amen's
muskets, and such other articles as they could spare, promising to send
the honest fellows more should an opportunity occur of forwarding the
things from Sydney, as a reward for their fidelity. The two Papuans and
their chief were highly delighted and grateful for the gifts, which they
looked upon as an ample return for the services they had rendered.

The brig looked like a menagerie, with the number of creatures which the
captain and crew were taking, mostly monkeys and birds, such as were not
to be found in Australia.

The natives now returned with a considerable amount of produce, which
the skipper received on board, promising to send the goods in payment on
shore. In the mean time he presented, with apparent generosity, some
kegs of spirits to the chief and his people.

The midshipmen, Casey, and Peter had turned in for the night, which was
very dark, with the wind off shore. They heard the skipper go on deck,
but were soon asleep again. Not long after this they were awakened by
the sound of the windlass.

"Why they must be weighing anchor!" exclaimed Tom.

He and Desmond dressed, and went on deck. The brig was already under
way, standing out of the harbour.

"Why, Captain Stubbins, you've forgotten to send the goods on shore, in
return for the produce which came off yesterday!"

"Bless my heart! so I have!" answered the skipper, with a hoarse laugh.
"I'll pay the people the next time I come here; but they are too drunk
by this time to know whether I have paid or not; and, knowing that you
were in a hurry to get to Sydney, as the wind was fair, I could not
resist the temptation of putting to sea."

Tom made no reply, but he had a very strong suspicion that the skipper
had intended to cheat the poor natives, and such, indeed, he found to be
the case.

When morning dawned, the _Fox_ was far beyond the possibility of pursuit
by the natives, even had the chiefs been in a condition to follow her,
which in all probability they were not, owing to the cunningly bestowed
kegs of liquor. The breeze continued, and the _Fox_ made good way. The
skipper and his mate were constantly on the look-out to avoid the rocks
and shoals which so thickly dot the entrance to Torres Straits. The
brig then stood to the eastward, so as to run well clear of the coral
reefs which fringe the north-eastern portion of Australia. Tom and his
companions were thankful at length to find themselves, after all the
dangers and t