ugh such is not
the habit of the Dyaks! There is a trader's vessel to start for Sumatra
by the first light of day. Will my friend go by that?"

"I am grateful," answered the hermit, "but I need no help--save some
provisions, for I have my little canoe, which will suffice."

As this colloquy was conducted in the native tongue it was
unintelligible to Nigel, but after the interview with the chief the
hermit explained matters to him, and bade Moses get ready for a start
several hours before dawn.

"You see we must do the first part of our trip in the dark, for Baderoon
has a keen eye and ear. Then we will land and sleep all day where the
sharpest eye will fail to find us--and, luckily, pirates have been
denied the power of scenting out their foes. When night comes we will
start again and get out of sight of land before the next dawn."

"Mine frond," said the professor, turning his moon-like goggles full on
the hermit. "I vill go viz you."

"I should be only too happy to have your company," returned the hermit,
"but my canoe cannot by any contrivance be made to hold more than
three."

"Zat is no matter to me," rejoined Verkimier; "you forget zee trader's
boat. I vill go in zat to Sumatra. Ve vill find out zee port he is
going to, ant you vill meet me zere. Vait for me if I have not
arrived--or I vill vait for you. I have longed to visit Sumatra, ant
vat better fronds could I go viz zan yourselfs?"

"But, my good friend," returned the hermit, "my movements may not
exactly suit yours. Here they are,--you can judge for yourself. First
I will, God permitting, cross over to Sumatra in my canoe."

"But it is t'ree hoondert miles across, if not more!"

"No matter--there are plenty of islands on the way. Besides, some
passing vessel will give me a lift, no doubt. Then I will coast along
to one of the eastern ports, where I know there is a steamboat loading
up about this time. The captain is an old friend of mine. He brought
me and my companions the greater part of the way here. If I find him I
will ask him to carry my canoe on his return voyage through Sunda
Straits, and leave it with another friend of mine at Telok Betong on the
south coast of Sumatra--not far, as you know, from my home in Krakatoa.
Then I will proceed overland to the same place, so that my friend Nigel
Roy may see a little of the country."

"Ant vat if you do _not_ find your frond zee captain of zee steamer?"

"Why, then I shall have