curiously.

"Aren't you going to shoot, gen'lemen?"

"Not this time," said the captain. "There, jump up, and let's get back.
We shall be able to live here in peace while we get our boat built.
I'm glad we've solved the problem."

"Well, I'm glad," said the major, "but it's a shabby end to the affair.
I should have liked to get the monster's head and skin for my room."

"It's a rum un," said Billy Widgeon, climbing up and staring in at the
hole. "That's what it is, Mr Mark, sir; it's a rum un."

"What's that?" cried Mark suddenly. "Here! hi! Bruff! Bruff! Bruff!"

He whistled loudly, and there was a joyous barking heard in the
distance, and soon after the dog came bounding up from the more open
ground at the end of the rocky scarp.

"That must be our way, then," said the captain. "Here, Mark, do you
think he could lead us home?"

"I don't know, father--let's try," cried Mark, and after the dog had
given every one a friendly recognition, and received his due meed of
pats and caresses, he was sent on in front, going forward quite as a
matter of course; but before they reached the end of the rock-encumbered
opening, there was a roar of laughter from the men, as Billy Widgeon
struck an attitude, smiling all over his face, resting his hands upon
his short knees, and shaking his head.

"A pritty creetur! Look at that now, Mr Mark, sir!"

All joined in the roar of laughter as the "pritty creetur," to wit,
Jack, came ambling along, and hopping from rock to rock, having followed
the dog; and as soon as he reached Billy, leaping upon his back, and
clinging tightly to his neck, chattering loudly the while.

"Forward!" cried the captain; and, following the dog, the little party
went on, to find that they had a couple of hours' hard struggle through
the tangled jungle, at the end of which time a familiar whistling sound
was heard, one of the mud-pools reached, and from that point, over known
ground, their course was comparatively easy to the camp, where the
anxiety of the ladies ceased, though they owned that, knowing how
difficult travelling was, they were not very much alarmed.

Judging, however, from the face of his mother, Mark rather doubted this,
while, though as a soldier's wife she would not show it, Mrs O'Halloran
had evidently passed a bitter night, and when Mark went up to Mary
O'Halloran to shake hands, that young lady told him it was horribly
cruel, that he ought to be ashamed of himself, and that