ectly
repressed excitement; but I had said nothing to her about it,
attributing it to that which had produced so much excitement of feeling
among the rest of us, namely, the important event of the launch. This
feeling of excitement still continued to animate us; but, strangely
enough, Ella seemed the least able of the party to control it, and it
appeared to have the effect of agitating her nerves considerably.
Moreover, she seemed to be singularly pre-occupied over something,
answering remarks at random--sometimes when she was not addressed at
all--and then flushing up and apologising confusedly.

When our meal was over, a few bottles from a small stock of carefully-
hoarded wine, from the _Amazon's_ stores, were produced, and at Ella's
especial request, we four men proceeded to regale ourselves, and assist
digestion with "the fragrant weed." The chief topic of conversation
was, of course, the arrangements to be made for a speedy departure from
the island. It was decided that on the following day all hands should
employ themselves in getting the schooner ballasted, provisioned and
watered, and it was thought that, by hard work, all might be done in
readiness for a departure at daybreak on the succeeding morning.

My father, Winter, and the two blacks, were to man the schooner, whilst
Ella, Bob, and myself, were to continue in the cutter, and it was, of
course, a settled thing that we were to keep company as long as it was
possible. We also decided upon certain rendezvous in case of being
compelled, by bad weather, to part company at any particular part of the
voyage. These rendezvous, I may as well mention, were Melbourne, Cape
Town, Saint Helena, Saint Antonio in the Cape de Verde group, and
Madeira.

When this topic seemed pretty well exhausted, Ella remarked nervously,
"It seems then, Harry, that you have quite given up the idea of making
any further search for the treasure-island. I have not heard it
mentioned once for--oh! ever so long."

"I fear we must think no more of that," I replied. "When the story was
first told to me, it seemed an easy matter to sail direct to the spot,
but the fact that some mistake has occurred somewhere with regard to its
position has quite thrown us out, and to look for it among the numerous
islands which constitute this archipelago would be somewhat like
searching for a needle in a bundle of hay, and the chances of finding
either the one or the other would be about equal, I