r long-winded sing-song
sentences--it must be contagious."

"Well," said Arthur, "I give over the `materials' to Max, with full
permission to work them up into a romance after his own fashion,
introducing as much slaughter and sentiment as he shall judge requisite
for the best effect, and when completed, it shall be inserted by way of
episode in our narrative."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note. Upon consulting the charts we find an island called "Ahangatan",
(of which Angatan is perhaps a contraction), laid down on some of them,
about one hundred and fifty miles north of Hao. On others the same
island is called Ahangatoff. The US Exploring Expedition visited Hae,
and most of the neighbouring islands, but we have not been able to
discover any mention of Angatan in the published records of the
expedition.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

HOUSE-BUILDING.

DAWN ON THE LAGOON--THE "SEA-ATTORNEY"--THE "SHARK-EXTERMINATOR"--MAX
"CARRIES THE WAR INTO AFRICA."

"Another hour must pass ere day grows bright,
And ere the little birds begin discourse
In quick low voices, ere the streaming light
Pours on their nests, just sprung from day's fresh source."

After the late hours we had kept on the last evening, most of us would
willingly have prolonged our slumbers beyond the time previously fixed
for setting out upon our return to Castle-hill. But before it was
fairly light, Arthur was up, with an unseasonable and provoking
alacrity, calling loudly upon us to bestir ourselves.

In vain Browne apostrophised him in moving strains as "the rude
disturber of his pillow," remonstrated against such unmerciful
punctuality, and petitioned for another nap; in vain Max protested that
we were not New York shop-boys, obliged to rise at daylight to make
fires, and open and sweep out stores, but free and independent desert
islanders, who had escaped from the bondage of civilised life, and the
shackles of slavish routine, and who need not get up until noon, unless
of our own good pleasure. Arthur was inexorable, and finding that
further sleep was out of the question, we yielded at last to his
despotic pertinacity, and groped our way into the boat, yawning
desperately, and not more than half awake.

The sea-fowl had not yet begun to stir in their nests, when we pushed
out into the lagoon, and commenced pulling homeward--as we had now
almost come to regard it--holding a course midway be