that the Englishmen had gone so far from their
camp, whether willingly or unwillingly. To the east and south-east
stretched the sea, and Rodier declared that he saw, an immense way
off, the smoke of a steamer, no doubt the gunboat. Lowering the glass
to scan the nearer prospect, he suddenly gave a lusty shout.

"I see smoke, mister; a quite little smoke, as of a cigarette."

"Where?" asked Smith eagerly.

"South-east of us, in the forest, about five or six miles off."

"We'll go and see what it comes from."

Smith scarcely dared to hope that the discovery of the smoke would be
of any assistance to him. But it was the first indication of a camp
within the forest, whether of the islanders or of his friends, and he
could not neglect to investigate it. The aeroplane flew along at the
speed of a swallow. In little more than three minutes it reached the
twine of smoke. Checking the engine, Smith wheeled the aeroplane round
until it passed slowly over an extensive gap in the forest. He looked
down. The smoke rose from a fire in the midst of the clearing. At a
little distance from it there was a throng of islanders, gazing up
awe-struck at the strange apparition whose approach had been heralded
from afar, and which now circled above them, making terrifying noises.

But Smith was not interested in the islanders. He peered among them
and around for white men. He felt a shock of bitter disappointment;
all the upturned faces were brown. But the movement of the aeroplane
brought him to the verge of the forest, and then Rodier gave a shout
of delight.

"There they are! There they are, mister!" he cried, pointing obliquely
downwards.

Smith looked over. In the shade at the foot of the trees he saw a
number of men bound each to a trunk. Their faces, directed upwards,
were too darkly shadowed for him to distinguish their race; but they
were clothed. Beyond doubt they were the castaways.

In a moment he determined what to do. While the aeroplane circled
slowly above their heads the islanders would feel no more than awe
and wonder. They huddled together like a flock of sheep in a
thunderstorm, probably not as yet connecting the aerial visitant with
their prisoners. What was required was to scatter them, suddenly, in a
way that would smite them with terror, and cause them to flee without
thought of the captives helpless against the trees.

Smith sailed away eastward, disappearing from their sight. He had made
a quick mental ca