ng at the little,
stoutly-built, pink-faced man, but, on the contrary, they were smiles of
admiration.

"I couldn't ha' believed it, Mas' Don," said Jem; "I feel as fresh as a
daisy, and--well, I never did! Mas' Don, what a guy you do look!"

Don, after a momentary thought that he looked something like one of the
old Romans in a toga, just as he had seen them in an engraving, had been
so taken up with the beauty of the ferny gully, with the sun gilding
here and there the steamy vapour which rose from the hot springs, that
he had thought no more of his personal appearance till Jem spoke.

"Guy?" he said, laughing, as he ran his eye over Jem. "I say, did you
ever hear the story of the pot and the kettle?"

"Yes, of course; but I say, my lad, I don't look so rum as you, do I?"

"I suppose you look just about the same, Jem."

"Then the sooner they gets our clothes dry and we're into 'em again, the
sooner we shall look like human beings. Say, Mas' Don, it's werry
awkward; you can't say anything to that big savage without him shouting
`pakeha.' How shall we ask for our clothes?"

"Wait," said Don. "We've got to think about getting further away."

"Think they'll send to look for us, Mas' Don?"

"I should say they would."

"Well, somehow," said Jem, "I seem to fancy they'll think we're drowned,
and never send at all. But, look here; what's all this yaller stuff?"

"Sulphur."

"What, brimstone? Why, so it is. Think o' their buying brimstone to
lay down about their hot baths. I know!" cried Jem, slapping his thigh,
"they uses it instead of coal, Mas' Don; burns it to make the water
hot."

"No, no, Jem; that's natural sulphur."

"So's all sulphur nat'ral."

"But I mean this is where it is found, or comes."

"G'long with you."

"It is, Jem; and that water is naturally hot."

"What, like it is at Bath?"

"To be sure."

"Well, that caps all. Some one said so the other day aboard ship, but I
didn't believe it. Fancy a set o' savages having hot water all ready
for them. I say, though, Mas' Don, it's very nice."

Just then Ngati came up smiling, but as Jem afterwards said, looking
like a figure-head that was going to bite, and they were led off to a
_whare_ and furnished with a good substantial meal.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

AN UNWELCOME RECOGNITION.

"It arn't bad," said Jem; "but it's puzzling."

"What is?" said Don, who was partaking of broiled fish with no little
appetite.

"Why, how