sh said he was determined to have a small
schooner built out of the wreck, and attempt with a few sailors to reach
England in her, and report our condition here."

"Why, that would do you out of your kingdom, Pina!"

"It does not follow. And what if it did?"

"It would be a pity. Not pleasant you know, to be dethroned. But to
return to mother. D'you think the old cat will have learned to speak by
this time?"

To this Pauline replied that she feared not; that, although the cat
might have mastered the consonants, it could never have managed the
vowels. "Dear mother," she added, in a more earnest tone, "I am quite
sure that though the cat may not speak to her, she will not have ceased
to speak to the cat. Now, go away, Otto, you're beginning to make me
talk nonsense."

"But what about the schoolhouse?" persisted the boy, while the girl
began to sketch the view. "You have not finished that subject."

"True--well, besides teaching the mothers I have great hopes of inducing
Dom to set up a Sunday-school, in which those who feel inclined might be
taught out of the Bible, and that might in time lead to our making a
church of it on Sundays, and having regular services, for there are some
earnest Christians among the men, who I feel quite sure would be ready
to help in the work. Then as to an army--"

"An army!" echoed Otto, "what do we want with an army? who have we to
fight against?"

Little did Otto or Pauline think that at the very time they were
conversing thus pleasantly on that beautiful islet, the presence of a
friendly army was urgently required, for there in the bushes close
behind them listening to every sentence, but understanding never a word,
lay a group of tattooed and armed savages!

In the prosecution of evil designs, the nature of which was best known
to themselves, these savages had arrived at Refuge Islands the night
before. Instantly they became aware of the presence of the white men,
and took measures to observe them closely without being themselves
observed. Carrying their war-canoe over the reef in the dark, and
launching it on the lagoon, they advanced as near to the settlement as
possible, landed a small party on an islet, and then retired with the
canoe. It was this party which lay in ambush so near to our little hero
and heroine. They had been watching the settlers since daybreak, and
were not a little surprised, as well as gratified, by the unexpected
arrival of the little boat.