The searching scrutiny went on, and to Don, as he strained his eyes, it
seemed as if all kinds of uncouth-looking monsters kept looming up out
of the sea and disappearing; and though from time to time he told
himself that it was all fancy, the various objects that his excited
vision formed were so real that it was hard to believe that they were
only the coinage of his fancy.

He turned and looked on board at the various lights, faintly-seen, with
the result that his eyes were rested, while he listened to the
monotonous talking of the watch and an occasional burst of laughter from
the gunroom, or the regular murmur from the forecastle.

Then he watched shoreward again for the faint golden flash made by the
paddles of Ngati's canoe.

No lambent glow, no sound of paddling, not even a murmur from the shore,
where the native huts were gathered together, and the great _whare_
stood with its singularly carved posts representing human form over
human form in strange combinations, with grotesque heads, pearly shell
eyes, and tongues protruding from distorted mouths.

Then Jem caught Don's arm in turn, for there was a splash far away to
the left, below where, faintly-seen, a great sugar-loaf mountain rose
high into the heavens.

The splash was not repeated, but, just as they had given up listening
for it, once more the dull sawing sound came out of the darkness, but
this time, instead of being forward it was away aft--how far they could
not tell, for in the darkness sounds, like lights, may be close at hand
or a couple of hundred yards away--it is hard to tell which.

The faint sawing went on for some time, ceased, and was renewed, to
finish as before with a curious rustling and a splash.

"What can that be, Jem?" whispered Don.

"Not going to wenture an observation again," replied Jem, sourly.

Then all was still save the murmurs of voices inboard, and Don stood
pressed against the bulwark listening intently, and thinking that before
they went below to their hammocks they must haul up the lines again and
coil them down, or their appearance would betray that something had been
going on.

How long they had been waiting since the last sound was heard, Don could
not tell; but all was so wonderfully still that the silence was
oppressive; and after arriving at the conclusion that the canoe would
not come, as from the utter absence of light or movement ashore it was
evident that none of the natives were stirring, he turn