slightest evidence
left by the party. We passed the spot where they had lunched, and
increased our speed in an endeavour to overtake them before nightfall.
The silence and unexplainable mystery of the place made me anxious to
catch up with them before the darkness came down, while hunger and
revenge made Kaipi move at a speed that was most unusual.

Darkness came down like a suffocating blanket, and we halted.

"No go farther," muttered Kaipi. "Better make fire and sleep. Catch um
to-morrow."

I sat down while the Fijian gathered a pile of rotten wood, but before
he could set fire to the heap I was on my feet clawing my way into the
darkness in front. From somewhere out of the inky night came the voice
of Edith Herndon lifted up in a little Italian melody that I had heard
her singing the night we left Levuka. It seemed to me that she suspected
my near presence, and that she was singing to guide me to the spot where
the party had camped.

Five minutes afterward Kaipi and I stumbled into the circle of light
round the fire, and Leith sprang to his feet with a growl of rage.

"What's this?" he cried. "Who the devil gave you permission to come
here?"

"The captain sent me," I replied, looking straight at the giant as I
fired the lie at him. "The carriers forgot Professor Herndon's camera,
and Captain Newmarch sent Kaipi and me after you."

Leith's mutterings were drowned by the scientist's cries of joy as he
took the camera from my hand, and the big brute had time to recover
himself before the Professor had stopped chattering. I guessed that he
reasoned that it would be bad policy to show that he was angry at my
arrival, while the camera partly convinced him that I had told the
truth. His surprise and the Professor's evident pleasure made me think
it an opportune moment to put forward a request to stay with the party,
and I put my wish into words.

"Captain Newmarch said that Kaipi and I might go along if you and
Professor Herndon had no objections," I lied. "He thought we would prove
useful."

Leith scowled angrily, but the Professor gave an immediate assent to the
request. His short-sightedness prevented him from noticing the frown
which passed over the face of his partner, but the sour look fled
immediately the two girls expressed a desire to keep me in the party.

"Oh, please let Mr. Verslun come," cried Miss Barbara. "It will make it
ever so much more pleasant."

"I was thinking of the stock of food," gro