pay
'em some day."

"I hope not," said Jack, who was hurrying on his clothes.

"You hope not, sir?"

"Yes, of course. I hope we may never see or hear anything of them
again. And perhaps they're waiting on the mountain side to seize us as
soon as we go out of this cave."

"Then we mustn't go out till they're gone, sir. Clothes pretty dry,
sir?"

"Yes, Ned, they seem quite dry; but I want to bathe."

"What, again, sir? I got washed enough last night to last me for a bit.
Fine place this would be to bring a cargo of umbrellas, if there was
any one to buy 'em. I never saw it rain like that."

"Oh, Ned--Ned, do try and talk sensibly," cried Jack. "How can you make
jokes when we are in such danger?"

"I dunno about being in danger now, sir. We're pretty safe at present.
I say, sir, this must be the way down into the kitchen," continued Ned,
as he went on dressing, and trying to peer into the darkness of the
cavernous place. "My word, can't you smell the black beadles?"

"I do smell something," replied Jack thoughtfully. "It must be
volcanic."

"Beadly, sir. There, it's quite strong." At that moment from farther
in a fluttering and squealing sound was heard, and Ned started back.
"There, sir, I said so. Mice and rats too."

"Nonsense; it is the great fruit bats."

"What, those we see of a night, sir, bigger than pigeons?"

"Yes; this is one of their roosting-places."

"And do they smell like beadles, sir?"

"Yes; very much like. But now, Ned, what shall we do next?"

"Well, sir, if I did what I liked I should choose a good breakfast; but
as I can't, what do you say to going a bit farther in here to see what
it's like?"

"Not now. I want to make out whereabouts we are, and whether the blacks
are on the look-out for us still; and then I want to communicate with my
father; he must be horribly anxious about us, Ned."

"Yes; I expect he thinks we've gone down some hole, sir, and it strikes
me he'll be saying something to the doctor for going and leaving us
behind."

"I'm afraid that it was our fault, Ned, for not keeping up."

"Well, sir, we can't help it now. Next best thing is to get back to the
yacht, so as soon as you're ready we'll make a start; but I'm afraid it
will be a long walk before breakfast."

"Terribly long, I'm afraid."

"But there's always a good side to everything, sir, even if it's a
looking-glass," continued Ned philosophically. "We're better off than
you might think