ishing rapidly, and our patch of sail was hardly
enough to warrant a breeze taking any interest in it. We had been saved
from immediate destruction, but it certainly seemed like exchanging
Tophet for a slow fire. When the heat was greatest and the spiritual
gloom thickest the American threw out the sand-bags, as it were, and
hope mounted again.

"Say, MacGregor," he said, "run up the American flag. There's luck in
the old bandana."

This being done, he added: "Bring along the cigars; we'll have out U. S.
and Bob Lee in the saloon."

Our Coliseum was again open to the public at two shillings a head.
That had been the price from the beginning. The American was very
business-like in the matter, but this admission fee was our only
contribution to the expenses of that cruise. Sport could only allay, it
could not banish our sufferings. We became as haggard and woe-begone a
lot as ever ate provisions impregnated with salt; we turned wistfully
from claret to a teaspoonful of water, and had tongues like pieces of
blotting-paper. One morning we were sitting at breakfast when we heard
a cock-crow, then another and another. MacGregor sprang to his feet
crying: "Land!" In a moment we were on deck. There was no land to be
seen, but MacGregor maintained that a cock was a better look-out than a
human being any time, and in this case he was right. In a few hours we
did sight land.

Slowly we came nearer to the island. MacGregor was not at all sure where
it was, but guessed it might be one of the Solomon Islands. When within
a few miles of it Blithelygo unfeelingly remarked that its population
might be cannibalistic. MacGregor said it was very likely; but we'd have
to be fattened first, and that would give us time to turn round. The
American said that the Stars and Stripes and the Coliseum had brought us
luck so far, and he'd take the risk if we would.

The shore was crowded with natives, and as we entered the bay we saw
hundreds take to the water in what seemed fearfully like war-canoes. We
were all armed with revolvers, and we had half a dozen rifles handy. As
the islanders approached we could see that they also were armed; and a
brawny race they looked, and particularly bloodthirsty. In the largest
canoe stood a splendid-looking fellow, evidently a chief. On the shore
near a large palm-thatched house a great group was gathered, and the
American, levelling his glass, said: "Say, it's a she-queen or something
over there."

At th