oing to lend him
mine."

The preparations did not take long, and soon after the little party were
being rowed over the deep dark blue water toward the lonely island,
whose shores were right and left of a rocky nature, save in the
direction they had chosen, where a slight indentation that could hardly
be called a bay offered a splendid landing-place, being a curved stretch
of soft white sand.

All at once the water seemed to change colour from dark blue to pale
green, and on looking over the side the little party found that, instead
of gazing down into the black depths, they were gliding over rocky
shallows illumined by the sun, which showed them sea gardens full of
growths of the most wondrous shapes, among which startled shoals of fish
glided, while others, unmoved by the coming of the boat, played about,
showing their armoured sides dazzling with orange and scarlet, blue and
gold.

Mark could have stopped for hours, content to gaze down into the lovely
transparent waters, but the boat glided on and soon afterwards touched
the shore.

"There, my lads," said the first-mate, taking out a big india-rubber
pouch of tobacco and pitching it to one of the men, "there is not a
great deal of tide, but take care to keep the boat afloat. You can
smoke and sleep, but take it in turns, so as to have some one on the
watch."

The party sprang out, and the men left in the boat looked rather glum
till the major supplemented the first-mate's gift by handing his
cigar-case to another of the men.

"One minute," he said. "I think there are eight cigars in there, and I
should like one for myself. I'll have that, and then you four men will
have a cigar and three-quarters apiece, and you must divide them
according to taste."

As this was going on, Mark stood gazing toward the ship, and as he
looked he saw a white handkerchief waved.

It was too far off to be sure who waved that handkerchief, but it was
either Mrs Strong, the major's wife, or Mary O'Halloran.

"It doesn't matter which," thought Mark, and taking off his cap he waved
it in return.

"Now, gentlemen," said the first-mate, "load away, and then we had
better decide where to go."

"Not necessary," said the major, closing the breech of his piece and
giving the stock an affectionate slap.

"Not necessary?" said Morgan.

"No, sir. This is an uninhabited island, where there are no roads and
nature has it all her own way. We shall have to go which way we can."

T