!" said the doctor gruffly, "we don't want them
here."

"You, my lads," said the captain to the two men by the boat, "will not
leave your posts, and you will keep the cutter just afloat, so that you
can leap aboard and keep her off at the first sign of danger. If there
is anything you will fire two shots sharply, as a warning to Mr
Bartlett, though probably he will see it first and send help to you.
Then keep on firing a shot every minute till you get an answer from us,
followed by one shot, and then two more, which mean that we have heard
you and are coming back. Now I don't expect anything of the kind, but
we must be on the look-out till we have examined the place. You
understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"That's right. Don't leave your rifles, and don't go to sleep."

"Right, sir."

"Then now, gentlemen, we'll advance in a line. No straggling, mind.
When one halts, all will stand fast. Forward!"

Jack shouldered his perfectly new double gun and stepped out, not
feeling the weight of either that or the satchel and cartridge pouch
slung by cross-belts, while from that at his waist hung a leather
holster containing a revolver and a strong, handy sheath knife, suitable
for a weapon, for skinning a specimen, or for hacking a way through
tangled scrub. A feeling of subdued excitement set his heart beating
steadily, and a thrill of returning health made his muscles feel tense,
while his eyes flashed with eagerness, and there was an elasticity in
his step that sent a feeling of satisfaction home to his father.

He was between Sir John and the doctor as