d the
leaves waving gently in the soft warm breeze. I could see from where I
lay that the water was rippling gently upon the sand, and not far from
the hut door my uncle was busy skinning some bright-plumaged bird, while
Ebo was cooking a couple of pigeons, and watching a little kettle stuck
amongst the glowing ashes.

I was very comfortable, and did not feel disposed to move, for all
seemed so calm and pleasant; and when I thought a little about my
previous night's fancies I was ready to smile at them as being perfectly
absurd.

I did not speak, but lay quite still, gazing at the lovely picture
framed by the open door, and thinking how beautiful it all was, and how
foolish I had been to go on fancying such dangers as I had in the night.

Then it was very pleasant, too, to watch Uncle Dick, and how very much
quicker and cleverer he was at making a skin than I was. Still, I hoped
by practice to get to be as quick.

He went on till he had dressed the interior of the skin with the soap
preparation, and after filling certain parts with cotton-wool, and tying
the wing-bones together, he turned it back, smoothed the plumage, and I
saw that it was another of the short blue-barred kingfishers similar to
that we had obtained before.

I could not help noticing as I lay there so quietly what great care and
attention he gave to his task, seeming as if he thoroughly enjoyed his
work, and felt it to be a duty to do it well.

At last, though, it was put away to dry, and after carefully washing his
hands he came to the hut door very gently to see if I was awake.

"Ah, Nat," he said smiling, "how are you after your long sleep?"

"Long sleep, uncle!" I cried. "Is it very late?"

"Nearly noon, my boy. Well, how are you?"

"I--I think I'm quite well, thank you, uncle," I said, springing up, and
feeling ashamed to be lying there, but turning so giddy that I should
have fallen had Uncle Dick not caught my arm.

"Sit down," he said quietly. "There, that is better."

"Yes; I feel better now," I said.

"To be sure you do. Well, Nat, I think we have beaten the fever. You
will feel weak for a day or two, but you will soon be all right."

And so it proved. For after two or three days of weakness, and a
strange weary feeling that was quite new to me, I rapidly got better and
felt no more dread of being alone at night; in fact I slept soundly as
could be, and got up ready and fresh for any new work.

Uncle Dick was very ki