ng his handkerchief over the monkey's head, and now dragging him
along they began to make their way down to the lower branches. Not
being able, however, to ascertain how near the vines reached to the
water, they came down by some which hung eight or ten feet from the
surface. This was too great a height to drop from into the canoe.
Supposing that I was losing patience, and that I might punish them for
their freak, they let go, and monkey and midshipmen came down by the run
into the water, where the three adventurers cut a ludicrous figure,
splashing, spluttering, and kicking till I got up to them. The latter
were not much the worse for their ducking, but the monkey was very
nearly drowned before I had helped him out. `We have got Spider
anyhow,' sung out Tom, not holding me in much awe, but Gerald took
matters more seriously.

"`Faith, sir. We could not help it,' he exclaimed, `the baste of a
monkey would set off to join his brothers in the bush, and if we had not
gone after him they would have made a hathen of him to a certainty.'

"`I suppose, then, Master Gerald, you consider that he has become a
Christian under your instruction?'

"`Well, sir,' answered Gerald, looking up with a comical expression,
which reminded me of an old shipmate of mine, `he is as good a
Christian, any how, as many who call themselves so, and considering that
he has got a tail he is a remarkable civilised baste.'

"`Well, I will overlook your offence of quitting the ship without
permission,' I said, trying to keep from laughing. `You were not aware
probably that you were to be left among the tops of the trees when we
hauled off from them? I don't accuse you of intending to desert.'

"`Thank you, sir. We will promise not to go monkey-hunting again,
without your leave,' answered the two midshipmen in chorus.

"As I was in no hurry to get on board, and the youngsters were not
likely to suffer from sitting in their wet clothes, I paddled away for
some distance among the trees. The greatest number were palms, but
there were others of all descriptions, of which I am unable even to give
the names. After going a little way we came to a somewhat more open
space, when we heard a peculiar chattering overhead, while showers of
sticks came pattering down on our heads. On looking up to ascertain the
cause, we saw, high above up, among the tops of the tallest trees a
whole clan of large bushy-tailed monkeys; there must have been a hundred
or