d puffed calmly from
his pipe, as if he had just performed some meritorious act. A few
sea-birds came flying in with loud cries and shrieks from their daily
fishing excursions over the waters, but they would not have afforded him
a palatable meal even if he had shot one of them.

"The sand is soft, that is one comfort," he thought; "and there are no
wild beasts, wolves, or bears to trouble me; it might have rained, or
there might have been a strong cold wind, or I might have been more
hungry than I am; so I might have been worse off. A boat of some sort
will probably be passing during the day and take me off. I may at
present consider myself very like that great hero, Robinson Crusoe, or
any other mariner who has been wrecked or marooned on a desert island."

These sort of thoughts occupied his mind till he fell fast asleep.
Having had a long walk the previous day, he was more tired than usual,
and did not once wake during the whole night. The rays of the rising
sun glaring into his eyes aroused him, and he sprang to his feet,
feeling rather stiff and somewhat chilled, for the night had been cold.
He climbed to the top of a sand-hill, that he might take a wider survey.
Scarcely had he reached it than he observed a boat approaching the
shore. Putting down his gun and knapsack, he took out his telescope,
and that he might steady it, stretched himself on the side of the
sand-hill. Having adjusted the focus, he directed it towards the boat.
She came nearer and nearer. He saw that she contained several people,
who seemed to have the intention of landing.

"I shall now be able to escape from this," he thought.

As the boat approached he could clearly distinguish the features of
those in her. He could not be mistaken; three were ladies--the Vrouw
Van Arent and her two daughters; three were gentlemen--Mynheer Van
Arent, Mynheer Bunckum, and a stranger. They helped the ladies out of
the boat, and then all six walked along the beach. The stranger offered
his arm to the fair Isabelle, which she took with evident willingness.
Mynheer Bunckum walked on with Vrouw Margaret, and the old couple
followed.

"No, I cannot join them. I cannot so demean myself as to ask for a
passage to the shore," muttered the Count. "I only hope that they will
not discover me. I shall certainly not discover myself, if I can help
it."

If curiosity had brought the party to the island, they were soon
satisfied, for in a short time they r