orkmen amidst the soldiers and Jacks were busy, fitting, hammering, and
nailing; so that in a very short time the resident's house began to grow
ship-shape.

At the same time the officers' quarters were being prepared, and the
barracks as well; while plans were made to strengthen the fort, dig
ditch, form glacis, and generally make the place tenable against a
possible enemy.

Plenty of Malays were enlisted to help; but beyond bringing wood, and
acting as carriers, they did not prove to be very valuable workers. But
all the same, the preparations went on, various chiefs coming across in
their boats from time to time, watching with no little wonder the
changes that were being effected, talking together a good deal about the
stands of arms in the little barracks, and the nine-pounder field-pieces
that were brought ashore from the "Startler's" hold.

The inexhaustible bottle was nothing to that ship, for no sooner did the
adjutant make out a list of requisitions, and send in, than the hold
began to disgorge, and boat-loads of stores came ashore; till, in a
marvellously short time, the white tents, saving one or two large ones,
disappeared from where they had been first set up amongst the trees, and
with a celerity that perfectly astounded the Malay visitors, the island
assumed an aspect that seemed to say the English visitors meant to stay.

Meanwhile, the country people grew less shy, and boats came with fruit
and rice for sale, one of the first being visited by Bob Roberts--Tom
Long, who had evidently meant to be there before him, coming directly
after.

The ladies had landed and taken possession of their new abode, where
several of the soldiers were busy forming a garden; and it had struck
both the admirers of Miss Linton that an offering or two of fruit and
flowers would be very acceptable, after the long confinement on ship
board.

The sampan, or native boat, that the two lads had come to visit, was
fastened to a rough bamboo landing-stage, that had been one of the first
things fitted up at the island; and, to their great delight, they could
see that the boat was stored with various vegetable productions, some of
which were sufficiently attractive to make the lads' mouths water, to
the forgetting of the main object of their visit.

"Hallo, soldier!" said Bob Roberts, as he saw Tom Long come up, looking
very aggressive.

"Hallo, sailor boy!" said Tom Long, superciliously; and then they stood
looking at each o