interference,
Mr. Philander, will result in an irreparable delay, for I was just
rowing over to obtain this pamphlet.' And it was with the greatest
difficulty that I persuaded him to return to shore, without resorting
to force," concluded Mr. Philander.

Miss Strong and her mother were very brave under the strain of almost
constant apprehension of the attacks of savage beasts. Nor were they
quite able to accept so readily as the others the theory that Jane,
Clayton, and Monsieur Thuran had been picked up safely.

Jane Porter's Esmeralda was in a constant state of tears at the cruel
fate which had separated her from her "po, li'le honey."

Lord Tennington's great-hearted good nature never deserted him for a
moment. He was still the jovial host, seeking always for the comfort
and pleasure of his guests. With the men of his yacht he remained the
just but firm commander--there was never any more question in the
jungle than there had been on board the LADY ALICE as to who was the
final authority in all questions of importance, and in all emergencies
requiring cool and intelligent leadership.

Could this well-organized and comparatively secure party of castaways
have seen the ragged, fear-haunted trio a few miles south of them they
would scarcely have recognized in them the formerly immaculate members
of the little company that had laughed and played upon the LADY ALICE.
Clayton and Monsieur Thuran were almost naked, so torn had their
clothes been by the thorn bushes and tangled vegetation of the matted
jungle through which they had been compelled to force their way in
search of their ever more difficult food supply.

Jane Porter had of course not been subjected to these strenuous
expeditions, but her apparel was, nevertheless, in a sad state of
disrepair.

Clayton, for lack of any better occupation, had carefully saved the
skin of every animal they had killed. By stretching them upon the
stems of trees, and diligently scraping them, he had managed to save
them in a fair condition, and now that his clothes were threatening to
cover his nakedness no longer, he commenced to fashion a rude garment
of them, using a sharp thorn for a needle, and bits of tough grass and
animal tendons in lieu of thread.

The result when completed was a sleeveless garment which fell nearly to
his knees. As it was made up of numerous small pelts of different
species of rodents, it presented a rather strange and wonderful
appearance, w