birds Jack Penny and I had several disputes, for once he took
anything into his head, even if he was wrong, he would not give way.

"These are humming-birds," he said, as we lay watching some of the
lovely little creatures that were hovering before the flowers of a great
creeper, and seemed to be thrusting in their long beaks.

"No," I said, "they are not humming-birds;" and I spoke upon my mother's
authority, she in turn resting on my father's teaching. "There are no
humming-birds here: they are found in America and the islands."

"And out here," said Jack, dictatorially. "There they are; can't you
see 'em?"

"No," I said, "those are sunbirds; and they take the place of the
humming-birds out here in the East."

"Nonsense! Think I don't know a humming-bird when I see one. Why, I
saw one at Sydney, stuffed."

"When you two have done disputing," said the doctor, "we'll start."

"Look here, doctor; ain't those humming-birds?" said Jack.

"No, no, doctor," I cried; "they are sunbirds, are they not?"

"I don't know," said the doctor; "let's make haste on and ask the
professor."

I sprang to my feet as if stung by a reproach, for it seemed to me as if
I had been thinking of trifles instead of the great object of my
mission.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

HOW JACK PENNY WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH HIMSELF.

It was intensely hot when we started again, the heat seeming to be
steamy, and not a breath of air to fan our cheeks; but we trudged on for
a time without adventure, till all at once a butterfly of such lovely
colours flashed across our path, that it proved too much for Jack Penny,
who laid down his gun, snatched off his hat, and went in pursuit.

We could not go on and leave him; so we stopped to rest, and watch him
as he was hopping and bounding along through a tolerably open sunlit
part, full of growth of the most dazzling green. Now he neared the
insect; now it dashed off again, and led him a tremendous chase, till,
just as the doctor shouted to him to return, we saw him make a dab down
with his hat and then disappear.

"He has got it," I said; for I could not help feeling interested in the
chase; but I felt annoyed again directly, as the doctor said coldly:

"Yes: he seems to have caught his prize, Joe; but we must defer these
sports till our work is done."

Just then we saw Jack Penny rise up and turn towards us. To hide my
vexation I shouted to him to make haste, and he began to trot towards
us, his long