, for he spoke no language which they
understood.

Without a word, the lad threw himself down at full length, an
example which they followed without hesitation.

"I wonder," Ned said, "why he stopped."

"Because he is tired, I expect," Gerald replied; "or that he does
not know the exact spot upon which he is likely to meet the band;
and that he has taken us, so far, along the one path which was
certain to lead in the right direction, but for the precise spot he
must wait, till morning."

It was not many minutes before the three lads were fast asleep, but
with the first gleam of daylight the Indian boy awoke. Touching his
companions, he sprang to his feet, and without hesitation turned
off to the right, and climbed an even steeper path than any which
they had followed in the darkness. The trees grew thinner as they
advanced, and they were soon climbing over bare rock.

They saw now that they were near the extreme summit of one of the
hills. The boy, as they passed through the trees, had gathered some
dry sticks, and a handful or two of green leaves. Upon reaching the
top he placed these down upon the ground, and looked towards the
east.

The sun would not be up for another half hour, yet. The boy at once
began, with steady earnestness, to rub two pieces of stick
together, according to their way of kindling a fire. It was a
quarter of an hour before the sparks began to drop from the wood.
These, with some very dry leaves and tiny chips of wood, the Indian
boy rapidly blew into life; and then, with a very small fire of dry
wood, he sat patiently watching the east.

At the moment that the sun showed above the sea, he placed the
little fire in the heart of the pile of wood which he had
collected, threw the green leaves upon it, and blew vigorously
until the whole caught fire, and a wreath of smoke ascended above
them. For five minutes only he allowed the fire to burn, and then
at once extinguished it carefully, knocking the fire from each
individual brand. When the last curl of white smoke had ceased to
ascend, he stood up and eagerly looked round the country.

It was a glorious view. On the one hand, the wood-clad hills sloped
to the foot of the plain, covered with plantations, dotted here and
there with the villages of the slaves, and the white houses of the
overseers. At a distance could be faintly seen the towers of a
city; while beyond, the sea stretched like a blue wall, far as the
eye could see.

Inland