experimental trip in her, and were glad to see that the
seams were almost water-tight, and that it would need but an occasional
use of the bailer to keep her clear. They at once paddled across the river
to the opposite side, and then pulling the boat up made a rush for the
cocoa-nut trees that they had seen the day before.

"How are we to get up?" Joyce inquired, looking with dismay at the smooth
trunks.

"I learnt that on the west coast of Africa," the mate replied. "I was
there two years and got to know, I think, all there was to know with
regard to steering a boat in a surf; climbing a cocoa-nut tree is easy
work in comparison. Fetch the head-rope of the boat."

This was done, and he asked who volunteered for the first climb.

"I will try it, Mr. Towel," Joyce said, "if you will show me how."

"Stand by the side of the tree, Joyce. Now I will put this rope round you
and round the tree, leaving a certain amount of slack in the loop. Now you
get a grip of the tree with your knees. Then with your hands you shift the
loop up as high as you can, and lean against it. Get a sort of purchase,
and so shift your knees a bit higher. No doubt you will feel it awkward at
first, but after a little practice you will find no difficulty whatever in
going up at a fair rate of speed."

In spite of his experience aloft Joyce found it hard work to climb the
tree. As soon as he was at the top he broke off the nuts and dropped them;
when he had picked two nuts for each of the party he descended.

"They are not a bit like cocoa-nuts," Stephen remarked as the first came
to the ground. "They look more like queer-shaped gourds."

"They do, lad," the mate agreed. "But you see they are not ripe yet, while
those we get in England are over-ripe; instead of the inside nut being
enveloped in fibre the whole thing is soft, and, you see"--here he suited
the action to the word--"you can cut a hole down right through, and then
all that you have got to do is to drink the milk."

The men followed the officer's example, and were soon taking long draughts
of the sweet, cool liquor, which differs widely indeed from that of the
ripe cocoa-nut.

"How is it that the milk is so cool, sir?" Steve asked.

"That is more than I can tell you, for no matter how hot the weather, the
milk of fresh cocoa-nuts is always cool; why it should be so I have no
idea."

After they had drunk the milk they broke open the nuts and scraped the
soft cream-like paste whi