only know cocoa-nut all hard and woody, and the
milk sickly enough to throw away, if they could have one of the
delicious creamy nuts that we get here."

"Yes, my lad, they're not bad when you're thirsty, nor the oranges
either."

"Delicious!" cried Rob.

"Ay. I've lived for weeks at a time on nothing but oranges and
cocoanuts, and a bit of fish caught just now and then with my hands,
when I've been exploring like and hunting for gold."

"For gold? Is there gold about here?"

"Lots, my lad, washed down the rivers. I've often found it."

"Then you ought to be rich."

The man chuckled.

"Gold sounds fine, sir, but it's a great cheat. My 'sperience of gold
has always been that it takes two pounds' worth of trouble to get one
pound's worth o' metal. So that don't pay. Seems to me from what I
hear that it's the same next door with dymons."

"Next door?"

"Well, up yonder in Brazil. I should say your Mr Brazier will do
better collecting vegetables, if so be he can find any one to buy 'em
afterwards. What do you call 'em--orkards?"

"Orchids," said Rob.

"But who's going to buy 'em?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Rob, laughing. "There are plenty of people
glad to get them in England for their hothouses. Besides, there are the
botanists always very eager to see any new kinds."

"Better try and get some new kinds o' birds. There's lots here with
colours that make your eyes ache. They'd be better than vegetables.
Why, right up north--I've never seen any down here--there's little humpy
birds a bit bigger than a cuckoo, with tails a yard long and breasts
ever so much ruddier than robins', and all the rest of a green that
shines as if the feathers were made of copper and gold mixed."

"Mr Brazier hasn't come after birds."

"Well then, look here; I can put him up to a better way of making money.
What do you say to getting lots of things to send to the 'Logical
Gardens? Lions and tigers and monkeys--my word, there are some rum
little beggars of monkeys out here."

"No lions in America, Shaddy."

"Oh, ain't there, my lad? I'll show you plenty, leastwise what we calls
lions here. I'll tell you what--snakes and serpents. They'd give no
end for one of our big water-snakes. My word, there are some whackers
up these rivers."

"How big?" said Rob, hiding a smile--"two hundred feet long?"

"Gammon!" growled Shaddy; "I ain't one of your romancing sort. Truth's
big enough for me. So's the snakes I've se