must be all o' five mile to that land either side, an' in their
rickety canoes the Feweegins never venture fur out in anythin' o' a
rough sea. I calculate, Captain, we needn't trouble ourselves much
about 'em--leastways, not jest yet."

"Ay--but afterward?" murmurs Captain Gancy, in a desponding tone, as his
eyes turn upon those by the boat.

"Wal, sir," says the old sealer, encouragingly, "the arterwards 'll have
to take care o' itself. An' now I guess I'd better determine ef thar
ain't some way o' helpin' Caesar to a spark o' fire. Don't look like
it, but looks are sometimes deceivin'."

And, so saying, he strolls off among the bunches of tussac-grass, and is
soon out of sight.

But it is not long before he is again making himself heard, by an
exclamation, telling of some discovery--a joyful one, as evinced by the
tone of his voice. The two youths hasten to his side, and find him
bending over a small heath-like bush, from which he has torn a handful
of branches.

"What is it, Chips?" ask both in a breath.

"The gum plant, sure," he replies.

"Well, what then? What's the good of it?" they further interrogate.
"You don't suppose that green thing will burn--wet as a fish, too?"

"That's jest what I do suppose," replied the old sailor, deliberately.
"You young ones wait, an' you'll see. Mebbe you'll lend a hand, an'
help me to gather some of it. We want armfuls; an' there's plenty o'
the plants growin' all about, you see."

They do see, and at once begin tearing at them, breaking off the
branches of some, and plucking up others by the roots, till Seagriff
cries, "Enough!" Then, with arms full, they return to the beach in high
spirits and with joyful faces.

Arrived there, Seagriff selects some of the finest twigs, which he rubs
between his hands till they are reduced to a fine fibre and nearly dry.
Rolling these into a rounded shape, resembling a bird's nest, click!
goes his flint and steel--a piece of "punk" is ignited and slipped into
the heart of the ball. This, held on high, and kept whirling around his
head, is soon ablaze, when it is thrust in among the gathered heap of
green plants. Green and wet as these are, they at once catch fire and
flame up like kindling-wood.

All are astonished and pleased, and not the least delighted is Caesar,
who dances over the ground in high glee as he prepares to resume his
vocation.

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