omething brewing," said George as he nudged Harry, and cast a glance
toward the place where they stood in earnest conversation.

"I do believe John is telling him about the copper box; and by the way,
he has never spoken about that since we took it out of the cave. That is
just what he is doing; see, he is indicating the size of it."

Harry laughed, as he answered: "I am satisfied they will not do anything
rash, without consulting us," and George laughed at Harry's view of the
case.

They had been absent from the island a little over a month. During their
absence the new hotel was completed and was now in running order. This
became the headquarters for the visitors. While it was only two stories
in height, it contained nearly a hundred rooms, and the utmost effort
was made to make all of them comfortable.

The boys had their own rooms, and could not be induced to give them up.
John and the Professor also maintained their old rooms, which were most
comfortable, and attached to the Professor's apartments was a large room
where the people came daily to see him and consult about their many
wants.

He never failed to see them. It mattered not who called, it was
unvarying custom to greet all alike. The affection for him in the minds
of the people grew stronger day by day.

There were now five of the Chiefs on Wonder Island permanent residents
in Unity. A great change had come over the feelings of the people with
respect to the ownership of land. When the town was laid out, and the
people began to flock to the place, attracted by its many advantages,
it began to look for a time as though the different Chiefs soon would
find themselves without subjects.

In addition to this the Professor recognized that too many of the people
were expecting to be put to work in the city, and this would cause
agriculture to be abandoned, whereas it was obvious that they must
depend upon the soil for sustenance.

John and the Professor therefore developed a plan which would be the
means of keeping the people in their own sections, or, at least,
encourage them to till the ground.

The Chiefs in Wonder Island owned the soil. Their people reserved to
themselves the right to hunt and to gather the fruits and nuts necessary
to sustain life. But they had no right whatever, independently of the
Chiefs.

The first step, therefore, was to gain the consent of these rulers to a
division of the land, so that all their people might have farms. Ura