that the
major ran to the nearest gun, examined the loading, and then stood with
the weapon cocked.

Mark involuntarily caught his arm.

"Don't do that, boy," said the major in a low angry voice. "That is
what a woman would do--try to find protection, and hinder the man. Get
a weapon if it's only your knife."

Mark's pale face flushed, and he caught up a gun, to stand beside the
major, as the terrific harsh yelling roar came again.

It was a sound horrible enough to startle the stoutest hearted, so weird
and peculiar was it in its tones; while the silence which succeeded was
even more terror inspiring, for it suggested that the wild beast which
had uttered the cry might have caught sight of them, and be coming
nearer.

The sound seemed to come from the rocky rapidly-rising ground beyond the
narrow tree-fern shaded gorge where the spring had been found; but
though they listened intently for a few moments, there was utter
stillness till all at once there was a fresh sound, something between a
sigh and a moan, such as an animal might utter if it had been struck
down.

Mark's eyes swept the land beyond the cocoa-nut grove wildly; but he
could see nothing save the rocks and flowering shrubs; then he glanced
at the shaded sands where their friends were sleeping, but the sound had
not awakened them.

"I can't make it out, Mark," said the major, as he keenly swept the
place as far as the trees would allow. "Couldn't be fancy, could it?"

The answer came in a piteous burst of howls, followed by a hissing
sound, and directly after Bruff appeared, tearing along on three legs,
his last tucked out of sight, the rough shaggy hair which formed a ruff
about his neck bristling; and close behind him, Jacko running as if for
his life.

"No," said the major; "it couldn't be fancy. They heard it too."

Bruff ran up to Mark, and crouched at his feet shivering and whining;
while Jacko kept running from one to the other, chattering in a low tone
and staring wildly about as if in a terrible state of excitement.

"Can you hear anything coming, Mark?" said the major. "Down, dog! lie
still!"

Mark listened intently; but there was not a sound to be heard but the
distant boom of the breakers on the barrier reef, the beating of his
heart, and the growling of the dog. Once only came a shrill chizzling
chirping, evidently made by some kind of cricket, otherwise there was
the stillness of a torrid day when the very vegetation begin