ient stock to see her through her two months'
voyage to the other side of the Pacific. Knowing that she was thus
engaged, and would doubtless be fatigued by the time that she had
arrived at the end of her day's work, Leslie was considerably surprised
when, having traversed about half the distance between the cove and the
camp, he encountered her; she having evidently walked out from the camp
to meet him. Moreover he saw at once that this encounter was not merely
the result of a natural desire on the part of a girl to meet her lover,
it was something more momentous than that, for there was an excited look
in her eyes that there was no mistaking. So, doffing his cap to her as
she joined his little party, he said, with a smile--

"Well, dear, what is it? You have news of some kind for us, I see; but
not bad news, I hope."

"Oh no," she replied; "it is not bad news at all--at least I should
think not. It is simply that there is a ship approaching the island,
and as I thought you would be glad to know it as soon as possible, I
decided to come on and tell you at once."

"Thanks, very much," replied Dick. "This is indeed interesting news.
Whereabouts is she, and how far off?"

"She is over there, in that direction," replied Flora, pointing to the
north-westward. "It was by the merest accident that I happened to see
her. I took the fancy to go up toward Mermaid Head to gather a bouquet
of those lovely orchids that grow in that direction, thinking that
probably it would be my last opportunity to get any of them, and it was
while I was gathering them that I saw her. She is still a good distance
away; and I might have thought that she was merely passing the island,
for when I first saw her she was sailing in that direction,"--sweeping
her hand from west to east; "but while I was still watching her she
turned round, and now is coming nearly straight for the island."

"Ah," remarked Leslie, thoughtfully, "this is certainly interesting, and
I am much obliged to you for coming out to tell us. Let us be getting
on toward the camp; there may still be time for me to run up to the
point and have a look at her ere nightfall." Then, following up his own
train of thought, he added, "If she be as far off as you describe, she
will hardly be near enough to hit off the entrance channel and come
inside before dark--that is to say, if she really means to pay us a
visit."

Nothing more was said upon the subject just then; but as so