d, "our friends do not expect us back for two or
three days, so that they will not think of setting out till after that
time, when they find we do not return."

"And what shall we do in the meantime?"

Although an idea had occurred to me by which we could reach the shore,
yet it was so perilous that I thought as long as we could find food on
the island it might be prudent to stay there without attempting it. The
day passed slowly away, and as evening approached I bethought me that we
should wish to sleep.

"But what if a crocodile comes and picks us off?" said Natty. "That
will not be pleasant."

"Too true," I said. "Then we must try and form a house in the trees."

There were not many on the island. We selected one with wide-spreading
branches, into which we could without difficulty climb.

"But when we are there," said Natty, "how are we to sleep? As we cannot
cling on like birds or monkeys, we should tumble off, for certain. I
have it, though. Let us build a platform of bamboo; you have your
hatchet, and we can soon form one large enough to hold us both."

The idea I thought excellent, and immediately set to work to cut down a
good supply of bamboos. As I cut them I handed them up to Natty, who
fastened the ends with flexible creepers, of which there was an
abundance around us. Before it was dark we had formed a flooring about
six feet long and as many broad. We now climbed up, and sat ourselves
down to contemplate our performance.

"Suppose no canoe passes, how shall we ever be able to get from this,"
said Natty. "We are not going to live here for ever, I hope."

"I have thought of forming a reed raft, on which we can ferry ourselves
across the narrowest part of the stream towards the north shore."

"But surely the current will carry us down?" he observed justly.

"I have thought of that; we must wait till a strong wind blows up the
river, and then I have hopes that it will keep back the waters of the
lake and probably greatly lessen the current. If so, and we can
manufacture a mat sail, I think we shall be able to reach the nearest
bank. It is dangerous, I grant, but I see no other way."

"Nor do I, indeed," he said; "but, by-the-by, I left our eggs near the
river, and probably the mother crocodile will come to look for them and
carry them off."

Without waiting for my reply he climbed down the tree, and was soon back
again with our provisions. "I think I saw a snout just coming out of