s, for it
did not taper away to a cone, but appeared to form a flat tableland of
some extent; this, however, might perhaps have proved on inspection to
be hollow, the flat appearance of the top resulting merely from
regularity in the height of the crater walls.

In about an hour after re-entering the passage through the reef, our
boat grounded gently on the beach, on the western side of the island. I
leaped ashore, and assisted Ella to land, desiring Bob, as I shoved the
boat off into deep water again, to meet us in the bay which I expected
he would find behind a low headland which lay about three miles to the
southward of us.

Ella took possession of my arm now, quite as a matter of course, without
waiting for me to offer its support, and together we sauntered leisurely
along in the grateful shade of the trees and giant plants with which we
were surrounded.

For the first half-hour or so, we had eyes for nothing but the varied
beauties of nature which lay spread before us in such luxuriant
prodigality.

The forms of the trees and plants were, for the most part, new to us,
but all were beautiful; and the occasional glimpses of scenery which
presented themselves through unexpected avenues, made glorious by the
adornment of all these varied forms and colours in foliage and flowers,
and enlivened by the presence of thousands of birds of brilliant
plumage, darting through the air like living gems, seemed like an
absolute realisation of fairy-land or Eden.

Time passed swiftly away with us in the enjoyment of so much loveliness,
especially as we made frequent pauses to admire at our leisure some more
than usually bewitching scene; and I was in the act of remarking to my
companion that Bob would certainly think we were lost in the woods, when
she exclaimed in a startled voice:

"Oh, Harry! there is an animal of some sort following us. I have
noticed the bushes moving rather strangely behind us once or twice
already, but I did not like to say anything, fearing you would think me
foolish and nervous; but this instant I distinctly saw a dark object
glide swiftly behind that large aloe-like shrub with the beautiful
purple blossoms that we stood admiring so long."

"An animal?" I exclaimed. "Impossible, darling; you must surely be
mistaken. No animals are likely to be on an island like this. How
could they ever have come here, unless provided with wings?"

"That I cannot say," she replied; "but I am convinced I was