he great double-bladed paddle. Van der Kemp
himself was, as we have said, naturally quiet and silent, save when
roused by a subject that interested him. As for Moses, although quite
ready at any moment to indulge in friendly intercourse, he seldom
initiated a conversation, and Spinkie, grasping the mast and leaning
against it with his head down, seemed to be either asleep or brooding
over his sorrows. Only a few words were uttered now and then when Nigel
asked the name of a point or peak which rose in the distance on either
hand. It seemed as if the quiescence of sea and air had fallen like a
soft mantle on the party and subdued them into an unusually sluggish
frame of mind.

They passed through the Sunda Straits between Sumatra and Java--not more
at the narrowest part than about thirteen miles wide--and, in course of
time, found themselves in the great island-studded archipelago beyond.

About noon they all seemed to wake up from their lethargic state. Van
der Kemp laid down his paddle, and, looking round, asked Nigel if he
felt tired.

"Not in the least," he replied, "but I feel uncommonly hungry, and I
have just been wondering how you manage to feed when at sea in so small
a craft."

"Ho! ho!" laughed Moses, in guttural tones, "you soon see dat--I 'spose
it time for me to get out de grub, massa?"

"Yes, Moses--let's have it."

The negro at once laid down his steering paddle and lifted a small
square hatch or lid in the deck which was rendered watertight by the
same means as the lid in front already described. From the depths thus
revealed he extracted a bird of some sort that had been shot and baked
the day before. Tearing off a leg he retained it, and handed the
remainder to Nigel.

"Help you'self, Massa Nadgel, an' pass 'im forward." Without helping
himself he passed it on to Van der Kemp, who drew his knife, sliced off
a wing with a mass of breast, and returned the rest.

"Always help yourself _before_ passing the food in future," said the
hermit; "we don't stand on ceremony here."

Nigel at once fell in with their custom, tore off the remaining
drumstick and began.

"Biskit," said Moses, with his mouth full, "an' look out for Spinkie."

He handed forward a deep tray of the sailor's familiar food, but Nigel
was too slow to profit by the warning given, for Spinkie darted both
hands into the tray and had stuffed his mouth and cheeks full almost
before a man could wink! The negro would have lau