ain there, as the island possesses ample resources in the shape of
fruit, fish, and water, for their sustenance. But if, on the other
hand, you prefer to take them with you, I will bring them off aboard at
any time that may be most convenient to you."

"Thank you, Mr Leslie," answered Marshall, fervently, as he rose and
stretched himself with obvious delight in his recovered freedom, "I am
sure I don't know how I am to express my gratitude for the service that
you've done me and the owners of this ship. I'm afraid I shall have to
leave it to them to do when we get home. But I can repay you in a
measure by offering you and your companions a passage to England, which
I do now, with the greatest of pleasure. And I'll do my level best to
make the trip comfortable and pleasant for you. As to Turnbull and the
other two that you've boxed up ashore, of course I must take them along
with me and hand them over to the authorities upon our arrival at
Capetown, because, d'ye see, they're all guilty of the murder of poor
Cap'n Hopkins. So you can bring them off--or I'll send ashore for 'em--
whenever you like. And now, if you've no objection, we'll go out on
deck, for, to tell you the truth, I'm just pining for a breath of fresh
air."

The poor fellow looked about him in amazement when, a minute later, he
stood on the barque's poop and gazed thence at the lovely island, rich
in verdure of every conceivable tint of green, and glowing here and
there with patches of the vivid scarlet blossoms of the bois-immortelle,
the whole bathed in the brilliant sunshine of a tropical day. Nor was
he less astonished at the sight of the handsome little cutter lying at
anchor close in with the shore. For this was the first time that he had
ever been on deck since the day on which the island had been "made" from
the barque's fore-yard; and everything was therefore absolutely new to
him, save such slight glimpses as he had been able to catch through the
port-hole of his cabin. He was most anxious that Leslie and his two
companions should remain on board and take dinner with him; but Dick was
by this time quite as anxious to get back ashore and satisfy himself as
to Flora's safe arrival. So a compromise was made, and Marshall, having
seen the two mutineers safely clapped in irons, gladly accepted Leslie's
invitation to go ashore and take lunch with him. They were still some
distance from the beach when Flora was seen flitting busily about the