standing beside him whining and
shivering with terror, the monkey was grovelling in the sand, and all
around there were eager voices inquiring:

"What was that?"

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

HOW THE AWFUL ROAR WAS CANVASSED.

No one could tell what, or whence came the noise, but the terror it
inspired was sufficient to chase away sleep from all. Everyone had been
awakened, and the captain had at once gone to the watch, followed by
Mark, after he had been to the end of the little tent and tried to give
some comfort by telling its occupants that the noise came from some wild
beast in the jungle.

Mr Gregory and Small were on the alert. They had had a perfectly quiet
watch till just then, as they were noticing the first signs of daybreak,
when, increasing in volume and then dying away, there came this
appalling roar.

"Just the same as we heard, eh, Mark?" said the major, coming up.

"Yes, just the same."

"Well, Gregory, what do you make it?" said the captain, who had rather
doubted before.

"Don't know--some beast of the forest."

"You have heard nothing before?"

"Not a sound. Small thinks it must be a lion."

"Well, something of that kind, sir. I once heered a lion make such a
row that he nearly blew off the roof of his cage! but it wasn't quite
the same as this here, as is hollerer."

"Well," said the captain, "it can't be a lion; and as it does not seem
disposed to molest us we must be--"

He stopped short, for there was a low moan from the same direction as
that in which they had heard the cry.

"Is that something it has killed?" whispered Mark in an awe-stricken
voice.

The captain did not answer; and as all listened for a repetition of the
sounds the day began to dawn rapidly, the birds twittered and piped, and
shrieked at the edge of the jungle, while flecks of orange and scarlet
appeared high up in the sky.

Then a low murmur of admiration burst from the group as they saw a
roseate cloud upon the top of the conical mountain begin to glow and
burst into a dozen tints of purple and gold, shot with the most
effulgent hues; and then slowly there was a glowing point to be seen
just above the cloud, which circled it like a ring of
gorgeously-coloured vapour; then slowly the light descended the mountain
till from top to bottom it was aglow with purple and green and orange;
and they turned sharply, to see that the sun was just rolling up over
the smooth sea, spreading a pathway of light from th