"Just the very thing I was going to propose," cried Peterkin; "I vote for
starting at once."

"Well, then," said Jack, "it seems to me that we could not do better than
shape our course for the island on which Avatea lives, and endeavour to
persuade Tararo to let her marry the black fellow to whom she is engaged,
instead of making a long pig of her. If he has a spark of gratitude in
him he'll do it. Besides, having become champions for this girl once
before, it behoves us, as true knights, not to rest until we set her
free; at least, all the heroes in all the story-books I have ever read
would count it foul disgrace to leave such a work unfinished."

"I'm sure I don't know, or care, what your knights in story-books would
do," said Peterkin, "but I'm certain that it would be capital fun, so I'm
your man whenever you want me."

This plan of Jack's was quite in accordance with his romantic, impulsive
nature; and, having made up his mind to save this black girl, he could
not rest until the thing was commenced.

"But there may be great danger in this attempt," he said, at the end of a
long consultation on the subject; "will you, lads, go with me in spite of
this?"

"Go with you?" we repeated in the same breath.

"Can you doubt it?" said I.

"For a moment," added Peterkin.

I need scarcely say that, having made up our minds to go on this
enterprise, we lost no time in making preparations to quit the island;
and as the schooner was well laden with stores of every kind for a long
cruise, we had little to do except to add to our abundant supply a
quantity of cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, taro, yams, plums, and potatoes,
chiefly with the view of carrying the fragrance of our dear island along
with us as long as we could.

When all was ready, we paid a farewell visit to the different familiar
spots where most of our time had been spent. We ascended the mountain
top, and gazed for the last time at the rich green foliage in the
valleys, the white sandy beach, the placid lagoon, and the barrier coral-
reef with its crested breakers. Then we descended to Spouting Cliff, and
looked down at the pale-green monster which we had made such fruitless
efforts to spear in days gone by. From this we hurried to the Water
Garden and took a last dive into its clear waters, and a last gambol
amongst its coral groves. I hurried out before my companions, and
dressed in haste, in order to have a long examination of my tank, which
Peterkin