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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Nat the Naturalist, by G. Manville Fenn
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Nat the Naturalist
+       A Boy's Adventures in the Eastern Seas
+
+Author: G. Manville Fenn
+
+Illustrator: Anonymous
+
+Release Date: May 8, 2007 [EBook #21356]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAT THE NATURALIST ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
+
+
+
+
+Nat the Naturalist; or, A Boy's Adventures in the Eastern Seas
+by George Manville Fenn.
+
+________________________________________________________________________
+
+Nat's mother and father have died, and he is being brought up by an aunt
+and uncle, the latter being his mother's brother.  His aunt does not
+care at all for boys, and in particular makes sniping remarks at Nat the
+whole time.  But Nat's uncle is very fond of him, and they are great
+friends.
+
+But enter the aunt's brother, a famous naturalist, back from some trip
+in South America.  Nat, who has already shown great interest in
+collecting specimens from nature, is enthralled, helps him to stuff and
+catalogue his specimens, and eventually persuades him to take him (Nat)
+with him on his next trip.
+
+This requires a little training in shooting and sailing.  Then they are
+off, on a P&O liner sailing from Marseilles.  On arriving in the Java
+Seas they disembark, purchase a little boat, and set off. Very soon they
+are joined by an enthusiastic native, and the trio spend some years
+collecting numerous splendid specimens, of birds, beetles, and anything
+else they can.
+
+An unfriendly tribe of natives steal their boat, but does not find their
+hut and specimens. They set-to to build a boat of some sort, to get
+themselves away from such an unfriendly place.  At the same time their
+native assistant disappears, presumably murdered by the unfriendly
+locals.  What happens next I will not spoil the story by telling.
+
+You'll enjoy it.
+
+________________________________________________________________________
+
+NAT THE NATURALIST; OR, A BOY'S ADVENTURES IN THE EASTERN SEAS,
+BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER ONE.
+
+WHY I WENT TO MY UNCLE'S.
+
+"I don't know what to do with him.  I never saw such a boy--a miserable
+little coward, always in mischief and doing things he ought not to do,
+and running about the place with his whims and fads.  I wish you'd send
+him right away, I do."
+
+My aunt went out of the room, and I can't say she banged the door, but
+she shut it very hard, leaving me and my uncle face to face staring one
+at the other.
+
+My uncle did not speak for some minutes, but sat poking at his hair with
+the waxy end of his pipe, for he was a man who smoked a great deal after
+dinner; the mornings he spent in his garden, being out there as early as
+five o'clock in the summer and paying very little attention to the rain.
+
+He was a very amiable, mild-tempered man, who had never had any
+children, in fact he did not marry till quite late in life; when I
+remember my poor father saying that it was my aunt married my uncle, for
+uncle would never have had the courage to ask her.
+
+I say "my poor father", for a couple of years after that marriage, the
+news came home that he had been lost at sea with the whole of the crew
+of the great vessel of which he was the surgeon.
+
+I remember it all so well; the terrible blank and trouble that seemed to
+have come upon our house, with my mother's illness that followed, and
+that dreadful day when Uncle Joseph came down-stairs to me in the
+dining-room, and seating himself by the fire filled and lit his pipe,
+took two or three puffs, and then threw the pipe under the grate, let
+his head go down upon his hands, and cried like a child.
+
+A minute or two later, when I went up to him in great trouble and laid
+my hand upon his shoulder, saying, "Don't cry, uncle; she'll be better
+soon," he caught me in his arms and held me to his breast.
+
+"Nat, my boy," he said, "I've promised her that I'll be like a father to
+you now, and I will."
+
+I knew only too soon why he said those words, for a week later I was an
+orphan boy indeed; and I was at Uncle Joseph's house, feeling very
+miserable and unhappy in spite of his kind ways and the pains he took to
+make me comfortable.
+
+I was not so wretched when I was alone with uncle in the garden, where
+he would talk to me about his peas and potatoes and the fruit-trees,
+show me how to find the snails and slugs, and encourage me to shoot at
+the thieving birds with a crossbow and arrow; but I was miserable indeed
+when I went in, for my aunt was a very sharp, acid sort of woman, who
+seemed to have but one idea, and that was to keep the house so terribly
+tidy that it was always uncomfortable to the people who were in it.
+
+It used to be, "Nat, have you wiped your shoes?"
+
+"Let me look, sir.  Ah!  I thought so.  Not half wiped.  Go and take
+them off directly, and put on your slippers.  You're as bad as your
+uncle, sir."
+
+I used to think I should like to be as good.
+
+"I declare," said my aunt, "I haven't a bit of peace of my life with the
+dirt and dust.  The water-cart never comes round here as it does in the
+other roads, and the house gets filthy.  Moil and toil, moil and toil,
+from morning to night, and no thanks whatever."
+
+When my aunt talked like this she used to screw up her face and seem as
+if she were going to cry, and she spoke in a whining, unpleasant tone of
+voice; but I never remember seeing her cry, and I used to wonder why she
+would trouble herself about dusting with a cloth and feather brush from
+morning to night, when there were three servants to do all the work.
+
+I have heard the cook tell Jane the housemaid that Mrs Pilgarlic was
+never satisfied; but it was some time before I knew whom she meant; and
+to this day I don't know why she gave my aunt such a name.
+
+Whenever aunt used to be more than usually fretful, as time went on my
+uncle would get up softly, give me a peculiar look, and go out into the
+garden, where, if I could, I followed, and we used to talk, and weed,
+and train the flowers; but very often my aunt would pounce upon me and
+order me to sit still and keep out of mischief if I could.
+
+I was very glad when my uncle decided to send me to school, and I used
+to go to one in our neighbourhood, so that I was a good deal away from
+home, as uncle said I was to call his house now; and school and the
+garden were the places where I was happiest in those days.
+
+"Yes, my boy," said my uncle, "I should like you to call this home, for
+though your aunt pretends she doesn't like it, she does, you know, Nat;
+and you mustn't mind her being a bit cross, Nat.  It isn't temper, you
+know, it's weakness.  It's her digestion's bad, and she's a sufferer,
+that's what she is.  She's wonderfully fond of you, Nat."
+
+I remember thinking that she did not show it.
+
+"And you must try and get on, Nat, and get lots of learning," he would
+often say when we were out in the garden.  "You won't be poor when you
+grow up, for your poor mother has left you a nice bit of money, but you
+might lose that, Nat, my boy; nobody could steal your knowledge, and--
+ah, you rascal, got you, have I?"
+
+This last was to a great snail which he raked out from among some tender
+plants that had been half eaten away.
+
+"Yes, Nat, get all the knowledge you can and work hard at your books."
+
+But somehow I didn't get on well with the other boys, for I cared so
+little for their rough games.  I was strong enough of my age, but I
+preferred getting out on to Clapham Common on half-holidays, to look for
+lizards in the furze, or to catch the bright-coloured sticklebacks in
+the ponds, or else to lie down on the bank under one of the trees, and
+watch the efts coming up to the top to make a little bubble and then go
+down again, waving their bodies of purple and orange and the gay crests
+that they sometimes had all along their backs in the spring.
+
+When I used to lie there thinking, I did not seem to be on Clapham
+Common, but far away on the banks of some huge lake in a foreign land
+with the efts and lizards, crocodiles; and the big worms that I
+sometimes found away from their holes in wet weather became serpents in
+a moist jungle.
+
+Of course I got all these ideas from books, and great trouble I found
+myself in one day for playing at tiger-hunting in the garden at home
+with Buzzy, my aunt's great tabby tom-cat; and for pretending that Nap
+was a lion in the African desert.  But I'll tell you that in a chapter
+to itself, for these matters had a good deal to do with the alteration
+in my mode of life.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWO.
+
+FIRST THOUGHTS OF HUNTING.
+
+As I told you, my uncle had no children, and the great house at
+Streatham was always very quiet.  In fact one of my aunt's strict
+injunctions was that she should not be disturbed by any noise of mine.
+But aunt had her pets--Buzzy, and Nap.
+
+Buzzy was the largest striped tom-cat, I think, that I ever saw, and
+very much to my aunt's annoyance he became very fond of me, so much so
+that if he saw me going out in the garden he would leap off my aunt's
+lap, where she was very fond of nursing him, stroking his back,
+beginning with his head and ending by drawing his tail right through her
+hand; all of which Buzzy did not like, but he would lie there and swear,
+trying every now and then to get free, but only to be held down and
+softly whipped into submission.
+
+Buzzy decidedly objected to being nursed, and as soon as he could get
+free he would rush after me down the garden, where he would go bounding
+along, arching his back, and setting up the fur upon his tail.  Every
+now and then he would hide in some clump, and from thence charge out at
+me, and if I ran after him, away he would rush up a tree trunk, and then
+crouch on a branch with glowing eyes, tearing the while with his claws
+at the bark as if in a tremendous state of excitement, ready to bound
+down again, and race about till he was tired, after which I had only to
+stoop down and say, "Come on," when he would leap on to my back and
+perch himself upon my shoulder, purring softly as I carried him round
+the grounds.
+
+I used to have some good fun, too, with Nap, when my aunt was out; but
+she was so jealous of her favourite's liking for me that at last I never
+used to have a game with Nap when she was at home.
+
+Buzzy could come out and play quietly, but Nap always got to be so
+excited, lolling out his tongue and yelping and barking with delight as
+he tore round after me, pretending to bite and worry me, and rolling
+over and over, and tumbling head over heels as he capered and bounded
+about.
+
+I think Nap was the ugliest dog I ever saw, for he was one of those
+dirty white French poodles, and my aunt used to have him clipped, to
+look like a lion, as she said, and have him washed with hot soap and
+water every week.
+
+Nothing pleased Nap better than to go out in the garden with me, but I
+got into sad trouble about it more than once.
+
+"Look at him, Joseph," my aunt would say, "it's just as if it was done
+on purpose to annoy me.  Beautifully washed as he was yesterday, and now
+look at him with his curly mane all over earth, and with bits of straw
+and dead leaves sticking in it.  If you don't send that boy away to a
+boarding-school I won't stay in the house."
+
+Then my uncle would look troubled, and take me into his own room, where
+he kept his books and garden seeds.
+
+"You mustn't do it, Nat, my boy, indeed you mustn't.  You see how it
+annoys your aunt."
+
+"I didn't think I was doing any harm, uncle," I protested.  "Nap jumped
+out of the window, and leaped up at me as if he wanted a game, and I
+only raced round the garden with him."
+
+"You didn't rub the earth and dead leaves in his coat then, Nat?" said
+my uncle.
+
+"Oh no!"  I said; "he throws himself on his side and pushes himself
+along, rubs his head on the ground, sometimes on one side, sometimes on
+the other.  I think it's because he has got f--"
+
+"Shush!  Hush! my dear boy," cried my uncle, clapping his hand over my
+lips.  "If your aunt for a moment thought that there were any insects in
+that dog, she would be ill."
+
+"But I'm sure that there are some in his coat, uncle," I said, "for if
+you watch him when he's lying on the hearth-rug to-night, every now and
+then he jumps up and snaps at them, and bites the place."
+
+"Shush! yes, my boy," he whispered; "but don't talk about it.  Your aunt
+is so particular.  It's a secret between us."
+
+I couldn't help smiling at him, and after a moment or two he smiled at
+me, and then patted me on the shoulder.
+
+"Don't do anything to annoy your aunt, my boy," he said; "I wouldn't
+play with Nap if I were you."
+
+"I'll try not to, uncle," I said; "but he will come and coax me to play
+with him sometimes."
+
+"H'm! yes," said my uncle thoughtfully, "and it does do him good, poor
+dog.  He eats too much, and gets too fat for want of exercise.  Suppose
+you only play with him when your aunt goes out for a walk."
+
+"Very well, uncle," I said, and then he shook hands with me, and gave me
+half a crown.
+
+I couldn't help it, I was obliged to spend that half-crown in something
+I had been wanting for weeks.  It was a large crossbow that hung up in
+the toy-shop window in Streatham, and that bow had attracted my
+attention every time I went out.
+
+To some boys a crossbow would be only a crossbow, but to me it meant
+travels in imagination all over the world.  I saw myself shooting apples
+off boys' heads, transfixing eagles in their flight, slaying wild
+beasts, and bringing home endless trophies of the chase, so at the first
+opportunity I was off to the shop, and with my face glowing with
+excitement and delight I bought and took home the crossbow.
+
+"Hallo, Nat!" said Uncle Joseph.  "Why, what's that--a crossbow?"
+
+"Yes, uncle; isn't it a beauty?"  I cried excitedly.
+
+"Well, yes, my boy," he said; "but, but--how about your aunt?  Suppose
+you were to break a window with that, eh?  What should we do?"
+
+"But I won't shoot in that direction, uncle," I promised.
+
+"Or shoot out Jane's or Cook's eye?  It would be very dreadful, my boy."
+
+"Oh, yes, uncle," I cried; "but I will be so careful, and perhaps I may
+shoot some of the birds that steal the cherries."
+
+"Ah! yes, my boy, so you might," he said rubbing his hands softly.  "My
+best bigarreaus.  Those birds are a terrible nuisance, Nat, that they
+are.  You'll be careful, though?"
+
+"Yes, I'll be careful, uncle," I said; and he went away nodding and
+smiling, while I went off to Clapham Common to try the bow and the short
+thick arrows supplied therewith.
+
+It was glorious.  At every twang away flew the arrow or the piece of
+tobacco-pipe I used instead; and at last, after losing one shaft in the
+short turf, I found myself beside the big pond over on the far side, one
+that had the reputation of being full of great carp and eels.
+
+My idea here was to shoot the fish, but as there were none visible to
+shoot I had to be content with trying to hit the gliding spiders on the
+surface with pieces of tobacco-pipe as long as they lasted, for I dared
+not waste another arrow, and then with my mind full of adventures in
+foreign countries I walked home.
+
+The next afternoon my aunt went out, and I took the bow down the garden,
+leaving my uncle enjoying his pipe.  I had been very busy all that
+morning, it being holiday time, in making some fresh arrows for a
+purpose I had in view, and, so as to be humane, I had made the heads by
+cutting off the tops of some old kid gloves, ramming their finger-ends
+full of cotton-wool, and then tying them to the thin deal arrows, so
+that each bolt had a head like a little soft leather ball.
+
+"Those can't hurt him," I said to myself; and taking a dozen of these
+bolts in my belt I went down the garden, with Buzzy at my heels, for a
+good tiger-hunt.
+
+For the next half-hour Streatham was nowhere, and that old-fashioned
+garden with its fruit-trees had become changed into a wild jungle,
+through which a gigantic tiger kept charging, whose doom I had fixed.
+Shot after shot I had at the monster--once after it had bounded into the
+fork of a tree, another time as it was stealing through the waving
+reeds, represented by the asparagus bed.  Later on, after much creeping
+and stalking, with the tiger stalking me as well as springing out at me
+again and again, but never getting quite home, I had a shot as it was
+lurking beside the great lake, represented by our tank.  Here its
+striped sides were plainly visible, and, going down on hands and knees,
+I crept along between two rows of terrible thorny trees that bore sweet
+juicy berries in the season, but which were of the wildest nature now,
+till I could get a good aim at the monster's shoulder, and see its soft
+lithe tail twining and writhing like a snake.
+
+I crept on, full of excitement, for a leafy plant that I refused to own
+as a cabbage no longer intercepted my view.  Then lying flat upon my
+chest I fitted an arrow to my bow, and was cautiously taking aim,
+telling myself that if I missed I should be seized by the monster, when
+some slight sound I made caused it to spring up, presenting its striped
+flank for a target as it gazed here and there.
+
+Play as it was, it was all intensely real to me; and in those moments I
+was as full of excitement as if I had been in some distant land and in
+peril of my life.
+
+Then, after long and careful aim, twang went the bow, and to my intense
+delight the soft-headed arrow struck the monster full in the flank,
+making it bound up a couple of feet and then pounce upon the bolt, and
+canter off at full speed towards a dense thicket of scarlet-runners.
+
+"Victory, victory!"  I cried excitedly; "wounded, wounded!" and I set
+off in chase, but approaching cautiously and preparing my bow again, for
+I had read that the tiger was most dangerous when in the throes of
+death.
+
+I forget what I called the scarlet-runner thicket, but by some eastern
+name, and drawing nearer I found an opportunity for another shot, which
+missed.
+
+Away bounded Buzzy, evidently enjoying the fun, and I after him, to find
+him at bay beneath a currant bush.
+
+I was a dozen yards away in the central path, and, of course, in full
+view of the upper windows of the house; but if I had noted that fact
+then, I was so far gone in the romance of the situation that I daresay I
+should have called the house the rajah's palace.  As it was I had
+forgotten its very existence in the excitement of the chase.
+
+"This time, monster, thou shalt die," I cried, as I once more fired,
+making Buzzy leap into the path, and then out of sight amongst the
+cabbages.
+
+"Hurray! hurray!"  I shouted, waving my crossbow above my head, "the
+monster is slain! the monster is slain!"
+
+There was a piercing shriek behind me, and I turned, bow in hand, to
+find myself face to face with my aunt.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THREE.
+
+HOW I HUNTED THE LION IN NO-MAN'S-LAND AND WHAT FOLLOWED.
+
+My aunt's cry brought out Uncle Joseph in a terrible state of
+excitement, and it was not until after a long chase and Buzzy was caught
+that she could be made to believe that he had not received a mortal
+wound.  And a tremendous chase it was, for the more Uncle Joseph and I
+tried to circumvent that cat, the more he threw himself into the fun of
+the hunt and dodged us, running up trees like a squirrel, leaping down
+with his tail swollen to four times its usual size, and going over the
+beds in graceful bounds, till Uncle Joseph sat down to pant and wipe his
+face while I continued the chase; but all in vain.  Sometimes I nearly
+caught the cat, but he would be off again just as I made a spring to
+seize him, while all Aunt Sophia's tender appeals to "poor Buzzy then,"
+"my poor pet then," fell upon ears that refused to hear her.
+
+"Oh how stupid I am!"  I said to myself.  "Oh, Buzzy, this is too bad to
+give me such a chase.  Come here, sir, directly;" and I stooped down.
+
+It had the required result, for Buzzy leaped down off the wall up which
+he had scrambled, jumped on to my back, settled himself comfortably with
+his fore-paws on my shoulder, and began to purr with satisfaction.
+
+"I am glad, my boy," said Uncle Joseph, "so glad you have caught him;
+but have you hurt him much?"
+
+"He isn't hurt at all, uncle," I said.  "It was all in play."
+
+"But your aunt is in agony, my boy.  Here, let me take the cat to her."
+
+He stretched out his hands to take the cat from my shoulder, but Buzzy's
+eyes dilated and he began to swear, making my uncle start back, for he
+dreaded a scratch from anything but a rose thorn, and those he did not
+mind.
+
+"Would you mind taking him to your aunt, Natty, my boy?" he said.
+
+"No, uncle, if you'll please come too," I said.  "Don't let aunt scold
+me, uncle; I'm very sorry, and it was only play."
+
+"I'll come with you, Nat," he said, shaking his head; "but I ought not
+to have let you have that bow, and I'm afraid she will want it burnt."
+
+"Will she be very cross?"  I said.
+
+"I'm afraid so, my boy."  And she really was.
+
+"Oh you wicked, wicked boy," she cried as I came up; "what were you
+doing?"
+
+"Only playing at tiger-hunting, aunt," I said.
+
+"With my poor darling Buzzy!  Come to its own mistress then, Buzzy," she
+cried pityingly.  "Did the wicked, cruel boy--oh dear!"
+
+_Wur-r-ur! spit, spit_!
+
+That was Buzzy's reply to his mistress's attempt to take him from my
+shoulder, and he made an attempt to scratch.
+
+"And he used to be as gentle as a lamb," cried my aunt.  "You wicked,
+wicked boy, you must have hurt my darling terribly to make him so angry
+with his mistress whom he loves."
+
+I protested that I had not, but it was of no use, and I was in great
+disgrace for some days; but Aunt Sophia forgot to confiscate my
+crossbow.
+
+The scolding I received ought to have had more effect upon me, but it
+did not; for it was only a week afterwards that I was again in disgrace,
+and for the same fault, only with this difference, that in my fancy the
+garden had become a South African desert, and Nap was the lion I was
+engaged in hunting.
+
+I did him no harm, I am sure, but a great deal of good, with the
+exercise; and the way in which he entered into the sport delighted me.
+He charged me and dashed after me when I fled; when I hid behind trees
+to shoot at him he seized the arrows, if they hit him, and worried them
+fiercely; while whenever they missed him, in place of dashing at me he
+would run after the arrows and bring them in his mouth to where he
+thought I was hiding.
+
+I don't think Nap had any more sense than dogs have in general, but he
+would often escape from my aunt when I came home from school, and run
+before me to the big cupboard where I kept my treasures, raise himself
+upon his hind-legs, and tear at the door till I opened it and took out
+the crossbow, when he would frisk round and round in the highest state
+of delight, running out into the garden, dashing back, running out
+again, and entering into the spirit of the game with as much pleasure as
+I did.
+
+But the fun to be got out of a crossbow gets wearisome after a time,
+especially when you find that in spite of a great deal of practice it is
+very hard to hit anything that is at all small.
+
+The time glided on, and I was very happy still with my uncle; but
+somehow Aunt Sophia seemed to take quite a dislike to me; and no matter
+how I tried to do what was right, and to follow out my uncle's wishes, I
+was always in trouble about something or another.
+
+One summer Uncle Joseph bought me a book on butterflies, with coloured
+plates, which so interested me that I began collecting the very next
+day, and captured a large cabbage butterfly.
+
+No great rarity this, but it was a beginning; and after pinning it out
+as well as I could I began to think of a cabinet, collecting-boxes, a
+net, and a packet of entomological pins.
+
+I only had to tell Uncle Joseph my wants and he was eager to help me.
+
+"Collecting-boxes, Nat?" he said, rubbing his hands softly; "why, I used
+to use pill-boxes when I was a boy: there are lots up-stairs."
+
+He hunted me out over a dozen that afternoon, and supplied me with an
+old drawer and a piece of camphor, entering into the matter with as much
+zest as I did myself.  Then he obtained an old green gauze veil from my
+aunt, and set to work with me in the tool-house to make a net, after the
+completion of which necessity he proposed that we should go the very
+next afternoon as far as Clapham Common to capture insects.
+
+He did not go with me, for my aunt wanted him to hold skeins of wool for
+her to wind, but he made up to me for the disappointment that evening by
+sitting by me while I pinned out my few but far from rare captures,
+taking great pleasure in holding the pins for me, and praising what he
+called my cleverness in cutting out pieces of card.
+
+I did not know anything till it came quite as a surprise, and it was
+smuggled into the house so that my aunt did not know, Jane, according to
+uncle's orders, carrying it up to my bedroom.
+
+It was a large butterfly-case, made to open out in two halves like a
+backgammon board; and in this, as soon as they were dry, I used to pin
+my specimens, examining them with delight, and never seeming to weary of
+noting the various markings, finding out their names, and numbering
+them, and keeping their proper titles in a book I had for the purpose.
+
+I did not confine myself to butterflies, but caught moths and beetles,
+with dragon-flies from the edges of the ponds on Clapham Common, longing
+to go farther afield, but not often obtaining a chance.  Then, as I
+began to find specimens scarce, I set to collecting other things that
+seemed interesting, and at last, during a visit paid by my aunt to some
+friends, Uncle Joseph took me to the British Museum to see the
+butterflies there, so, he said, that I might pick up a few hints for
+managing my own collection.
+
+That visit turned me into an enthusiast, for before we returned I had
+been for hours feasting my eyes upon the stuffed birds and noting the
+wondrous colours on their scale-like feathers.
+
+I could think of scarcely anything else, talk of nothing else afterwards
+for days; and nothing would do but I must begin to collect birds and
+prepare and stuff them for myself.
+
+"You wouldn't mind, would you, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"Mind?  No, my boy," he said, rubbing his hands softly; "I should like
+it; but do you think you could stuff a bird?"
+
+"Not at first," I said thoughtfully; "but I should try."
+
+"To be sure, Nat," he cried smiling; "nothing like trying, my boy; but
+how would you begin?"
+
+This set me thinking.
+
+"I don't know, uncle," I said at last, "but it looks very easy."
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!  Nat; so do lots of things," he cried, laughing; "but
+sometimes they turn out very hard."
+
+"I know," I said suddenly.
+
+"I know," I said, "I could find out how to do it."
+
+"Have some lessons, eh?" he said.
+
+"No, uncle."
+
+"How would you manage it then, Nat?"
+
+"Buy a stuffed bird, uncle, and pull it to pieces, and see how it is
+done."
+
+"To be sure, Nat," he cried; "to be sure, my boy.  That's the way; but
+stop a moment; how would you put it together again?"
+
+"Oh!  I think I could, uncle," I said; "I'm nearly sure I could.  How
+could I get one to try with?"
+
+"Why, we might buy one somewhere," he said thoughtfully; "for I don't
+think they'd lend us one at the British Museum; but I tell you what,
+Nat," he cried: "I've got it."
+
+"Have you, uncle?"
+
+"To be sure, my boy.  There's your aunt's old parrot that died and was
+stuffed.  Don't you know?"
+
+I shook my head.
+
+"It was put somewhere up-stairs in the lumber-room, and your aunt has
+forgotten all about it.  You might try with that."
+
+"And I'd stuff it again when I had found out all about it, uncle," I
+said.
+
+"To be sure, my boy," said uncle, thoughtfully; "I wonder whether your
+aunt would want Buzzy and Nap stuffed if they were to die?"
+
+"She'd be sure to; aunt is so fond of them," I said.  "Why, uncle, I
+might be able to do it myself."
+
+"Think so?" he said thoughtfully.  "Why, it would make her pleased, my
+boy."
+
+But neither Buzzy nor Nap showed the slightest intention of dying so as
+to be stuffed, and I had to learn the art before I could attempt
+anything of the kind.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FOUR.
+
+THE REMAINS OF POOR POLLY.
+
+The very first opportunity, my uncle took me up with him to the
+lumber-room, an attic of which my aunt kept the key; and here, after
+quite a hunt amongst old portmanteaux, broken chairs, dusty tables,
+bird-cages, wrecked kennels, cornice-poles, black-looking pictures, and
+dozens of other odds and ends, we came in a dark corner upon the remains
+of one of my aunt's earliest pets.  It was the stuffed figure of a grey
+parrot that had once stood beneath a glass shade, but the shade was
+broken, and poor Polly, who looked as if she had been moulting ever
+since she had been fixed upon her present perch, had her head partly
+torn from her shoulders.
+
+"Here she is," said my uncle.  "Poor old Polly!  What a bird she was to
+screech!  She never liked me, Nat, but used to call me _wretch_, as
+plain as you could say it yourself.  It was very wicked of me, I dare
+say, Nat, but I was so glad when she died, and your aunt was so sorry
+that she cried off and on for a week."
+
+"But she never was a pretty bird, uncle," I said, holding the stuffed
+creature to the light.
+
+"No, my boy, never, and she used to pull off her feathers when she was
+in a passion, and call people _wretch_.  She bit your aunt's nose once.
+But do you think it will do?"
+
+"Oh yes, uncle," I said; "but may I pull it to pieces?"
+
+"Well, yes, my boy, I think so," he said dreamily.  "You couldn't spoil
+it, could you?"
+
+"Why, it is spoiled already, Uncle Joe," I said.
+
+"Yes, my boy, so it is; quite spoiled.  I think I'll risk it, Nat."
+
+"But if aunt would be very cross, uncle, hadn't I better leave it?"  I
+said.
+
+"If you didn't take it, Nat, she would never see it again, and it would
+lie here and moulder away.  I think you had better take it, my boy."
+
+I was so eager to begin that I hesitated no more, but took the bird out
+into the tool-house, where I could make what aunt called "a mess"
+without being scolded, and uncle put on his smoking-cap, lit his pipe,
+and brought a high stool to sit upon and watch me make my first attempt
+at mastering a mystery.
+
+The first thing was to take Polly off her perch, which was a piece of
+twig covered with moss, that had once been glued on, but now came away
+in my hands, and I found that the bird had been kept upright by means of
+wires that ran down her legs and were wound about the twig.
+
+Uncle smoked away as solemnly as could be, while I went on, and he
+seemed to be admiring my earnestness.
+
+"There's wire up the legs, uncle," I cried, as I felt about the bird.
+
+"Oh! is there?" he said, condescendingly.
+
+"Yes, uncle, and two more pieces in the wings."
+
+"You don't say so, Nat!"
+
+"Yes, uncle, and another bit runs right through the body from the head
+to the tail; and--yes--no--yes--no--ah, I've found out how it is that
+the tail is spread."
+
+"Have you, Nat?" he cried, letting his pipe out, he was so full of
+interest.
+
+"Yes, uncle; there's a thin wire threaded through all the tail feathers,
+just as if they were beads."
+
+"Why, what a boy you are!" he cried, wonderingly.
+
+"Oh, it's easy enough to find that out, uncle," I said, colouring.  "Now
+let's see what's inside."
+
+"Think there's anything inside, Natty, my boy?"
+
+"Oh yes, uncle," I said; "it's full of something.  Why, it's tow."
+
+"Toe, my boy!" he said seriously, "parrot's toe?"
+
+"T-o-w.  Tow, uncle, what they use to clean the lamps.  I can stuff a
+bird, uncle, I know."
+
+"Think you can, Natty?"
+
+"Yes, to be sure," I said confidently.  "Why, look here, it's easy to
+make a ball of tow the same shape as an egg for the body, and then to
+push wires through the body, and wings, and legs; no, stop a moment,
+they seem to be fastened in.  Yes, so they are, but I know I can do it."
+
+Uncle Joe held his pipe in his mouth with his teeth and rubbed his hands
+with satisfaction, for he was as pleased with my imagined success as I
+was, and as he looked on I pulled out the stuffing from the skin,
+placing the wings here, the legs there, and the tail before me, while
+the head with its white-irised glass eye was stuck upon a nail in the
+wall just over the bench.
+
+"I feel as sure as can be, uncle, that I could stuff one."
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!" he laughed.  "_Wretch! wretch! wretch_!  That's what Polly
+would say if she could speak.  See how you've pulled her to pieces."
+
+I looked up as he spoke, and there was the head with its queer glass
+eyes seeming to stare hard at me, and at the mess of skin and feathers
+on the bench.
+
+"Well, I have pulled her to pieces, haven't I, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"That you have, my boy," he said, chuckling, as if he thought it very
+good fun.
+
+"But I have learned how to stuff a bird, uncle," I said triumphantly.
+
+"And are you going to stuff Polly again?" he asked, gazing at the ragged
+feathers and skin.
+
+I looked at him quite guiltily.
+
+"I--I don't think I could put this one together again, uncle," I said.
+"You see it was so ragged and torn before I touched it, and the feathers
+are coming out all over the place.  But I could do a fresh one.  You see
+there's nothing here but the skin.  All the feathers are falling away."
+
+"Yes," said my uncle, "and I know--"
+
+"Know what, uncle?"
+
+"Why, they do the skin over with some stuff to preserve it, and you'll
+have to get it at the chemist's."
+
+"Yes, uncle."
+
+"And I don't know, Natty," he said, "but I think you might try and put
+poor old Polly together again, for I don't feel quite comfortable about
+her; you have made her in such a dreadful mess."
+
+"Yes, I have, indeed, uncle," I said dolefully, for the eagerness was
+beginning to evaporate.
+
+"And your aunt was very fond of her, my boy, and she wouldn't like it if
+she knew."
+
+"But I'm afraid I couldn't put her together again now, uncle;" and then
+I began to tremble, and my uncle leaped off his stool, and broke his
+pipe: for there was my aunt's well-known step on the gravel, and
+directly after we heard her cry:
+
+"Joseph!  Nathaniel!  What are you both doing?"  And I knew that I
+should have to confess.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FIVE.
+
+HOW MY UNCLE AND I PUT HUMPTY DUMPTY TOGETHER AGAIN.
+
+My uncle stood by me very bravely when Aunt Sophia entered the
+tool-house with an exclamation of surprise.  For a few minutes she could
+not understand what we had been about.
+
+"Feathers--a bird--a parrot!" she exclaimed at last.  "Why, it is like
+poor Polly."
+
+I looked very guiltily at my uncle and was about to speak, but he made
+me a signal to be silent.
+
+"Yes, my dear," he faltered, "it--it was poor Polly.  We--we found her
+in the lumber-room--all in ruins, my dear, and we--we have been
+examining her."
+
+"I don't believe it," said my aunt sharply.  "That mischievous boy has
+been at his tricks again."
+
+"I assure you, my dear," cried my uncle, "I had to do with it as well.
+I helped him.  Nat wants to understand bird-stuffing, and we have been
+to the museum and then we came home."
+
+"Well, of course you did," said my aunt tartly; "do you suppose I
+thought you stopped to live in the museum?"
+
+"No, my dear, of course not," said my uncle, laughing feebly.  "We are
+studying the art of taxidermy, my dear, Nat and I."
+
+He added this quite importantly, putting his eyeglasses on and nodding
+to me for my approval and support.
+
+"Bless the man!  Taxi what?" cried my aunt, who seemed to be fascinated
+by Polly's eyes; and she began to softly scratch the feathers on the
+back of the head.
+
+"Taxi-dermy," said my uncle, "and--and, my dear, I wouldn't scratch
+Polly's head if I were you; the skins are preserved with poison."
+
+"Bless my heart!" exclaimed my aunt, snatching back her hand; and then
+holding out a finger to me: "Wipe that, Nat."
+
+I took out my handkerchief, dipped a corner in the watering-pot, and
+carefully wiped the finger clear of anything that might be sticking to
+it, though, as my own hands were so lately in contact with Polly's skin,
+I don't believe that I did much good; but it satisfied my aunt, who
+turned once more to Uncle Joe.
+
+"Now then, Joseph; what did you say?"
+
+"Taxi-dermy, my dear," he said again importantly; "the art of preserving
+and mounting the skins of dead animals."
+
+"And a nice mess you'll both make, I dare say," cried my aunt.
+
+"But not indoors, my dear.  We shall be very careful.  You see Polly had
+been a good deal knocked about.  Your large black box had fallen right
+upon her, and her head was off, my dear.  The glass shade was in
+shivers."
+
+"Poor Polly, yes," said my aunt, "I had her put there because of the
+moths in her feathers.  Well, mind this, I shall expect Natty to repair
+her very nicely; and you must buy a new glass shade, Joseph.  Ah, my
+precious!"
+
+This was to Nap, who, in reply to her tender speech, made three or four
+bounds to get to me, but aunt caught him by the ear and held him with
+the skin of his face pulled sidewise, so that he seemed to be winking at
+me as he lolled out his thin red tongue, and uttered a low whine.
+
+"But mind this, I will not have any mess made indoors."
+
+As she spoke my aunt stooped down and took Nap in her arms, soiling her
+handsome silk dress a good deal with the dog's dirty feet.  Then she
+walked away saying endearing things to Nap, who only whined and
+struggled to get away in the most ungrateful fashion; while my uncle
+took off his glasses, drew a long breath, and said as he wiped his face
+with his red silk handkerchief:
+
+"I was afraid she was going to be very cross, my boy.  She's such a good
+woman, your dear aunt, my boy, and I'm very proud of her; but she does
+upset me so when she is cross."
+
+"I was all of a fidge, uncle," I said laughing.
+
+"So was I, Nat, so was I.  But don't laugh, my boy.  It is too serious a
+thing for smiles.  It always puts me in such a dreadful perspiration,
+Nat, for I don't like to be angry too.  Never be angry with a woman when
+you grow up, Nat, my boy; women, you see, belong to the weaker sex."
+
+"Yes, uncle," I said wonderingly; and then he began to beam and smile
+again, and rubbed his hands together softly as he looked at our work.
+
+"But you will have to put Polly together again, Nat," he said at last.
+
+"Put her together again, uncle!"  I said in dismay.  "Why, it's like
+Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall--all the king's horses and all the king's
+men--"
+
+"Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again," said my uncle quite
+seriously.  "But we must put Polly together again, Natty.  There's your
+aunt, you know."
+
+"Yes, uncle, there's Aunt Sophia," I said ruefully; "but the feathers
+are all out of the skin, and the skin's all in pieces.  I'm afraid she
+will never look decent, try how I may."
+
+My uncle rubbed his head softly.
+
+"It does look as if it would be a terrible job, Nat," he said; "but it
+must be done, and I'm afraid if you made her look as well as she did
+when we found her, your aunt wouldn't be satisfied."
+
+"I'm sure I couldn't make her look as well as she did then, uncle," I
+replied despairingly; "but I'll try."
+
+"Yes, do, my boy.  That's right, try.  And look here, Nat--I'll help
+you."
+
+I was very glad to hear Uncle Joseph say that, though I did not think he
+would be able to help me much; and so as to lose no time we began at
+once to think the matter out, and uncle said _yes_ to all I proposed to
+do, which was his idea of helping me; for he said I drove in the nails
+and he clinched them.
+
+After a bit of thinking I came to the conclusion that I have since
+learned was the very best one I could have arrived at, that the proper
+thing to do was to fix on Polly's wire legs as neatly made a body as I
+could, and then to stick the feathers all over it in their proper
+places.  But then what was the body to be made of?  Clay or putty could
+be easily moulded into shape, but they would be too heavy.  Papier-mache
+would have been the thing, but I did not know how to make it, so at last
+I decided to cut out a body from a piece of wood.
+
+"The very thing, Nat," said my uncle.  "Stop a minute, my boy, till I've
+lit my pipe, and then we'll begin."
+
+I waited till my uncle said he was ready, and then we did begin, that is
+to say, he went on smoking while I sawed off a piece of wood that I
+thought would do.
+
+I need not tell you all about that task; how laboriously I carved away
+day after day at that piece of wood with my pocket-knife, breaking one
+in the work; how I mounted the piece of wood at last on wires, and then
+proceeded, by the help of a little glue-pot that my uncle bought on
+purpose, to stick Polly's feathers on again.  By the way, I think I
+fastened on her wings with tin tacks.  It was a very, very long job; but
+at every stage my uncle sat and expressed his approval, and every spare
+hour was spent in the tool-house, where I patiently worked away.
+
+I grew very tired of my task, but felt that I must finish it, and I have
+often thought since what a splendid lesson it proved.
+
+And so I worked on and on, sticking little patches of skin here,
+feathers there, and I am afraid making such blunders as would have
+driven a naturalist frantic, for I am sure that patches of feathers that
+belonged to the breast were stuck on the back, and smooth back feathers
+ornamented Polly's breast.  The head was tolerably complete, so that was
+allowed to hang on the nail in the wall, where it seemed to watch the
+process of putting together again; but the tail was terrible, and often
+made me feel ready to give up in despair.
+
+But here my uncle really did help me, for when ever he saw me out of
+heart and tired he used to say:
+
+"Suppose we give up now for a bit, Nat, and have a run."
+
+Then when the time came for another try at Polly we used to laugh and
+say that we would have another turn at Humpty Dumpty.
+
+At last--and I don't know how long it took--the time had come when
+Polly's head was to cease from staring down in a ghastly one-eyed way at
+her body, and it was to come down and crown the edifice.
+
+I remember it so well.  It was a bright, sunny half-holiday, when I was
+longing to be off fishing, but with Humpty Dumpty incomplete there was
+no fishing for me, especially as Aunt Sophia had been asking how soon
+her pet was to be finished.
+
+"Come along, Nat," said Uncle Joseph, "and we'll soon finish it."
+
+I smiled rather sadly, for I did not feel at all sanguine.  I made the
+glue-pot hot, however, and set to work, rearranging a patch or two of
+feathers that looked very bad, and then I stared at uncle and he gazed
+at me.
+
+I believe we both had some kind of an idea that the sort of feather
+tippet that hung from Polly's head would act as a cloak to hide all the
+imperfections that were so plain.  Certainly some such hopeful idea was
+in my brain, though I did not feel sanguine.
+
+"Now then, my boy, now then," cried my uncle, as at last I took Polly's
+head from the nail, and he rubbed his hands with excitement.  "We shall
+do it at last."
+
+I fancy I can smell the hot steaming glue now as I went about that day's
+work, for I kept on stirring it up and thinking how much I ought to put
+in the bird's neck and upon its skull to keep from soiling and making
+sticky all its feathers.  It took some consideration, and all the while
+dear Uncle Joe watched me as attentively as if I were going to perform
+some wonderful operation.  He even held his breath as I began to glue
+the head, and uttered a low sigh of relief as I replaced the brush in
+the pot.
+
+Then as carefully as I could I fixed the head in its place, securing it
+the more tightly by driving a long thin stocking-needle right through
+the skull into the wood.
+
+And there it was, the result of a month's spare time and labour, and I
+drew back to contemplate this effort of genius.
+
+I can laugh now as I picture the whole scene.  The rough bench on which
+stood the bird, the wall on which hung the garden tools, Uncle Joe with
+his pipe in one hand, his other resting upon his knee as he sat upon an
+upturned tub gazing straight at me, and I seem to see my own boyish self
+gazing at my task till I utterly broke down with the misery and vexation
+of my spirit, laying my head upon my arms and crying like a girl.
+
+For a few minutes Uncle Joe was so taken aback that he sat there
+breathing hard and staring at me.
+
+"Why, Nat--Nat, my boy," he said at last, as he got down off the tub and
+stood there patting my shoulders.  "What is the matter, my boy; are you
+poorly?"
+
+"No--no--no," I sobbed.  "It's horrid, horrid, horrid!"
+
+"What's horrid, Natty?" he said.
+
+"That dreadful bird.  Oh, uncle," I cried passionately, "I knew I
+couldn't do it when I began."
+
+"The bird?  What!  Humpty Dumpty?  What!  Polly?  Why, my boy, she's
+splendid, and your aunt will be so--"
+
+"She's not," I cried, flashing into passion.  "She isn't like a bird at
+all.  I know how soft and rounded and smooth birds are; and did you ever
+see such a horrid thing as that?  It's a beast, uncle!  It's a regular
+guy!  It's a--oh, oh!"
+
+In my rage of disappointment at the miserable result of so much hard
+work I tore the lump of feathered wood from the bench, dashed it upon
+the ground, and stamped upon it.  Then my passion seemed to flash away
+as quickly as it had come, and I stood staring at Uncle Joe and Uncle
+Joe stared at me.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SIX.
+
+A PIECE OF DECEIT THAT WAS NOT CARRIED OUT.
+
+For a few minutes neither of us spoke.  Uncle Joe seemed to be astounded
+and completely taken off his balance.  He put on his glasses and took
+them off over and over again.  He laid down his pipe and rubbed his
+hands first and then his face with his crimson silk handkerchief, ending
+by taking off his glasses and rolling them in the handkerchief, flipping
+them afterwards under the bench all amongst the broken flower-pots.  And
+all the time I felt a prey to the bitterest remorse, and as if I had
+done something so wicked that I could never be forgiven again.
+
+"Oh, uncle! dear Uncle Joe," I cried passionately.  "I am so--so sorry."
+
+"Sorry, Nat!" he said, taking my outstretched hands, and then drawing me
+to his breast, holding me there and patting my back with both his hands.
+"Sorry, Nat! yes, that's what I felt, my boy.  It was such a pity, you
+know."
+
+"Oh, no, Uncle Joe," I cried, looking down at my work.  "It was
+horrible, and I've been more ashamed of it every day."
+
+"Have you, Nat, my boy?" he said.  "Oh, yes, uncle, but I kept on hoping
+that--that somehow--somehow it would come better."
+
+"That's what I've been hoping, my boy," he said, "for you did try very
+hard."
+
+"Yes, uncle, I tried very, very hard, but it never did come better."
+
+"No, my boy, you are quite right; it never did come any better, but I
+hoped it would when you put on its head."
+
+"So did I, uncle, but it only seemed to make it look more ridiculous,
+and it wasn't a bit like a bird."
+
+"No, my boy, it wasn't a bit like a bird," he said weakly.
+
+"Then why did you say it was capital, uncle?"  I cried sharply.
+
+"Well, my boy, because--because I--that is--I wanted to encourage you,
+and," he cried more confidently, "it was capital for you."
+
+"Oh, Uncle Joe, it was disgraceful, and I don't know what aunt would
+have said."
+
+"I don't know what she will say now," said my uncle ruefully, as he
+gazed down at Humpty Dumpty's wreck, where it lay crushed into the dust.
+"I'm afraid she'll be very cross.  You see I half told her that it
+would be done to-day, and I'm afraid--"
+
+"Oh, uncle, why did you tell her that?"  I said reproachfully.
+
+"Well, my boy, you see she had been remonstrating a little about our
+being out here so much, and I'm afraid I have been preparing her for a
+surprise."
+
+"And now she'll be more cross than ever, uncle," I said, picking up the
+bird.
+
+"Yes, my boy, now she'll be more cross than ever.  It's a very bad job,
+Nat, and I don't like to see you show such a temper as that."
+
+"I'm very sorry, Uncle Joe," I said humbly.  "I didn't mean to fly out
+like that.  It's just like Jem Boxhead at our school."
+
+"Does he fly out into tempers like that, Nat?"
+
+"Yes, uncle, _often_."
+
+"It's a very bad job, my boy, and I never saw anything of the kind
+before in you.  It isn't a disease, temper isn't, or I should think you
+had caught it.  You couldn't catch a bad temper, you know, my boy.  But
+don't you think, Natty, we might still manage to put Humpty Dumpty
+together again?"
+
+"No, uncle," I said, "it's impossible;" and I know now that it was an
+impossibility from the first, for my hours of experience have taught me
+that I had engaged upon a hopeless task.
+
+He took out his crimson handkerchief, and reseating himself upon the tub
+began wiping his face and hands once more.
+
+"You've made me very hot, Natty," he said.  "What is to be done?"
+
+"I don't know, uncle," I said dolefully.  "But are you very cross with
+me?"
+
+"Cross, my boy?  No.  I was only thinking how much you are like my poor
+sister, your dear mother, who would go into a temper like that sometimes
+when we were boy and girl."
+
+"Please, uncle," I said, laying my hand upon his arm, "I'll try very
+hard not to go into a temper again like that."
+
+"Yes, yes, do, my boy," he said, taking my hand in his and speaking very
+affectionately.  "Don't give way to temper, my boy, it's a bad habit.
+But I'm not sorry, Nat, I'm not a bit sorry, my dear boy, to see that
+you've got some spirit in you like your poor mother.  She was so
+different to me, Nat.  I never had a bit of spirit, and people have
+always done as they pleased with me."
+
+I could not help thinking about my aunt just then, but I said nothing,
+and it was Uncle Joe who began again about the parrot.
+
+"So you think we could not put Humpty Dumpty together again, Nat?"
+
+"No, uncle," I said despairingly, "I'm sure we could not.  It's all so
+much lost time."
+
+"There's plenty more time to use, Nat, for some things," he said
+dreamily, "but not for doing our work, and--and, my boy, after your aunt
+has let us be out here so much, I'm afraid that I dare not tell her of
+our failure."
+
+"Then what's to be done, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"I'm afraid, my boy, we must be very wicked and deceitful."
+
+"Deceitful, uncle?"
+
+"Yes, my boy, or your aunt will never forgive us."
+
+"Why, what do you mean, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"I've been thinking, my boy, that I might go out somewhere and buy a
+grey parrot--one already stuffed.  I dare not face her without."
+
+I felt puzzled, and with a strong belief upon me that we were going to
+do a very foolish thing.
+
+"Wouldn't it be better to go and tell Aunt Sophia frankly that we have
+had an accident, and spoiled the parrot, uncle?"
+
+"Yes, my boy, much better," he said, "very much better; but--but I dare
+not do it, Nat, I dare not do it."
+
+I felt as if I should like to say, "I'll do it, uncle," but I, too,
+shrank from the task, and we were saved from the underhanded proceeding
+by the appearance of my aunt at the tool-house door.
+
+My unfortunate attempt at restuffing poor Polly made me less a favourite
+than ever with Aunt Sophia, who never let a day pass without making some
+unpleasant allusion to my condition there.  My uncle assured me that I
+was in no wise dependent upon them, for my mother's money gave ample
+interest for my education and board, but Aunt Sophia always seemed to
+ignore that fact, so that but for Uncle Joe's kindness I should have
+been miserable indeed.
+
+The time slipped away, and I had grown to be a tall strong boy of
+fifteen; and in spite of my aunt's constant fault-finding I received
+sufficient encouragement from Uncle Joe to go on with my natural history
+pursuits, collecting butterflies and beetles, birds' eggs in the spring,
+and stuffing as many birds as I could obtain.
+
+Some of these latter were very roughly done, but I had so natural a love
+for the various objects of nature, that I find the birds I did in those
+days, rough as they were, had a very lifelike appearance.  I had only to
+ask my uncle for money to buy books or specimens and it was forthcoming,
+and so I went on arranging and rearranging, making a neatly written
+catalogue of my little museum in the tool-house, and always helped by
+Uncle Joe's encouragement.
+
+I suppose I was a strange boy, seeking the companionship of my
+school-fellows but very little, after my aunt had refused to let any of
+them visit me, or to let me go to their homes.  I was driven thus, as it
+were, upon my own resources, and somehow I did not find mine to be an
+unhappy life; in fact so pleasant did it seem that when the time came
+for me to give it up I was very sorry to leave it, and felt ready to
+settle down to aunt's constant fault-finding for the sake of dear
+tender-hearted old Uncle Joe, who was broken completely in spirit at my
+having to go.
+
+"But it's right, Nat, my boy, quite right," he said, "and you would only
+be spoiled if you stayed on here.  It is time now that you began to
+think of growing to be a man, and I hope and pray that you'll grow into
+one of whom I can be proud."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SEVEN.
+
+THE RETURN OF THE WANDERER.
+
+One day when I came home from school I was surprised to find a tall dark
+gentleman in the drawing-room with my uncle and aunt.  He was so dark
+that he looked to me at first to be a foreigner, and his dark keen eyes
+and long black beard all grizzled with white hairs made him so very
+different to Uncle Joseph that I could not help comparing one with the
+other.
+
+"This is Master Nathaniel, I suppose," said the stranger in a quick
+sharp way, just as if he was accustomed to order people about.
+
+"Yes, that's Joseph's nephew," said my aunt tartly, "and a nice boy he
+is."
+
+"You mean a nasty one," I said to myself, as I coloured up, "but you
+needn't have told a stranger."
+
+"Yes," said Uncle Joseph, "he is a very nice boy, Richard, and I'm very
+proud of him."
+
+My aunt gave a very loud sniff.
+
+"Suppose we shake hands then, Nathaniel," said the stranger, whom I
+immediately guessed to be my Aunt Sophia's brother Richard, who was a
+learned man and a doctor, I had heard.
+
+He seemed to order me to shake hands with him, and I went up and held
+out mine, gazing full in his dark eyes, and wondering how much he knew.
+
+"Well done, youngster," he said, giving my hand a squeeze that hurt me
+ever so, but I would not flinch.  "I like to see a boy able to look one
+full in the face."
+
+"Oh! he has impudence enough for anything," said my aunt.
+
+"Oh! has he?" said our visitor smiling.  "Well, I would rather see a boy
+impudent than a milksop."
+
+"Nat was never impudent to me," said my uncle, speaking up for me in a
+way that made my aunt stare.
+
+"I see--I see," said our visitor.  "You never were fond of boys, Sophy."
+
+"No, indeed," said my aunt.
+
+"Cats and dogs were always more in your way," said our visitor.  "Get
+out!"
+
+This was to Nap, who had been smelling about him for some time, and he
+gave him so rough a kick that the dog yelped out, and in a moment the
+temper that I had promised my uncle to keep under flashed forth again,
+as I caught at Nap to protect him, and flushing scarlet--
+
+"Don't kick our dog," I said sharply.
+
+I've often thought since that my aunt ought to have been pleased with me
+for taking the part of my old friend and her favourite, but she turned
+upon me quickly.
+
+"Leave the room, sir, directly.  How dare you!" she cried.  "To dare to
+speak to a visitor like that!" and I had to go out in disgrace, but as I
+closed the door I saw our visitor laughing and showing his white teeth.
+
+"I shall hate him," I said to myself, as I put my hands in my pockets
+and began to wander up and down the garden; but I had hardly gone to and
+fro half a dozen times before I heard voices, and I was about to creep
+round by the side path and get indoors out of the way when Mr Richard
+Burnett caught sight of me, and shouted to me to come.
+
+I went up looking hurt and ill-used as he was coming down the path with
+Uncle Joe; but he clapped me on the shoulder, swung me round, and
+keeping his arm half round my neck, walked me up and down with them, and
+I listened as he kept on telling Uncle Joseph about where he had been.
+
+"Five years in South America, wandering about away from civilisation, is
+a long time, Joe; but I shall soon be off again."
+
+I pricked up my ears.
+
+"Back to South America, Dick?"
+
+"No, my dear boy, I shall go in another direction this time."
+
+"Where shall you go this time, sir?"  I said eagerly.
+
+"Eh? where shall I go, squire?" he said sharply.  "Right away to Borneo
+and New Guinea, wherever I am likely to collect specimens and find new
+varieties."
+
+"Do you collect, sir?"  I said excitedly.
+
+"To be sure I do, my boy.  Do you?" he added with a smile.
+
+"Yes, sir, all I can."
+
+"Oh yes! he has quite a wonderful collection down in the tool-house,
+Richard.  Come and see."
+
+Our visitor smiled in such a contemptuous way that I coloured up again,
+and felt as if I should have liked to cry, "You sha'n't see them to make
+fun of my work."  But by that time we were at the tool-house door, and
+just inside was my cabinet full of drawers that uncle had let the
+carpenter make for me, and my cases and boxes, and the birds I had
+stuffed.  In fact by that time, after a couple of years collecting, the
+tools had been ousted to hang in another shed, and the tool-house was
+pretty well taken up with my lumber.
+
+"Why, hallo!" cried our visitor; "who stuffed those birds?"
+
+I answered modestly enough that it was I.
+
+"And what's in these drawers, eh?" he said, pulling them out sharply one
+after the other, and then opening my cases.
+
+"Nat's collections," said my uncle very proudly.  "Here's his
+catalogue."
+
+"Neatly written out--numbered--Latin names," he said, half to himself.
+"Why, hallo, young fellow, I don't wonder that your Aunt Sophia says you
+are a bad character."
+
+"But he isn't, Dick," said Uncle Joe warmly; "he's a very good lad, and
+Sophy don't mean what she says."
+
+"She used to tell me I should come to no good in the old days when I
+began to make a mess at home, Joe," he said merrily.  "Why, Nat, my boy,
+you and I must be good friends.  You would like to come and see my
+collection, eh?"
+
+"Will you--will you show it to me, sir?"  I said, catching him in my
+excitement by the sleeve.
+
+"Well, I don't know," he said drily; "you looked daggers at me because I
+kicked your aunt's pet."
+
+"I couldn't help it, sir," I said; "Nap has always been such good
+friends with me that I didn't like to see him hurt."
+
+"Then I beg Nap's pardon," he said smiling.  "I thought he was only a
+useless pet; but if he can be a good friend to you he is a better dog
+than I thought for."
+
+"He'd be a splendid dog to hunt with, sir, if he had a chance."
+
+"Would he?  Well, I'm glad of it, and you shall come and see my
+collection, and help me catalogue and arrange them if you like.  Here,
+hi! stop a minute: where are you going?"
+
+"Only to fetch my cap, sir," I said excitedly, for the idea of seeing
+the collections of a man who had been five years in South America seemed
+to set me on fire.
+
+"Plenty of time yet, my boy," he said, showing white teeth in a pleasant
+smile; "they are in the docks at Southampton, on board ship.  Wait a
+bit, and you shall see all."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER EIGHT.
+
+I FIND MYSELF A BROTHER NATURALIST.
+
+I stood looking very hard at our visitor, Doctor Burnett, and thought
+how very different he was to Aunt Sophia.  Only a little while before, I
+had felt as if I must hate him for behaving so badly to Nap, and for
+talking to me in such a cold, contemptuous way.  It had seemed as if he
+would join with Aunt Sophia in making me uncomfortable, and I thought it
+would have been so much pleasanter if he had stayed away.
+
+But now, as I stood watching him, he was becoming quite a hero in my
+eyes, for not only had he been abroad seeing the wonders of the world,
+but he had suddenly shown a liking for me, and his whole manner was
+changed.
+
+When he had spoken to me in the house it had been in a pooh-poohing sort
+of fashion, as if I were a stupid troublesome boy, very much in the way,
+and as if he wondered at his sister and brother-in-law's keeping me upon
+the premises; but now the change was wonderful.  The cold distant manner
+had gone, and he began to talk to me as if he had known me all my life.
+
+"Shall we go round the garden again, Dick?" said my uncle, after
+standing there nodding and smiling at me, evidently feeling very proud
+that his brother-in-law should take so much notice of the collection.
+
+"No," said our visitor sharply.  "There, get your pipe, Joe, and you can
+sit down and look on while I go over Nat's collection.  We naturalists
+always compare notes--eh, Nat?"
+
+I turned scarlet with excitement and pleasure, while Uncle Joseph rubbed
+his hands, beaming with satisfaction, and proceeded to take down his
+long clay pipe from where it hung upon two nails in the wall, and his
+little tobacco jar from a niche below the rafters.
+
+"That's what I often do here, Dick," he said; "I sit and smoke and give
+advice--when it is asked, and Nat goes on with his stuffing and
+preserving."
+
+"Then now, you may sit down and give advice--when it is asked," said our
+visitor smiling, "while Nat and I compare notes.  Who taught you how to
+stuff birds, Nat?"
+
+"I--I taught myself, sir," I replied.
+
+"Taught yourself?" he said, pinching one of my birds--a starling that I
+had bought for a penny of a man with a gun.
+
+"Yes, sir; I pulled Polly to pieces."
+
+"You did what?" he cried, bursting into a roar of laughter.  "Why, who
+was Polly--one of the maids?"
+
+"Oh no, sir!  Aunt Sophy's stuffed parrot."
+
+"Well, really, Nat," he said, laughing most heartily, "you're the
+strangest boy I ever met."
+
+"Am I, sir?"  I said, feeling a little chilled again, for he seemed to
+be laughing unpleasantly at me.
+
+"That you are, Nat; but I like strange boys.  So you pulled Polly to
+pieces, eh?  And found out where the naturalists put the wires, eh?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"And how do you preserve the skins?"
+
+"With arsenical soap, sir."
+
+"That's right; so do I."
+
+"But it's very dangerous stuff, sir," I said eagerly.
+
+"Not if it is properly used, my boy," he said, taking up bird after bird
+and examining it carefully.  "A fire is a very dangerous thing if you
+thrust your hand into it, and Uncle Joe's razors are dangerous things if
+they are not properly used.  You see I don't trouble them much," he
+added smiling.
+
+"No, indeed, sir," I said, as I glanced at his long beard.
+
+"I don't have hot water for shaving brought to me, Nat, when I'm at sea,
+my boy, or out in the jungle.  It's rough work there."
+
+"But it must be very nice, sir," I said eagerly.
+
+"Very, my boy, when you lie down to sleep beneath a tree, so hungry that
+you could eat your boots, and not knowing whether the enemy that attacks
+you before morning will be a wild beast, a poisonous serpent, or a
+deadly fever."
+
+"But it must be very exciting, sir," I cried.
+
+"Very, my boy," he said drily.  "Yes: that bird's rough, but I like the
+shape.  There's nature in it--at least as much as you can get by
+imitation.  Look, Joe, there's a soft roundness about that bird.  It
+looks alive.  Some of our best bird-stuffers have no more notion of what
+a bird is like in real life than a baby.  What made you put that tomtit
+in that position, Nat?" he said, turning sharply to me.
+
+"That?--that's how they hang by the legs when they are picking the buds,
+sir," I said nervously, for I was quite startled by his quick, sudden
+way.
+
+"To be sure it is, Nat, my boy.  That's quite right.  Always take nature
+as your model, and imitate her as closely as you can.  Some of the
+stuffed birds at the British Museum used to drive me into a rage.  Glad
+to see you have the true ring in you, my boy."
+
+I hardly knew what he meant by the "true ring", but it was evidently
+meant kindly, and I felt hotter than ever; but my spirits rose as I saw
+how pleased Uncle Joe was.
+
+"You can stuff birds, then, sir?"  I said, after a pause, during which
+our visitor made himself very busy examining everything I had.
+
+"Well, yes, Nat, after a fashion.  I'm not clever at it, for I never
+practise mounting.  I can make skins."
+
+"Make skins, sir?"
+
+"Yes, my boy.  Don't you see that when I am in some wild place shooting
+and collecting, every scrap of luggage becomes a burden."
+
+"Yes, sir; of course," I said, nodding my head sagely, "especially if
+the roads are not good."
+
+"Roads, my boy," he said laughing; "the rivers and streams are the only
+roads in such places as I travel through.  Then, of course, I can't use
+wires and tow to distend my birds, so we make what we call skins.  That
+is to say, after preparing the skin, all that is done is to tie the long
+bones together, and fill the bird out with some kind of wild cotton,
+press the head back on the body by means of a tiny paper cone or
+sugar-paper, put a band round the wings, and dry the skin in the sun."
+
+"Yes, I know, sir," I cried eagerly; "and you pin the paper round the
+bird with a tiny bamboo skewer, and put another piece of bamboo through
+from head to tail."
+
+"Why, how do you know?" he said wonderingly.
+
+"Oh!  Nat knows a deal," said Uncle Joe, chuckling.  "We're not such
+stupid people as you think, Dick, even if we do stay at home."
+
+"I've got a skin or two, sir," I said, "and they were made like that."
+
+As I spoke I took the two skins out of an old cigar-box.
+
+"Oh!  I see," he said, as he took them very gently and smoothed their
+feathers with the greatest care.  "Where did you get these, Nat?"
+
+"I bought them with my pocket-money in Oxford Street, sir," I said, as
+Uncle Joe, who had not before seen them, leaned forward.
+
+"And do you know what they are, my boy?" said our visitor.
+
+"No, sir; I have no books with pictures of them in, and the man who sold
+them to me did not know.  Can you tell me, sir?"
+
+"Yes, Nat, I think so," he said quietly.  "This pretty dark bird with
+the black and white and crimson plumage is the rain-bird--the
+blue-billed gaper; and this softly-feathered fellow with the bristles at
+the side of his bill is a trogon."
+
+"A trogon, sir?"
+
+"Yes, Nat, a trogon; and these little bamboo skewers tell me directly
+that the birds came from somewhere in the East."
+
+I looked at him wonderingly.
+
+"Yes, Nat," he continued, "from the East, where the bamboo is used for
+endless purposes.  It is hard, and will bear a sharp point, and is so
+abundant that the people seem to have no end to the use they make of
+it."
+
+"And have you seen birds like these alive, sir?"
+
+"No, Nat, but I hope to do so before long.  That blue-billed gaper
+probably came from Malacca, and the trogon too.  See how beautifully its
+wings are pencilled, and how the bright cinnamon of its back feathers
+contrasts with the bright crimson of its breast.  We have plenty of
+trogons out in the West; some of them most gorgeous fellows, with tails
+a yard long, and of the most resplendent golden metallic green."
+
+"And humming-birds, sir?"
+
+"Thousands, my boy; all darting through the air like living gems.  The
+specimens brought home are very beautiful, but they are as nothing
+compared to those fairy-like little creatures, full of life and action,
+with the sun flashing from their plumage."
+
+"And are there humming-birds, sir, in the East?"  I cried, feeling my
+mouth grow dry with excitement and interest.
+
+"No, my boy; but there is a tribe of tiny birds there that we know as
+sun-birds, almost as beautiful in their plumage, and of very similar
+habit.  I hope to make a long study of their ways, and to get a good
+collection.  I know nothing, however, more attractive to a man who loves
+nature than to lie down beneath some great plant of convolvulus, or any
+trumpet-shaped blossom, and watch the humming-birds flashing to and fro
+in the sunlight.  Their scale-like feathers on throat and head reflect
+the sun rays like so many gems, and their colours are the most gorgeous
+that it is possible to conceive.  But there, I tire you.  Why, Joe, your
+pipe's out!"
+
+"Please go on, sir," I said in a hoarse whisper, for, as he spoke, I
+felt myself far away in some wondrous foreign land, lying beneath the
+trumpet-flowered tree or plant, gazing at the brilliant little creatures
+he described.
+
+"Do you like to hear of such things, then?" he said smiling.
+
+"Oh! so much, sir!"  I cried; and he went on.
+
+"I believe some of them capture insects at certain times, but as a rule
+these lovely little birds live upon the honey they suck from the
+nectaries of these trumpet-shaped blossoms; and their bills are long and
+thin so that they can reach right to the end.  Some of these little
+creatures make quite a humming noise with their wings, and after darting
+here and there like a large fly they will seem to stop midway in the
+air, apparently motionless, but with their wings all the while beating
+so fast that they are almost invisible.  Sometimes one will stop like
+this just in front of some beautiful flower, and you may see it hang
+suspended in the air, while it thrusts in its long bill and drinks the
+sweet honey that forms its food."
+
+"And can you shoot such little things, sir?"  I asked.
+
+"Oh, yes, my boy; it is easy enough to shoot them," he replied.  "The
+difficulty is to bring them down without hurting their plumage, which is
+extremely delicate.  The Indians shoot them with a blow-pipe and pellets
+and get very good specimens; but then one is not always with the
+Indians; and in those hot climates a bird must be skinned directly, so I
+generally trust to myself and get my own specimens."
+
+"With a blow-pipe, sir?"
+
+"No, Nat; I have tried, but I never got to be very clever with it.  One
+wants to begin young to manage a blow-pipe well.  I always shot my
+humming-birds with a gun."
+
+"And shot, sir?"
+
+"Not always, Nat.  I have brought them down with the disturbance of the
+air or the wad of the gun.  At other times I have used sand, or in
+places where I had no sand I have used water."
+
+"Water!"  I exclaimed.
+
+"Yes, and very good it is for the purpose, Nat.  A little poured into
+the barrel of the gun after the powder is made safe with a couple of
+wads, is driven out in a fine cutting spray, which has secured me many a
+lovely specimen with its plumage unhurt."
+
+"But don't it seem rather cruel to shoot such lovely creatures, Dick?"
+said Uncle Joe in an apologetic tone.
+
+"Well, yes, it has struck me in that light before now," said our
+visitor; "but as I am working entirely with scientific views, and for
+the spread of the knowledge of the beautiful occupants of this world, I
+do not see the harm.  Besides, I never wantonly destroy life.  And then,
+look here, my clear Joe, if you come to think out these things you will
+find that almost invariably the bird or animal you kill has passed its
+life in killing other things upon which it lives."
+
+"Ye-es," said Uncle Joe, "I suppose it has."
+
+"You wouldn't like to shoot a blackbird, perhaps?"
+
+"Well, I don't know," said Uncle Joe.  "They are the wickedest thieves
+that ever entered a garden; aren't they, Nat?"
+
+"Yes, uncle, they are a nuisance," I said.
+
+"Well, suppose you killed a blackbird, Joe," continued our visitor; "he
+has spent half his time in killing slugs and snails, and lugging poor
+unfortunate worms out of their holes; and it seems to me that the slug
+or the worm is just as likely to enjoy its life as the greedy blackbird,
+whom people protect because he has an orange bill and sings sweetly in
+the spring."
+
+"Ye-es," said my uncle, looking all the while as if he were terribly
+puzzled, while I sat drinking in every word our visitor said, feeling
+that I had never before heard any one talk like that.
+
+"For my part," continued our visitor, "I never destroy life wantonly;
+and as for you, young man, you may take this for a piece of good
+advice--never kill for the sake of killing.  Let it be a work of
+necessity--for food, for a specimen, for your own protection, but never
+for sport.  I don't like the word, Nat; there is too much cruelty in
+what is called sport."
+
+"But wouldn't you kill lions and tigers, sir?"  I said.
+
+"Most decidedly, my boy.  That is the struggle for life.  I'd sooner
+kill a thousand tigers, Nat, than one should kill me," he said laughing;
+"and for my part--"
+
+"Joseph, I'm ashamed of you.  Nathaniel, this is your doing, you naughty
+boy," cried my aunt, appearing at the door.  "It is really disgraceful,
+Joseph, that you will come here to sit and smoke; and as for you,
+Nathaniel, what do you mean, sir, by dragging your un--, I mean a
+visitor, down into this nasty, untidy place, and pestering him with your
+rubbish?"
+
+"Oh, it was not Nathaniel's doing, Sophy," said our visitor smiling, as
+he rose and drew aunt's arm through his, "but mine; I've been making the
+boy show me his treasures.  There, come along and you and I will have a
+good long chat now.  Nat, my boy, I sha'n't forget what we said."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER NINE.
+
+UNCLE DICK'S BOXES.
+
+"I'm afraid we've made your aunt very cross, Nat, my boy," said Uncle
+Joe, rubbing his hands softly, and looking perplexed and troubled.  "Do
+you think, Nat, that I have been leading you wrong?"
+
+"I hope not, uncle," I said, "and I don't think so, for it has been very
+nice out here in the toolshed, and we have enjoyed ourselves so."
+
+"Yes, my boy, we have, very much, indeed, but I'm afraid your aunt never
+forgave us for not putting Humpty Dumpty together again."
+
+"But, uncle," I said, "isn't it unreasonable of Aunt Sophia to expect us
+to do what all the king's horses and all the king's men could not do?"
+
+He looked at me for a few minutes without speaking, and then he began to
+smile very slightly, then a little more and a little more, till, instead
+of looking dreadfully serious, his face was as happy as it could be.
+Then he began to laugh very heartily, and I laughed too, till the tears
+were in our eyes.
+
+"Of--of course it was, Nat," he cried, chuckling and coughing together.
+"We couldn't do what all the king's horses and all the king's men didn't
+manage, Nat, and--yes, my dear, we're coming."
+
+Uncle Joe jumped up and went out of the tool-house, for my aunt's voice
+could be heard telling us to come in.
+
+"Hush!" he whispered, with a finger on his lips.  "Make haste in, Nat,
+and run up to your room and wash your hands."
+
+I followed him in, and somehow, whenever Doctor Burnett was in the room,
+my aunt did not seem so cross, especially as her brother took a good
+deal of notice of me, and kept on asking me questions.
+
+I soon found, to my great delight, that he was going to stay with us
+till he started for Singapore, a place whose name somehow set me
+thinking about Chinese people and Indian rajahs, but that was all; the
+rest was to me one great mystery, and I used to lie in bed of a night
+and wonder what sort of a place it could be.
+
+Every day our visitor grew less cool and distant in his ways, and at
+last my aunt said pettishly:
+
+"Well, really, Richard, it is too bad; this is the third morning this
+week you have kept that boy away from school by saying you wanted him.
+How do you expect his education to get on?"
+
+"Get on?" said Doctor Burnett; "why, my dear sister, he is learning the
+whole time he is with me; I'll be bound to say that he has picked up
+more geography since he has been with me than he has all the time he has
+been to school."
+
+"I don't know so much about that," said my aunt snappishly.
+
+"Then I do," he said.  "Let the boy alone, he is learning a great deal;
+and I shall want him more this next week."
+
+"You'd better take him away from school altogether," said my aunt
+angrily.
+
+"Well, yes," said the doctor quietly; "as it is so near his holidays, he
+may as well stop away the rest of this half."
+
+"Richard!" cried my aunt as I sat there pinching my legs to keep from
+looking pleased.
+
+"He will have to work hard at helping me with my collections, which are
+on the way here, I find, from a letter received this morning.  There
+will be a great deal of copying and labelling, and that will improve his
+writing, though he does write a fair round hand."
+
+"But it will be neglecting his other studies," cried my aunt.
+
+"But then he will be picking up a good deal of Latin, for I shall
+explain to him the meaning of the words as he writes them, and, besides,
+telling him as much as I know of natural history and my travels."
+
+"And what is to become of the boy then?" cried my aunt.  "I will not
+have him turn idler, Richard."
+
+"Well, if you think I have turned idler, Sophy," he said laughing, and
+showing his white teeth, "all I can say is, that idling over natural
+history and travelling is very hard work."
+
+"But the boy must not run wild as--"
+
+"I did?  There, say it out, Sophy," said her brother.  "I don't mind, my
+dear; some people look upon everything they do not understand as
+idling."
+
+"I think I understand what is good for that boy," said my aunt shortly.
+
+"Of course you do," said the doctor, "and you think it will do him good
+to help me a bit, Sophy.  Come along, Nat, my boy, we are to have the
+back-room for the chests, so we must make ready, for they will be here
+to-morrow."
+
+"Oh, Doctor Burnett," I cried as soon as we were alone.
+
+"Suppose you call me Uncle Richard for the future, my boy," he said.
+"By and by, when we get to know each other better, it will be Uncle
+Dick.  Why not at once, eh?"
+
+"I--I shouldn't like to call you that, sir," I said.
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"I--I hardly know, sir, only that you seem so clever and to know so
+much."
+
+"Then it shall be Uncle Dick at once," he said, laughing merrily; "for
+every day that you are with me, Nat, you will be finding out more and
+more that I am not so clever as you think."
+
+So from that day it was always Uncle Dick, and as soon as the great
+chests arrived we set to work.
+
+I shall never forget those great rough boxes made of foreign wood, nor
+the intense interest with which I watched them as they were carried in
+upon the backs of the stout railway vanmen and set carefully in the
+large back-room.
+
+There were twenty of them altogether, and some were piled upon the
+others as if they were building stones, till at last the men's book had
+been signed, the money paid for carriage, and Uncle Joe, Uncle Dick, and
+I sat there alone staring at the chests and wondering at their
+appearance.
+
+For they were battered, and bruised, and chipped away in splinters, so
+that they looked very old indeed, though, as my uncle told me, there was
+not one there more than five years old, though they might have been
+fifty.
+
+Every one had painted upon it in large white letters:
+
+"Dr Burnett, FZS, London," and I wondered what FZS might mean.  Then I
+noticed that the chests were all numbered, and I was longing intensely
+for them to be opened, when Uncle Dick, as I suppose I must call him
+now, made me start by crying out:
+
+"Screw-driver!"
+
+I jumped up and ran to Uncle Joe's tool-box for the big screw-driver,
+and was back with it in a very short time, Uncle Dick laughing heartily
+as he saw my excitement.
+
+"Thank you, Nat, that will do," he said.  "It will be nice and handy for
+me to-morrow morning."
+
+"Ha--ha--ha!" he laughed directly after, as he saw my blank disappointed
+face.  "Did you think I was going to open the cases to-day, Nat?"
+
+"I did hope so, sir," I said stoutly.
+
+"Then I will," he cried, "for your being so frank.  Now then, which
+shall it be?"
+
+"I should begin with number one, sir," I said.
+
+"And so we will, Nat.  Nothing like order.  Look here, my boy.  Here is
+my book for cataloguing."
+
+He showed me a large blank book ruled with lines, and on turning it over
+I found headings here and there under which the different specimens were
+to be placed.
+
+But I could not look much at the book while "our great traveller", as
+Uncle Joe used to call him to me, was busy at work with the
+screw-driver, taking out the great screws, one after another, and laying
+them in a box.
+
+"Now, Nat," he said, "suppose after going through all my trouble I find
+that half my specimens are destroyed, what shall I do?"
+
+"I don't know, uncle," I said.  "I know what I should do."
+
+"What, my boy?"
+
+"Go and try and find some more."
+
+"A good plan," he said laughing; "and when it means journeying ten or
+twelve thousand miles, my boy, to seek for more, it becomes a serious
+task."
+
+All this while he was working away at the screws, till they were half
+out and loose enough for me to go on turning them with my fingers, and
+this, after the first two or three, I did till we came to the last, when
+my uncle stopped and pretended that it was in so tight that it would not
+turn.
+
+"Let me try, uncle," I cried.
+
+"You?  Nonsense! boy.  There, I think we shall have to give up for
+to-day."
+
+He burst out laughing the next moment at my doleful face, gave the screw
+a few rapid twists; and in a few more moments it was out, and he took
+hold of the lid.
+
+"Ready?" he exclaimed.
+
+"Yes, quite ready," said Uncle Joe, who was nearly as much excited as I
+was myself; and then the lid was lifted and we eagerly looked inside.
+
+There was not much to see, only what looked like another lid, held in
+its place by a few stout nails.  These were soon drawn out though, the
+second lid lifted, and still there was nothing to see but cotton-wool,
+which, however, sent out a curious spicy smell, hot and peppery, and
+mixed with camphor.
+
+Then the treat began, for Uncle Dick removed a few layers of
+cotton-wool, and there were the birds lying closely packed, and so
+beautiful in plumage that we--that is, Uncle Joe and I--uttered a cry of
+delight.
+
+I had never before seen anything so beautiful, I thought, as the
+gorgeous colours of the birds before me, or they seemed to be so fresh
+and bright and different to anything I had seen in the museum, Uncle
+Dick having taken care, as I afterwards found, to reject any but the
+most perfect skins; and these were before me ready to be taken out and
+laid carefully upon some boards he had prepared for the purpose, and as
+I helped him I kept on asking questions till some people would have been
+answered out.  Uncle Dick, however, encouraged me to go on questioning
+him, and I quickly picked up the names of a good many of the birds.
+
+Now it would be a magnificent macaw all blue and scarlet.  Then a
+long-tailed paroquet of the most delicate green, and directly after
+quite a trayful of the most lovely little birds I had ever seen.  They
+were about the size of chaffinches for the most part; but while some
+were of the richest crimson, others were blue and green and violet, and
+a dozen other shades of colour mixed up in the loveliest way.
+
+"Now what are those, Nat?" said my uncle.
+
+"I don't know, sir," I very naturally said.
+
+"What would they be if they were in England and only plain-coloured?"
+
+"Why, I should have said by their beaks, uncle, that they were finches,
+and lived on seed."
+
+"Finches they are, Nat, and you are quite right to judge them by their
+beaks."
+
+"But I didn't know that there were finches abroad, Uncle Dick," I said.
+
+"Then you know now, my boy, and by degrees you will learn that there are
+finches all over the world, and sparrows, and thrushes, and cuckoos, and
+larks, and hawks, crows, and all the other birds that you find in
+England."
+
+"Why, I thought they were all different, uncle," I said.
+
+"So most people think," he said, as he went on unpacking the birds; "the
+difference is that while our British finches are sober coloured, those
+of hot countries are brilliant in plumage.  So are the crow family and
+the thrushes, as you will see, while some of the sparrows and tits are
+perfect dandies."
+
+"Why, I thought foreign birds were all parrots and humming-birds, and
+things like that."
+
+"Well, we have those birds different abroad, Nat," he replied, "and as I
+tell you the principal difference is in the gorgeous plumes."
+
+"But such birds as birds of paradise, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"Well, what should you suppose a bird of paradise to be?"
+
+"I don't know," I said.
+
+"Well, should you think it were a finch, Nat?"
+
+"No, uncle," I said at once.
+
+"Well, it isn't a pheasant, is it?"
+
+"Oh no!"
+
+"What then?"
+
+I stood with a tanager in one hand, a lovely manakin in the other,
+thinking.
+
+"They couldn't be crows," I said, "because--"
+
+"Because what?"
+
+"I don't know, uncle."
+
+"No, of course you do not, my boy, for crows they really are."
+
+"What! birds of paradise with their lovely buff plumes, uncle?"
+
+"Yes, birds of paradise with their lovely buff and amber plumes, my boy;
+they are of the crow family, just as our jays, magpies, and starlings
+are.  You would be surprised, my boy, when you came to study and
+investigate these matters, how few comparatively are the families and
+classes to which birds belong, and how so many of the most gorgeous
+little fellows are only showily-dressed specimens of the familiar
+flutterers you have at home.  Look at that one there, just on the top."
+
+"What! that lovely orange and black bird, uncle?"  I said, picking up
+the one he pointed at, and smoothing its rich plumage.
+
+"Yes, Nat," he said; "what is it?"
+
+Uncle Joe took his pipe from his lips, and looked at it very solemnly.
+
+"'Tisn't a parrot," he said, "because it has not got a hooky beak."
+
+"No, it isn't a parrot, uncle," I exclaimed; "its beak is more like a
+starling's."
+
+"If it were a starling, what family would it belong to?"
+
+I stopped to think, and then recollected what he had said a short time
+before.
+
+"A crow, uncle."
+
+"Quite right, my boy; but that bird is not one of the crows.  Try
+again."
+
+"I'm afraid to try, uncle," I said.
+
+"Why, my boy?"
+
+"Because I shall make some silly mistake."
+
+"Then make a mistake, Nat, and we will try to correct it.  We learn from
+our blunders."
+
+"It looks to me something of the same shape as a thrush or blackbird,
+sir," I said.
+
+"And that's what it is, my boy.  That bird is an oriole--the orange
+oriole; and there is another, the yellow oriole.  Both thrushes, Nat,
+and out in the East there are plenty more of most beautiful colours,
+especially the ground-thrushes.  But there is someone come to call us to
+feed, I suppose.  We must go now."
+
+"Oh!"  I exclaimed, "what a pity! we seem to have just begun."
+
+All the same we had been at work for a very long time, so hands were
+washed, and we all went in to dinner.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TEN.
+
+ALL AMONGST THE BIRD SKINS.
+
+My aunt waylaid me with a very unpleasant task directly after dinner,
+but Uncle Dick saw my disappointment, and said that he must have me, so
+I escaped, and, to my great delight, we went at once to his room to go
+on unpacking the birds, my excitement and wonder increasing every
+minute.  I was rather disappointed with some of the skins, for they were
+as plain and ordinary looking as sparrows or larks; but Uncle Dick
+seemed to set great store by them, and said that some of the plainest
+were most valuable for their rarity.
+
+Uncle Joe sat and looked on, saying very little, while Uncle Dick and I
+did the unpacking and arranging, laying the beautiful skins out in rows
+upon the boards and shelves.
+
+"They wanted unpacking," said Uncle Dick, "for some of them are quite
+soft and damp with exposure to the sea air.  Well, Nat, what is it?"
+
+"I was hoping to find some birds of paradise, uncle," I replied.
+
+"Then your hopes will be disappointed, my boy, for the simple reason
+that my travels have been in Florida, Mexico, Central America, Peru, and
+Brazil, with a short stay of a few months in the West Indies."
+
+"And are there no birds of paradise there, uncle?"
+
+"No, my boy, nor yet within thousands of miles.  Birds of paradise, as
+they are called, are found in the isles of the eastern seas, the Aru
+Isles and New Guinea."
+
+"Oh! how I should like to go!"  I cried.
+
+"You?" he said laughing.  "What for, Nat?"
+
+"To shoot and collect, sir," I cried; "it must be grand."
+
+"And dangerous, and wearisome," he said smiling.  "You would soon want
+to come back to Uncle Joe."
+
+"I shouldn't like to leave Uncle Joe," I said thoughtfully; "but I
+should like to go all the same.  I'd take Uncle Joe with me," I said
+suddenly.  "He'd help me ever so."
+
+Uncle Dick laughed, and we went on with our task, which never seemed to
+weary me, so delighted was I with the beauty of the birds.  As one box
+was emptied another was begun, and by the time I had finished the second
+I thought we had exhausted all the beauty of the collection, and said
+so, but my uncle laughed.
+
+"Why, we have not begun the chatterers yet, Nat," he said.  "Let me
+see--yes," he continued, "they should be in that box upon which your
+uncle's sitting."
+
+Uncle Joe solemnly moved to another case and his late seat was opened,
+the layers of cotton-wool, in this case a little stained with sea-water,
+removed, and fresh beauties met my gaze.
+
+"There, Nat," said Uncle Dick; "those are the fruits of a long stay in
+Central America and the hotter parts of Peru.  What do you think of that
+bird?"
+
+I uttered an exclamation of delight as I drew forth and laid gently in
+my hand a short stumpy bird that must in life have been about as big as
+a very thick-set pigeon.  But this bird was almost entirely of a rich
+orange colour, saving its short wings and tail, which were of a
+cinnamon-brown, and almost hidden by a fringe of curly, crisp orange
+plumes, while the bird's beak was covered by the radiating crest,
+something like a frill, that arched over the little creature's head.
+
+"Why, nothing could be more beautiful than that, uncle," I cried.  "What
+is it?"
+
+"The rock manakin, or chatterer," he replied; "an inhabitant of the
+hottest and most sterile parts of Central America.  Here is another kind
+that I shot in Peru.  You see it is very similar but has less orange
+about it, and its crest is more like a tuft or shaving-brush than the
+lovely radiating ornament of the other bird.  That is almost like a
+wheel of feathers in rapid motion."
+
+"And as orange as an orange," said Uncle Joe, approvingly.
+
+"I thought we could not find any more beautiful birds in your boxes,
+uncle," I said.
+
+"Oh! but we have not done yet, my boy; wait and see."
+
+We went on with our task, the damp peculiar odour showing that it was
+high time the cases were emptied.
+
+"Now, Nat, we are coming to the cuckoos," he said, as I lifted a thin
+layer of wool.
+
+"It does seem curious for there to be cuckoos in America," I said.
+
+"I don't see why, Nat," he replied, as he carefully arranged his
+specimens.  "You remember I told you it was a cuckoo, probably from
+Malacca, that you showed me you had bought; well, those you are about to
+unpack are some of the American representatives of the family.  You will
+see that they are soft-billed birds, with a very wide gape and bristles
+like moustaches at the sides like thin bars to keep in the captives they
+take."
+
+"And what do they capture, sir?"  I asked.
+
+"Oh, caterpillars and butterflies and moths, Nat.  Soft-bodied
+creatures.  Nature has given each bird suitable bills for its work.
+Mind how you take out that bird.  No: don't lift it yet.  See, that top
+row must come out after the whole of that layer which is arranged all
+over the top row's tails."
+
+"What! do their tails go right along the box, uncle?"  I cried.
+
+"Yes, some of them, my boy.  Be careful: those are very tender and
+delicate birds."
+
+I lifted one, and held it out to Uncle Joe, who came down from his seat
+to examine the glories of the bird I had in my hands.
+
+It was something like the cinnamon-brown and crimson bird I had bought,
+but much larger.  Its breast was of a vivid rosy crimson, and its back
+and head one mass of the most brilliant golden-green.  Not the green of
+a leaf or strand of grass, but the green of glittering burnished metal
+that flashed and sparkled in the sunshine.  It seemed impossible for it
+to be soft and downy, for each feather looked harsh, hard, and carved
+out of the brilliant flashing metal, while turn it which way I would it
+flashed and looked bright.
+
+"Well, Nat," said Uncle Dick, "what do you say to that?"
+
+"Oh, uncle," I cried; "it is wonderful!  But that cannot be a cuckoo."
+
+"Why not, Nat?  If cuckoos are slaty coloured here and have breasts
+striped like a hawk, that is no reason why in the hot climates, where
+the sun burns your skin brown, they should not be brightly coloured in
+scarlet and green.  You have seen that the modest speckled thrush of
+England has for relatives thrushes of yellow and orange.  What has the
+poor cuckoo done that his hot country friends should not be gay?"
+
+"But do these lovely creatures suck all the little birds' eggs to make
+their voices clear?"
+
+"And when they cry `cuckoo' the summer draws near, eh, Nat?  No, my boy,
+I think not.  To begin with, I believe that it is all a vulgar error
+about the cuckoo sucking little birds' eggs.  Doubtless cuckoos have
+been shot with eggs in their mouths, perhaps broken in the fall, but I
+think the eggs they carried were their own, which, after laying, they
+were on their way to put in some other bird's nest to be hatched, as it
+is an established fact they do; and because they are very small eggs
+people think they are those of some other bird that the cuckoo has
+stolen."
+
+"Are cuckoos' eggs small, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"Very, my boy, for so large a bird.  I have seen them very little larger
+than the wagtail's with which they were placed.  Then as to their crying
+`cuckoo' when summer draws near.  I have heard their notes, and they
+live in a land of eternal summer.  But go on emptying the case."
+
+I drew out specimen after specimen, some even more beautiful than the
+first I had taken from the case, though some were far more sober in
+their hues; but I had not taken out one yet from the top row.  When at
+last I set one of these free, with his tail quite a yard in length, my
+admiration knew no bounds.
+
+In colouring it was wonderfully like the first which I have described,
+but in addition it had a golden-green crest, and the long feathers of
+the tail were of the same brilliant metallic colour.  It seemed to me
+then--and though now I find beauties in sober hues I do not think I can
+alter my opinion--one of the loveliest, I should say one of the most
+magnificent, birds in creation, and when fourteen of these wonderful
+creatures were laid side by side I could have stopped for hours
+revelling in their beauties.
+
+"Well, Nat," said my uncle, who quite enjoyed my thorough admiration, "I
+should make quite a naturalist of you if I had you with me."
+
+"Oh, if I could go!"  I cried in an excited tone, at which he merely
+laughed.  "I'd give anything to see those birds alive."
+
+"It requires some work and patience, my boy.  I was a whole year in the
+most inaccessible places hunting for those trogons before I got them."
+
+"Trogons!  Yes, you said they were trogons."
+
+"_Trogon resplendens_.  Those long-tailed feathers are fitly named, Nat,
+for they are splendid indeed."
+
+"Glorious!"  I cried enthusiastically; and though we worked for some
+time longer my help was very poor, on account of the number of times I
+kept turning to the splendid trogons to examine their beauties again and
+again.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER ELEVEN.
+
+MY HOPES.
+
+It was a long task, the emptying of those cases, even to get to the end
+of the birds, and I could not help thinking, as day after day crept by,
+what a wonderfully patient collector my Uncle Richard must have been.
+Certainly he had been away for years and had travelled thousands of
+miles, but the labour to obtain all these birds, and then carefully
+skin, prepare, and fill them with wool, must have been tremendous.
+
+"And did you shoot them all, uncle?"  I asked one day.
+
+"With very few exceptions, my boy," he replied, laying down his pen for
+a minute to talk.  "I might have bought here and there specimens of the
+natives, but they are very rough preservers of birds, and I wanted my
+specimens to be as perfect as could be, as plenty of poor ones come into
+this country, some of which are little better than rubbish, and give
+naturalists a miserable idea of the real beauty of the birds in their
+native homes.  But no one can tell the immense amount of labour it cost
+me to make this collection, as you will see, Nat, when we open this next
+case."
+
+Uncle Dick was right.  I was astonished as we emptied the next case,
+which was full of tiny specimens, hundreds upon hundreds of
+humming-birds, with crests and throats like beautiful precious stones,
+and all so small that it seemed wonderful how they could have been
+skinned and preserved.
+
+The more I worked with Uncle Dick the more I wondered, and the stronger
+grew my desire to follow in his steps.  So when we had all the birds out
+so that they could dry in the warm air of the room, there were the cases
+full of beetles of all kinds, with glistening horny wing-cases;
+butterflies so large and beautiful that I used to lean over them, feast
+my eyes on their colours, and then go into day-dreams, in which I
+pictured to myself the wonderful far-off lands that produced such
+creatures, and think and think how it would be possible to go out there
+all alone, as my uncle had gone, and spend years in collecting these
+various objects to bring home.
+
+Then I used to wake up again and work hard with my uncle, writing out
+names in his lists, all as carefully as I could, but of course making
+plenty of mistakes in the Latin names, while Uncle Joe used to sit and
+smoke and look on, rarely speaking for fear of interrupting us, till
+Uncle Dick looked up and started a conversation by way of a rest.
+
+Then all the different birds when thoroughly dry had to be repacked in
+the boxes, with plenty of camphor and other preservative spices and gums
+to keep the various insects away, and quite a couple of months had
+slipped away before we were nearly done.
+
+I ought to have been back at school, but Uncle Dick would not hear of my
+going, and he seemed to have such influence over my aunt that his word
+was quite law.
+
+"No, Sophy, I have not half done with him," he said one evening.  "I
+don't want to flatter the boy, but he is very valuable to me.  I could
+easily get a clerk or copyist to make out my lists and help me select
+and rearrange my specimens; but he would do it mechanically.  Nat takes
+an interest in what he is doing, and is a naturalist at heart."
+
+"But he ought to be going on with his studies," said Aunt Sophia.  "It
+is quite time he was back at school."
+
+"He is learning a great deal more than he would at school," said Uncle
+Dick; "and his handwriting is a good deal improved.  It is more free and
+quicker."
+
+"But there are his other studies," said Aunt Sophia, who was in a bad
+humour.
+
+"Well, Sophy, he has picked up a great deal of Latin since he has been
+helping me; knows ten times as much as he did about America and the West
+Indian Islands, and has picked up a host of little natural history
+facts, for he is always asking questions."
+
+"Oh yes," said my aunt tartly, "he can ask questions enough! so can all
+boys."
+
+"But not sensible questions, my dear," said Uncle Dick smiling; but my
+aunt kept looking angrily at me as I sat hearing all that was going on.
+
+"Sensible questions, indeed!" she said; "and pray, of what use is it
+going to be to him that he knows how to stick a pin through a butterfly
+and leave the poor thing to wriggle to death."
+
+"Naturalists do not stick pins through butterflies and leave them to
+wriggle to death," said Uncle Dick, looking at me and smiling.  "Suppose
+they did, Nat, what would happen?"
+
+"It would be very cruel, uncle, and would spoil the specimen," I said
+promptly.
+
+"To be sure it would, Nat."
+
+"It's all waste of time, Richard, and the boy shall go back to school."
+
+"I have not done with Nat yet, Sophy, and I shall be obliged by your
+ceasing to talk nonsense.  It worries me."
+
+This was said in so quiet and decided a way, and in the voice of one so
+accustomed to command, that my aunt said:
+
+"Well, Richard, I suppose it must be as you wish."
+
+"Yes, if you please," he said quietly.  "I have the boy's interest at
+heart as much as you."
+
+As the time went on my aunt and Uncle Dick had two or three little
+encounters over this, in all of which Aunt Sophy was worsted; Uncle Dick
+quietly forcing her to let him have his own way in everything.
+
+This set me thinking very much about the future, for I knew that in less
+than two months' time Uncle Dick would be off upon his new expedition;
+one that was to be into the most unfrequented regions of the East Indian
+Islands, though he had said very little about it in my presence.
+
+"I should like to know all about where you are going, Uncle Dick," I
+said one afternoon, as we were working together.
+
+"Why, my boy?"
+
+"Because it is so interesting to know all about foreign lands, uncle."
+
+"Well, my boy, I think of going from here straight away to Singapore,
+either with or without a stay at Ceylon.  From Singapore I mean to
+traverse most of the islands along the equator, staying longest at such
+of them as give me plenty of specimens.  Then I shall go on and on to
+New Guinea, collecting all the time, spending perhaps four or five years
+out there before I return; that is, if the Malays and Papuans will be
+kind enough to leave me alone and not throw spears at me."
+
+"You will go where all the most beautiful birds are plentiful, uncle?"
+I said.
+
+"Yes, my boy, collecting all the time."
+
+"Shall you go alone, uncle?"  I ventured to say after a pause.
+
+"Yes, my boy, quite alone, except that I shall engage one or two native
+servants at the places where I stay, and perhaps I shall buy a boat for
+my own special use to cruise from island to island.  Why, what are you
+sighing about, boy?"
+
+"I was thinking about your going out there, uncle, all alone."
+
+"Well, my boy, do you suppose I shall be frightened?"
+
+"No, uncle, of course not; but won't you be dull?"
+
+"I shall be too busy to be dull, my boy.  The only likely time for me to
+be dull is of an evening, and then I shall go to sleep."
+
+He went on with his work until it grew dark, and then at his request I
+lit the lamp, placed it down close to his writing, and remained standing
+there by his elbow wanting to speak but not daring to do so, till he
+suddenly turned round and looked me in the face.
+
+"Why, Nat, my boy, what's the matter?  Are you unwell?"
+
+"No, uncle," I said slowly.
+
+"What then?  Is anything wrong?"
+
+"I--I was thinking about when you are gone, uncle."
+
+"Ah! yes, my boy; you'll have to go back to school then and work away at
+your ciphering and French.  I shall often think about you, Nat, when I
+am busy over the birds I have shot, skinning and preserving them; and
+when I come back, Nat, you must help me again."
+
+"When you come back?"  I said dolefully.
+
+"Yes, my lad.  Let me see--you are fourteen now.  In four or five years
+you will have grown quite a man.  Perhaps you will not care to help me
+then."
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried; for I could keep it back no longer.  It had been
+the one great thought of my mind night and day for weeks now, and if my
+prayer were not gratified the whole of my future seemed to be too blank
+and miserable to be borne.
+
+"Why, what is it, my boy?" he said.  "Nat, my lad, don't be afraid to
+speak out.  Is anything wrong?"
+
+"Yes, uncle," I panted; for my words seemed to choke me.
+
+"Speak out then, my boy, what is it?"
+
+"You--you are going away, uncle."
+
+"Well, Nat, you've known that for months," he said, with a smile.
+
+"Yes, uncle; but don't go by yourself," I cried.  "Take me with you; I
+won't want much to eat--I won't give you any trouble; and I'll work so
+very, very hard to help you always, and I could be useful to you.
+Pray--pray, uncle, take me too."
+
+He pushed his chair away from the table and sat gazing at me with a
+frown upon his face, then he jumped up and began walking swiftly up and
+down the room.
+
+"I would hardly let you know that I was with you, uncle, and there
+should be nothing you wanted that I would not do.  Don't be angry with
+me for asking to go, for I do want to go with you so very, very much."
+
+"Angry, my boy!  No, not angry," he cried; "but no, no; it is
+impossible."
+
+"Don't say that, uncle," I cried; "I would work so hard."
+
+"Yes, yes, my boy, I know that; but it would not be just to you to drag
+you away there to those wild lands to live like a savage half your
+time."
+
+"But I should like that, uncle," I cried excitedly.
+
+"To expose you to risks of voyaging, from the savages, and from disease.
+No, no, Nat, you must not ask me.  It would not do."
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried, with such a pitiful look of disappointment on my
+face, that he stopped and laid his hand upon my shoulder.
+
+"Why, Nat, my boy," he said in a soft, gentle way, very different to his
+usual mode of speaking, "nothing would be more delightful to me than to
+have you for my companion; not for my servant, to work so hard, but to
+be my friend, helpmate, and counsellor in all my journeyings.  Why, it
+would be delightful to have you with me, boy, to enjoy with me the
+discovery of some new specimen."
+
+"Which we had hunted out in some wild jungle where man had never been
+before, uncle!"
+
+"Bird or butterfly, it would be all the same, Nat; we should prize it
+and revel in our discovery."
+
+"Yes, and I'd race you, uncle, and see which could find most new sorts."
+
+"And of an evening we could sit in our tent or hut, and skin and
+preserve, or pin out what we had found during the day, Nat, eh?"
+
+"Oh, uncle, it would be glorious!"  I cried excitedly.  "And I say--
+birds of paradise!  We would make such a collection of all the loveliest
+kinds."
+
+"Then we should have to hunt and fish, Nat, for the pot, for there would
+be no butchers' and fishmongers' shops, lad."
+
+"Oh! it would be glorious, uncle!"  I cried.
+
+"Glorious, my boy!" he said as excitedly as I; "why, we should get on
+splendidly, and--tut, tut, tut! what an idiot am I!  Hold your tongue,
+sir, it is impossible!"
+
+"Uncle!"
+
+"Here have I been encouraging the boy, instead of crushing the idea at
+once," he cried impatiently.  "No, no, no, Nat, my boy.  It was very
+foolish of me to speak as I did.  You must not think of it any more."
+
+"Oh! uncle, don't talk to me like that," I cried.  "Pray, pray take me
+with you."
+
+"I tell you no, boy," he said impatiently.  "It would be unjust to you
+to encourage you to lead such a vagabond life as mine.  Say no more
+about it, sir," he added harshly.  "It is impossible!"
+
+A deep sigh escaped my lips, and then I was silent, for my uncle turned
+to his writing again, and for the next week he was cold and distant to
+me, while I went on with my task in a dull, spiritless manner, feeling
+so miserable that I was always glad to go and hide myself away, to sit
+and think, and wonder what I should do when my uncle had gone.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWELVE.
+
+UNCLE DICK SAYS "YES!"
+
+It was about a fortnight after this conversation, during the whole of
+which time Uncle Dick seemed to have kept me so at arm's-length that my
+very life had become wretched in the extreme, when, being in the
+drawing-room one evening, my aunt, who had been talking to him about his
+preparations for going away in three weeks' time, suddenly drew his
+attention to me.
+
+"Do you see how ill and white this boy has turned, Richard?  Now it's of
+no use you denying it; he's quite upset with your nasty birds and
+stuff."
+
+"No, he is not," cried Uncle Dick suddenly; and his whole manner
+changed.  "The boy is fretting."
+
+"Fretting!" cried my aunt; "with plenty to eat and drink, and a good bed
+to sleep on!  What has he to fret about?"
+
+"He is fretting because he has taken it into his head that he would like
+to go with me."
+
+"Like to go with you, Dick?" cried Uncle Joe, laying hold of the arms of
+his easy-chair.
+
+"Yes, Joe, I'm afraid I have turned his head with my descriptions of
+collecting abroad."
+
+To my utter astonishment, as I sat there with my face burning, and my
+hands hot and damp, Aunt Sophy did not say a word.
+
+"But--but you wouldn't like to go with your Uncle Richard, Nat, would
+you?" said Uncle Joe.
+
+"I can't help it, uncle," I said, as I went to him; "but I should like
+to go.  I don't want to leave you, but I'd give anything to go
+collecting with Uncle Dick, anywhere, all over the world."
+
+Uncle Joe took out his red handkerchief and sat wiping his face.
+
+"I have turned it over in my mind a dozen times," said Uncle Dick, "and
+sometimes I have thought that it would be an injustice to the boy,
+sometimes I have concluded that with his taste for natural history, his
+knowledge of treating skins and setting out butterflies and moths, it
+would be a shame not to give him every encouragement."
+
+"How?" said my aunt, drily.
+
+"By taking him with me and letting him learn to be a naturalist."
+
+"Humph!" said my aunt; "take him with you right away on your travels?"
+
+"Yes," said my Uncle Dick.
+
+"But I don't think it would be right," said Uncle Joseph softly.
+
+"Don't be stupid, Joe," said my aunt sharply; "why shouldn't the boy go,
+I should like to know?"
+
+"Oh, aunt!"  I cried excitedly.
+
+"Yes, sir, and oh, aunt, indeed!" she cried, quite mistaking my meaning.
+"Do you suppose that you are to stay here idling away your time all
+your life--and--"
+
+"That will do," cried Uncle Dick quickly.  "Nat, my boy, I have held off
+from taking you before; but if your Uncle Joseph will give his consent
+as your guardian, you shall come with me as my pupil, companion, and
+son, if you will, and as far as in me lies I will do my duty by you.
+What say you, Joe?" he continued, as I ran to him and took his extended
+hands.
+
+My aunt looked at me as if she were going to retract her permission; but
+she was stopped, I should say, for the first and last time in her life,
+by Uncle Joseph, who waved his hand and said sadly:
+
+"It will be a great grief to me, Dick, a great grief," he said, "and I
+shall miss my boy Nat very, very much; but I won't stand in his light,
+Dick.  I know that I can trust you to do well by the boy."
+
+"I will, Joe, as well as if he were my own."
+
+"I know it, Dick, I know it," said Uncle Joe softly; "and I can see that
+with you he will learn a very, very great deal.  Nat, my boy, you are
+very young yet, but you are a stout, strong boy, and your heart is in
+that sort of thing, I know."
+
+"And may I go--will you take me, Uncle Dick?  Say you will."
+
+"Indeed I will, my boy," he cried, shaking my hand warmly; "only you
+will have to run the same risks as I do, and stick to me through thick
+and thin."
+
+"But I don't think it would be possible for him to be ready," said my
+aunt, who evidently now began to repent of her ready consent.
+
+"Nonsense, Sophy!" cried Uncle Dick; "I'll get him ready in time, with a
+far better outfit than you could contrive.  Leave that to me.  Well,
+Nat, it is to be then.  Only think first; we may be away for years."
+
+"I don't mind, sir; only I should like to be able to write to Uncle
+Joe," I said.
+
+"You may write to him once a week, Nat, and tell him all our adventures,
+my boy; but I don't promise you that you will always be able to post
+your letters.  There, time is short.  You shall go out with me this
+morning."
+
+"Where to, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"To the gunsmith's, my boy.  I shall have to fit you up with a light
+rifle and double shot-gun; and what is more, teach you how to use them.
+Get your cap and let's go: there is no time to spare."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
+
+HOW I LEARNED TO SHOOT.
+
+I did not know where we were going, or how we got there, in my state of
+excitement; but I found myself as if in a dream handling guns and rifles
+that my uncle placed before me, and soon after we were in a long passage
+place with a white-washed target at the end, and half a dozen guns on a
+table at my side.
+
+"Look here, Nat," said Uncle Dick, "time soon steps by, my boy, and you
+will grow older and stronger every day, so I shall let you have both gun
+and rifle a little too heavy for you.  You must make shift with them at
+first, and you will improve in their use day by day."
+
+"Yes, uncle," I said as I looked at the beautifully finished weapons
+from which we were to choose.
+
+"Did you ever fire off a gun?" said my uncle.
+
+"No, uncle."
+
+"You will not be afraid?"
+
+"Will it hurt me, uncle?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Then I'm not afraid," I said.
+
+He liked my confidence in his word, and nodded approval.
+
+Just then the man with us took up one of the guns to load it, but my
+uncle stopped him.
+
+"No," he said; "let him load for himself.  Look, Nat, this is one of the
+Patent breech-loading rifles.  I pull this lever and the breech of the
+gun opens so that I can put in this little roll, which is a cartridge--
+do you see?"
+
+"Yes, uncle."
+
+"Now I close it, and the rifle is ready to fire.  Next I reopen, take
+out the cartridge, and close again.  Try if you can do the same."
+
+I took the rifle, and, with the exception of being too hurried and
+excited, did nearly as my uncle had done.
+
+"Now, my boy," he said, "the piece is loaded, and a loaded gun or rifle
+is a very dangerous thing.  Never play with your piece; never trifle in
+any way; never let your barrel be pointed at those who are with you.
+Remember those bits of advice."
+
+"Yes, uncle."
+
+"There, now, put the piece to your shoulder, aim at that white target,
+and pull the trigger."
+
+"But there is no cap on," I said.
+
+"Caps are things of the past, Nat," he said smiling, "except that they
+are inclosed in the cartridge.  Now, then, hold your piece tightly to
+your shoulder, take careful aim--but quickly--and fire."
+
+I tried to obey him exactly, but the rifle seemed very heavy to hold up
+firmly, and the sight at the end of the barrel seemed to dance about;
+but I got it pretty steady for the moment, drew the trigger, there was a
+sharp report, and the stock of the piece seemed to give me a thump on
+the shoulder as I heard a dull _clang_.
+
+"Well done, Nat; a good beginning, boy.  There, your bullet has hit the
+target just on the extreme edge."
+
+"What, that black star?  Is that the place, uncle?"
+
+"To be sure it is, my boy.  I thought that rifle would be too heavy for
+you; but if you can do that the first time, it decides me to keep it."
+
+The man smiled approval, and my uncle took the rifle in his hand.
+
+"Brush!" shouted the man, and a brush started out of a hole in the wall,
+and touched the target over with white-wash.
+
+"Now for the double gun," said my uncle.  "Try this one, Nat."
+
+I took the gun and put it to my shoulder, aiming at the target; but it
+seemed heavier than the rifle, and the sight wavered about.
+
+"Try this one, Nat," said my uncle; and he handed me another with rather
+shorter barrels.
+
+"I like this one, uncle," I said.  "It's ever so much lighter."
+
+"No, sir," said the man smiling; "it's half a pound heavier.  It is the
+make.  The weight of the gun is more central, and it goes up to the eye
+better."
+
+"Yes," said my uncle; "it is a handy little gun.  Load that the same as
+you did before."
+
+I found the construction so similar that I had no difficulty in loading
+both barrels of the gun, and it seemed such easy work to just slip in a
+couple of little rolls of brown paper as compared to the way in which I
+had seen men load guns with a ramrod.
+
+"Now, Nat," said my uncle in a quick businesslike way; "once more, you
+must remember that a gun is not a plaything, and though you are a boy in
+years you must begin to acquire the serious ways of a man.  To handle a
+gun properly is an art, perfection in which means safety to yourself and
+friends, durability to the gun, and death quick and painless for the
+object at which you fire.  Now then.  No hesitation, boy: raise your gun
+quickly to your shoulder, take a sharp aim, and fire right and left
+barrels at those two targets."
+
+My heart beat fast as I did as my uncle bade me, feeling two sharp thuds
+on my shoulder, and then as I stared through the smoke I expected to see
+the two white targets covered with shot marks.
+
+"Better luck next time, Nat," said my uncle smiling.
+
+"Haven't I hit them, uncle?"  I said in dismay.
+
+"No, my boy; one charge ploughed up the sawdust below the target on the
+right, and the other scored the white-washed wall three feet to the left
+of the second target."
+
+"But do you think it is a good gun, uncle?  I aimed quite straight."
+
+"We'll see, Nat," he replied, taking the gun from my hand, and reloading
+it with a quick cleverness of hand that fascinated me.
+
+Then raising the gun he fired both barrels in rapid succession, hardly
+seeming to take aim, and as the smoke rose above our heads we all walked
+towards the targets, which looked like currant dumplings.
+
+The man with us rubbed his hands with satisfaction, saying that it was a
+capital close pattern, which my uncle afterwards explained to me meant
+that the shot marks were very close and regular all over the targets,
+instead of being scattered irregularly, which he said was a great
+disadvantage in a gun.
+
+"I don't think, sir, that you'll find many guns do better than that,
+sir; and, if you'll excuse me for saying so, I don't think many
+gentlemen would have made two such clever shots."
+
+"There is no cleverness in it," said my uncle quietly.  "When a man
+spends all his days with a gun in his hand it becomes like second nature
+to him to hit that at which he aims.  Yes, I like the gun.  Now, Nat,
+what do you say--which was in fault last time?"
+
+"I was, uncle," I said rather ruefully.  "I thought it would be so easy
+to shoot."
+
+"So it is, my boy, when you have had practice.  Now come back and we
+will not lose any more time in selecting pieces.  You shall have that
+gun and that rifle, and we will have a couple of hours' practice at
+loading and firing."
+
+We walked back to the table, and as we did so I saw a man thrust a
+long-handled brush from a loophole at the side of the wall and whiten
+the targets once more.
+
+"You decide upon those two pieces, then, sir," said the gunmaker; and my
+uncle bowed his head.
+
+I noticed then how quiet he seemed when away from home, speaking very
+little but always to the purpose; a habit, I suppose, acquired from his
+long and solitary life abroad.
+
+He then said that we had an abundant supply of cartridges, and took a
+chair beside me.
+
+"Now, Nat," he said, as soon as we were alone, save that a man was
+behind the loophole ready to thrust out his long-handled brush to whiten
+the target.  "Now, Nat, my boy, fire away all that ammunition.  It will
+not be wasted, for it will make you used to your gun.  We will leave the
+rifle practice till we get to sea.  Now, then, begin, and mind this,
+when you have fired keep your eye upon the object at which you aimed.
+I'll tell you why.  If it is a bird, say a valuable specimen, that we
+have been seeking for weeks, you may have hit the object, but it flies a
+short distance before it drops, and if you have lost sight of it for a
+moment all our trouble is wasted, for it is sometimes labour in vain to
+seek for small objects in a dense, perhaps impenetrable jungle."
+
+"I'll remember that, uncle."
+
+"Another thing, my boy--a very simple thing, but one which you must
+learn to do, for your eyes are too valuable when we are collecting for
+them to do anything but look out for the treasures we seek.  Now mind
+this: you raise your gun, take aim, and fire--not hurriedly, mind, but
+with quick ease.  Then either before or after you have fired your second
+barrel, according to circumstances, but with your eyes still fixed upon
+the bird or animal at which you shot, open the breech of your gun, take
+out the spent cartridge, and reload."
+
+"Without looking, uncle?"
+
+"Certainly: your fingers will soon manage all that with a little
+education."
+
+I could not help a little nervous haste as I began to load and fire at
+the targets, but after two or three shots I grew more used to what I was
+doing, and to my great delight found that I had hit the target.
+
+Then after a little more practice I found it so much easier that I
+generally saw one or two little spots on the white discs; and by the
+time that the ammunition was all gone--that was after I had fired
+forty-eight times--I had once or twice made a respectable show upon the
+target, but I finished off with four misses, and as my head was now
+aching badly from the concussion and the noise, I turned with a very
+rueful face to my uncle.
+
+"Time we left off that," he said smiling.  "You are tired, and your
+hands are getting unsteady."
+
+"I'm afraid I shall never shoot, Uncle Dick," I said dolefully.
+
+"Nonsense, my boy!" he cried, clapping me on the shoulder; "you shot
+very badly indeed, but better than I expected, and you steadily improved
+until you grew tired.  All these matters take time."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
+
+HOW TO MANAGE A BOAT.
+
+The time was short before we were to start on our long journey, but
+Uncle Dick was determined to make the best of it, and he steadily went
+on with what he called my education, as well as fitting me out with
+proper necessaries for my voyage.
+
+These last were very few and simple.
+
+"For you see, Nat," he said, smiling, "we must not encumber ourselves
+with anything unnecessary.  You must bid good-bye to collars and cuffs,
+and be content with flannels, one to wear and one for your knapsack; and
+this you will have to wash and dry whenever you get a chance.  We'll
+take some socks, but after a time we shall have to be content with
+nothing but good boots.  We must not have an ounce of luggage that we
+can do without."
+
+It was a delicious time of adventure to me as I went about with Uncle
+Dick buying the necessaries for our trip, and very proud I felt of my
+flannels and stout drill breeches and Norfolk jackets, with belt to hold
+cartridges, and a strong sheathed knife.
+
+Every day I had a long practice with my gun with what uncle said were
+satisfactory results; and matters had been going on like this for about
+a fortnight when my uncle said one day:
+
+"Now, Nat, we must have a bit more education, my boy.  We shall very
+often be left to our own resources, and travel from island to island in
+a boat, which we shall have to manage; so come along and let me see if I
+cannot make a sailor of you before we start."
+
+In order to do this he took me down to Gravesend, where, in spite of its
+being a rough day, he engaged a sailing-boat.
+
+"Bit too rough for that, mister, isn't it?" said a rough-looking sailor
+who stood by with his hands in his pockets.
+
+"It is rough, my man," said my uncle quietly.  "Jump in, Nat."
+
+I felt afraid, but I would not show it, and jumped into the boat, which
+was pushed off, and my uncle at once proceeded to hoist the lug-sail.
+
+"That's right, Nat," he said encouragingly.  "I saw that you felt a bit
+nervous, for your cheeks were white; but that is the way: bravely meet a
+terror and it shrinks to half its size.  I can remember feeling as timid
+as could be on entering an open boat and pulling off in a choppy sea;
+but now I know the danger, and how to meet it, I feel as calm and
+comfortable as you will after a trip or two.  Now then, lay hold of that
+rope and give a pull when I cry `haul', and we'll soon have a little
+sail upon her."
+
+I did as he bade me, and, pulling at the rope, the sail was hoisted part
+of the way with the effect that it ballooned out in an instant, and the
+boat went sidewise.
+
+"Mind, uncle," I shouted; "the boat's going over;" and I clung to the
+other side.
+
+"No, it isn't, Nat," he said coolly.  "We could heel over twice as much
+as that without danger.  I'll show you.  Take another pull here."
+
+"No, no, uncle," I cried, "I'm satisfied; I believe you."
+
+"Take hold of the rope and haul," he shouted; and I obeyed him, with the
+boat heeling over so terribly that I felt sure that the water would rush
+over the side.
+
+He laughed as he made fast the rope, and bade me go to the rudder, for I
+had taken tight hold of the side of the boat.
+
+There was something so quick and decided about Uncle Dick's way of
+ordering anyone that I never thought of disobeying him, and I crept to
+the rudder, while he took his place beside me as the boat danced up and
+down upon what I, who had never seen the open sea, thought frightful
+waves.
+
+"Now, Nat," he said, "you see this rope I have here."
+
+"Yes, uncle."
+
+"This is the sheet, as it is called, of the sail, and it runs through
+that block to make it easier for me to give or take as I want.  Now, my
+boy, here is your first lesson in managing a sailing-boat whether the
+wind is rough, or as gentle as a breath.  Never fasten your sheet, but
+hold it loose in your hand."
+
+"Why, uncle?"  I said, as it seemed to me that it would have saved all
+the trouble of holding it if it had been tied to the side.
+
+"That's why," he said, as just then the wind increased, so that I clung
+once more to the side, for the sail was blown so hard that the boat
+would have gone over enough for the water to rush in if Uncle Dick had
+not let the rope run swiftly through his hands, making the sail quite
+loose, and the boat became upright once more.
+
+"I brought you out on a roughish day, Nat," he continued, "so as to give
+you a good lesson.  Look here, Nat,--if an unskilful rider mounted a
+spirited horse he would most likely be thrown; and if a person who does
+not know how to manage a sailing-boat goes out in one on a windy day,
+the chances are that the boat is capsized, fills, and goes to the
+bottom.  Now, if I had not had hold of the sheet then, and eased off the
+sail--let it go, as a sailor would call it,--we should have been
+capsized, and then--"
+
+"What then, uncle?"  I said, feeling very nervous indeed.
+
+"We should have gone to the bottom, my boy, and been drowned, for I
+don't think I could have swum ashore from here in my clothes and taken
+you as well."
+
+"Then--then, hadn't we much better go ashore at once, uncle?"  I said,
+looking at him nervously.
+
+"Yes, Nat, I'll take you ashore at once if you feel afraid; but before
+doing so I will tell you that I brought you out here to give you a
+severe lesson in what boat-sailing with me is likely to be; and I tell
+you besides, Nat, that I know well how to manage a boat.  You have had
+enough of it, I see, and we will go back."
+
+He made a motion to take the tiller out of my hands, for I was steering
+as he told me to steer, but I pushed his hand back.
+
+"I thought you were frightened, Nat," he said; and then there was a
+pause, for I wanted to speak, but the words would not come.  At last,
+though, they did.
+
+"I am frightened, uncle, very much frightened; and this going up and
+down makes me feel sick."
+
+"All right, then, Nat, we'll go back," he said kindly; but he was
+watching me all the while.
+
+"No," I gasped, "we won't, and--and," I cried, setting my teeth fast, "I
+won't be sick."
+
+"But it is dangerous, Nat, my boy," he said; "and we are going straight
+away into rougher water.  Let us go back."
+
+"No," I said, "you brought me out to try me, uncle, and I won't be a
+coward, not if I die."
+
+He turned his head away for a few minutes, and seemed to be looking at
+the distant shore, and all the while the little boat rushed through the
+water at a tremendous rate, the sail bellying out and the gunwale down
+dangerously near the waves as we seemed to cut our way along.
+
+The feeling of sickness that had troubled me before now seemed to go
+off, as if my determination had had something to do with it; and in
+spite of the sensation of dread I could not help liking my position, and
+the way in which we mastered the waves, as it were, going head on to one
+that seemed as if it would leap into the boat, but only for us to rise
+up its slope and then plunge down to meet another, while the danger I
+had feared minute after minute floated away astern.
+
+When my uncle turned his head he said quietly:
+
+"Nat, my boy, it was dangerous work to come out here with me; but, my
+boy, it is far more dangerous work to go out on that long voyage with me
+amongst savages, perhaps; to sail on unknown seas, and to meet perils
+that we can not prepare to encounter.  Do you not think, my boy, you
+have chosen badly?  Come, Nat, speak out.  I will not call you a coward,
+for it would only be natural for you to refuse to go.  Come, speak to me
+frankly.  What do you say?"
+
+"Was it dangerous to come out to-day, uncle, in this little boat?"
+
+"Decidedly, my boy.  You heard what that old boatman said."
+
+"Yes, uncle.  Then why did you come?"
+
+He stared at me for a moment or two, and then said quietly to me,
+leaning forward so that he could look straight into my eyes.
+
+"To give you a lesson, my boy."
+
+"But you knew you could manage the boat, uncle?"
+
+"Yes, my boy.  I have had a good deal of experience in boat-sailing on
+the great American rivers, and on the sea."
+
+"And you would not mind coming out at a time like this, uncle?"
+
+"No, my boy, certainly not.  I have been out years ago with the Yarmouth
+boatmen in very rough seas indeed."
+
+There was a pause for a time, and then he said again, "Well, Nat, will
+you give up?"
+
+"No, uncle," I said excitedly, "I don't feel half so frightened.  I
+couldn't help it then."
+
+"You'd have been a strange boy, Nat, if you had helped it," he said
+laughing; "and I am very glad we came.  Now, let me tell you that we are
+in a very small boat in water quite rough enough to be very dangerous;
+but knowing what I do, possessing, as I do, the knowledge which is
+power, Nat, there is not the least danger whatever, and you may rest
+perfectly assured that we will get back quite safe."
+
+"Then I've been terribly cowardly, and afraid for nothing, uncle," I
+said, as I felt horribly ashamed.
+
+"Yes, my boy, but that is generally the case," he said smiling.  "You
+were afraid because you were ignorant.  Once you know well what you are
+about, you feel ashamed of your old cowardice."
+
+"But it's very shocking to be like that, uncle," I said.
+
+"Not at all, my boy.  It is the result of ignorance.  The more ignorant
+and uncultivated people are, the greater cowards they seem.  They are
+superstitious, and believe in ghosts and goblins and imps and fairies;
+and as for savages in far-off regions, they are sometimes the greatest
+cowards under the sun."
+
+"I feel very much ashamed of myself, uncle," I said, and the tears stood
+in my eyes.
+
+He looked at me very kindly as I spoke.
+
+"I wish I was not so ignorant."
+
+"For my part, Nat," he said, "I feel very proud of you, my boy; and let
+me tell you that you have no cause to be ashamed at all.  Now take hold
+of the sheet here, and give and take as I tell you.  Don't be afraid to
+let it slip through your hands fast if there is a heavy squall.  I'll
+steer.  The sea is heavier out in this long reach.  Tell me when you'd
+like to put back."
+
+"I don't want to go back, uncle," I said; "let's go on."
+
+He nodded, and away we dashed, scudding along and riding over the waves,
+while he showed me how he steered, and why he did this and that; how, by
+a little pressure on the tiller, he could check our speed, and even turn
+the little vessel so that we were facing where the wind blew from, and
+now the sail flapped angrily; but we made no progress at all, only were
+tossed about on the waves.
+
+I told him that I thought we could only go along with the wind straight
+behind us, but he showed me how we could sail with the wind on either
+side, and sometimes with it almost facing us, by what he called tacking,
+which I found meant that, if the wind came from straight before us, say
+at a certain point in front, we could get there at last by zigzagging
+through the water, now half a mile to the left, now half a mile to the
+right, a common way of progressing which brought us nearer and nearer
+every time.
+
+"The sea is rougher than I thought," he said, "for I suppose we may call
+it sea out here, Nat, this being the estuary of the Thames, so I think
+I'll make that do for to-day."
+
+"Don't go back for me, uncle," I said, as a wave broke over the bow of
+the boat, splashing us from top to toe.
+
+"I am going back for both our sakes, Nat, for we shall soon be wet
+through.  It is a day for india-rubber coats; but this has been a
+glorious sail, and a splendid lesson for you, Nat."
+
+"Yes, uncle," I said, "and I feel hardly frightened a bit now."
+
+"No, my boy, it has given you far more confidence than you had before.
+It is live and learn, Nat; you believe more in me and I believe more in
+you."
+
+He gave me one of his nods as he said this, and then took the rope from
+my hand.
+
+"Now, Nat, steer us home, my boy; I'll tell you what to do.  By and by
+you and I will have a native boat, perhaps, with a matting sail, to
+manage, sailing about near the equator."
+
+"But is it rough out there, uncle, amongst the islands?"  I said.
+
+"Very, at times, my boy; but with a light, well-built boat like this I
+should not be afraid to go anywhere.  See how like a duck she is in
+shape, and how easily she rides over the waves.  I should like to have
+one exactly the same build but twice as large, and with the fore part
+and poop decked over or covered in with canvas; and I don't know but
+what it would be wise to take out such a boat."
+
+Then he went on giving me explanations about the sail, and which was a
+lug-sail, what was meant by fore-and-aft rig, and a dozen other things,
+showing me the while too how to steer.
+
+The result was that, drenched with spray, but all in a glow with
+excitement, we got safely back, and for my part feeling that I had had a
+lesson indeed, and ready to put out any time with my uncle in far
+rougher seas.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
+
+SAYING "GOOD-BYE!"
+
+Days of practice with my gun followed, and then two or three more
+afternoons in the mouth of the Thames, my uncle always selecting the
+roughest days for that purpose; but after a time or two I quite got over
+my dread of the water, and was ready enough to hold the sheet or take
+the tiller, picking up very rapidly a knowledge of how to steer so as to
+ease the boat over the waves that would take us on the beam; learning
+how to tack and go about: and a dozen other little matters highly
+necessary for one who attempts the management of a boat.
+
+And then the day of parting came, for Uncle Dick had made all his
+preparations, which were after all very simple, consisting as they did
+of two or three changes of clothes, plenty of ammunition, tools for
+skinning birds and animals, an abundant supply of preserving paste, and
+some medicines.
+
+It was arranged that we were to go by one of the French steamers from
+Marseilles, to catch which we had of course to cross France, and then we
+intended to travel by one of the Peninsular and Oriental steamers to
+Singapore after crossing the Isthmus of Suez, for this was long before
+Monsieur de Lesseps had thrust spade into the sand.
+
+"Get the good-byes over quickly, Nat," said Uncle Dick; and this I did
+as far as my Aunt Sophy was concerned, though she did kiss me and seem
+more affectionate than usual.
+
+But it was different with poor Uncle Joseph, and had I known how he
+would take it to heart I'm afraid that I should have thought twice over
+before making up my mind to go.
+
+"I can hardly believe it, Nat, my boy," he said in a husky voice.  "It
+don't seem natural for you to be going away, my boy, and I don't know
+how I shall get on without you."
+
+As he spoke he held my hands in his, and though he was pretending to be
+very cheerful, I could see that he was greatly troubled, and after all
+his kindness to me I felt as if I was behaving cruelly and ungratefully
+in the extreme.
+
+"But I'm not going to grieve about you, Nat, my boy," he said quite
+cheerfully, "and here's your knife."
+
+As he spoke he drew a splendid great jack-knife out of his pocket,
+hauling out a quantity of white cord to which it was attached, and
+proceeding to fasten it round my waist.
+
+"There, Nat, my boy," he said, "it was the best I could get you; and the
+man says it is a splendid bit of stuff.  Do you like it, Nat--do you
+like it?"
+
+"Oh, uncle," I said, "it is too kind of you!"
+
+"Not a bit, my boy, not a bit; and now make good use of it, and grow
+strong and big, and come back as clever a man as your uncle, and I know
+you will."
+
+There is a bit of history to that knife, for it was only the day before
+that he and I and Uncle Dick were together, and Uncle Joe wanted to make
+me a present.
+
+"There, Nat," said Uncle Joe, drawing his heavy gold watch out of the
+fob by its watered-silk ribbon with the handsomely chased gold key and
+large topaz seal at the end, "I shall give you that watch, my boy, for a
+keepsake.  Take it, Nat, and put it in your pocket; keep it out of
+sight, my boy, till you have gone.  I shall tell your aunt afterwards,
+but she mightn't like it, you know, and it would be a little
+unpleasant."
+
+"But I don't like to take your watch, uncle," I said, glad as I should
+have been to have it, for it seemed too bad to take it away.
+
+"Quite right, Nat," said Uncle Dick; "don't take it."
+
+"Not take it!" said Uncle Joe in a disappointed tone.
+
+"No; he does not want a watch, Joe.  Where he is going he must make the
+sun his watch."
+
+"Yes," said Uncle Joe quickly, "but how about the night?"
+
+"Then he'll have to sleep and rest himself for the next day's work."
+
+"And how about getting up in good time?"
+
+"Daylight's the good time for getting up, Joe," said Uncle Dick; "and
+the sun will tell him the time."
+
+"Ah!" cried Uncle Joe triumphantly, "but the sun does not always shine."
+
+"No, not here," replied Uncle Dick.  "You have too much smoke and fog.
+We are going where he shines almost too much.  Here, put away your
+watch, Joe.  It is of no use to a boy who will be journeying through the
+primeval forest, plunging through thorny undergrowth or bog, or fording
+rivers and letting his clothes dry on him afterwards."
+
+"But I should have liked him to have the watch," said Uncle Joe, rubbing
+one side of his nose softly with the case.
+
+"Leave it for him in your will, then, my boy," said Uncle Dick.  "He
+wants nothing that will encumber him, and your watch would only be a
+nuisance when the water had soaked in.  Leave it to him in your will."
+
+"Yes," said Uncle Joseph, "but I should have liked to give him something
+else to make him always remember me when he's away."
+
+"Why, Uncle Joe," I cried, with a curious choking feeling coming in my
+throat, "you don't think I could ever forget you?"
+
+"No, my boy, no," he said, shaking my hand very heartily, and then
+laying the watch down, as if he didn't care to take to it again.
+
+"It's very kind of you, Joe," said Uncle Dick, for he saw how his
+brother-in-law seemed hurt; "but don't you see, my dear boy, we are
+going to lead the roughest of rough lives, and what we carry at a time
+when every extra ounce will be a trouble, must be the barest
+necessities.  I've often had to leave behind valuable things, solely
+because I could not carry them.  Here, I tell you what: you go into the
+city to-morrow, and buy him one of the best, and biggest, and strongest
+jack-knives you can find; one of those with a steel loop so that it can
+hang handily from a lanyard, ready for any purpose from cutting his
+breakfast to hacking a way through the canes, or skinning a wild beast.
+You could not give him a better present than that."
+
+"To be sure," cried Uncle Joe, brightening up, "I will.  What kind of a
+handle would you like, Nat?"
+
+"Never mind the handle, Joe; look to the blade.  Let it be a thoroughly
+good bit of stuff, the best you can buy."
+
+"To be sure.  Yes; to be sure," cried Uncle Joe; and taking up his watch
+he lowered it so carelessly into its place that it missed the fob, and
+ran down the right leg of his trousers into his Wellington boot.
+
+I had to turn boot-jack and drag the boot off before the watch could be
+recovered, Uncle Dick laughing heartily the while.
+
+And now this was the knife the good, amiable old fellow had got for me,
+and certainly it was one that would stand me in good stead for any
+length of time.
+
+"Good-bye, Joe, old fellow," said Uncle Dick, gripping his hand fast.
+"I'll take care of Nat."
+
+"Yes, yes, you will, won't you?" he cried.
+
+"Indeed I will, Joe, indeed I will; and now once more good-bye, old
+fellow, I'm off.  Till we meet again.  Come after me soon, Nat."
+
+Uncle Dick went away so as to leave us together, and no sooner were we
+alone than Uncle Joe hesitated for a moment, and then hugged me to his
+breast.
+
+"Good-bye; God bless you, my boy!" he cried.  "It's all for the best,
+and I won't worry about your going; only come back to me as soon as you
+can, and mind you write."
+
+I can remember that there was a curious dim look about everything just
+then, and that Uncle Dick was very quiet in the cab; and so he was in
+the train, speaking to me hardly at all, and afterwards he read to
+himself nearly all the way to Paris, after which he suddenly seemed to
+turn merry and bright, and chatted to me in the heartiest way.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
+
+OUT ON THE BLUE WATER.
+
+Everything was so new to me that, on embarking at Marseilles, I was
+never tired of inspecting the large steamer, and trying, with only
+moderate success, to talk to the French sailors, who, on learning our
+destination, were very civil; but, after the first day or two, began to
+joke me about never coming back any more.
+
+It was comical work trying to make out what they meant as they began to
+talk to me about the terrible wild beasts I should meet, and, above all,
+about the orang-outangs, which they assured me were eight or nine feet
+high, and would look upon me, they assured me, as a _bonne bouche_.
+
+The third day out on the beautiful blue water, as some of the passengers
+had guns out, and were shooting at the sea-birds for amusement merely, a
+practice that I should have thought very cruel but for the fact that
+they never once hit anything, Uncle Dick came up to me on the poop deck
+and clapped me on the shoulder.
+
+"Now, Nat," he said, "there's plenty of room out here for a rifle ball
+to go humming away as far as it likes without danger to anyone; so get
+out your rifle and you shall have a practice."
+
+"At the sea-gulls, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"No, no; nonsense!" he said; "we don't shoot sea-gulls with a rifle.  I
+shall start you with a target."
+
+"A target, uncle?"  I said; "but if you do, we shall leave it all behind
+in a very short time."
+
+"To be sure we shall," he replied, laughing; "and then we'll have
+another."
+
+I ran down and got my rifle out of the cabin, feeling half ashamed to go
+on deck again when I had fastened on my belt full of cartridges; but I
+got over my modesty, and joined my uncle, whom I found waiting for me
+with half a dozen black wine bottles, and as many bladders blown out
+tightly, while the bottles were empty and firmly corked.
+
+"Now, Nat," he said, "here are your targets, and I reckon upon your
+having half a dozen shots at each before the steamer takes us too far
+away, unless you manage to sink it sooner."
+
+I looked at my uncle to see if he was laughing at me, but he was quite
+serious, and, in obedience to his order, I loaded and stood ready.
+
+"Now, look here, my boy," he said; "this will be rather a difficult
+task, for both your target and you are in motion.  So you must aim as
+well as you can.  I should draw trigger just as the bladder is rising."
+
+"But how shall we know if I hit it?"
+
+"You are not very likely to hit it, Nat," he said smiling; "but if you
+do, the bladder will collapse--the bottle be shivered to fragments, and
+sink.  Now let us see."
+
+It made me feel nervous to see so many people collect about me, one and
+all eager to witness my skill, and I knew enough French to understand a
+good many of their remarks.  Some said I must be a very skilful shot,
+others that I could not shoot at all; and one way and another they
+disconcerted me so that, when my uncle threw the first bladder over the
+side, and I saw it floating away, I felt so confused that I let it get
+some distance before I fired.
+
+"Reload," said my uncle; and I did so, and fired again.
+
+"Reload," he said; and, having obeyed him, I waited till the bladder was
+on the top of a wave, and again fired without result.
+
+"Again," said my uncle; "don't hesitate, and fire sharply."
+
+The bladder was now getting a long way astern and looking very small, so
+small that I knew I should not hit it, and consequently I felt no
+surprise that it should go floating away.
+
+"Don't lose time, Nat," my uncle continued, just as if it was quite a
+matter of course that I should go on missing shot after shot.
+
+So once more I prepared to fire, and as I did so I saw that two of the
+French passengers had their telescopes fixed upon the object at which,
+after taking very careful aim, speck as it seemed, I fired.
+
+To my utter astonishment, as the smoke rose I saw no bladder was
+floating on the waves, a fact of which the lookers-on had already
+informed me by a round of applause.
+
+"He would not hit them when they were close," cried one passenger.  "I
+said, he would not try.  It was un grand shot, messieurs, un coup
+merveilleux."
+
+I felt scarlet in the face, and grew the more and more ashamed as first
+one and then another insisted upon shaking hands with me.
+
+"Now, Nat," said my uncle in a low voice, "after that you will lose your
+character if you do not hit some more."
+
+"Pray, don't send out another, uncle," I whispered.
+
+"Why not, boy?  What does it matter if you do miss?  Keep on practising,
+and never mind what people say.  Are you ready?"
+
+"Yes, uncle."
+
+"Fire, then, as soon as you get a good view of the bladder."
+
+I waited until it was about forty yards away, and rising slowly to the
+top of a wave, when, calculating the distance as well as I could, I
+fired, and the bladder disappeared.
+
+I could not believe it, and expected each moment to see it come back to
+the surface; but no, there was no bladder visible; and, having reloaded,
+my uncle sent another afloat, bidding me wait till it was farther away
+before I fired.
+
+I obeyed him and missed.  Fired again and missed, but the third time the
+bladder collapsed and sank, and my reputation as a marksman was made.
+
+The French passengers would have petted and spoiled me had not my uncle
+interfered; and when we were once more alone he began to talk of my
+success.
+
+"You quite exceeded anything I expected, Nat," he said smiling.  "How
+you managed it, my boy, I cannot tell.  The first time I set it down to
+pure accident; but when you repeated it again and again, all I can say,
+my boy, is that your eyes must be wonderfully good, and your aim and
+judgment even better.  I doubt with all my practice whether I could have
+been more successful."
+
+"I think it must have been chance, uncle," I said, "for I seemed to have
+no time to aim, and the vessel heaved up so just then."
+
+"No, my boy," he replied, "it was not chance, but the result in a great
+measure of your practice with your gun; but you will not always shoot so
+well as that.  When you come to be out with me in the wilds of one of
+the islands we visit, and have perhaps been tramping miles through rough
+forest, you will find it hard work to hit the object at which you aim."
+
+"But it will be easier to shoot from the ground than from on shipboard,
+uncle, will it not?"
+
+"For some things yes, my boy, for others no.  But wait a bit, Nat, and
+we shall see."
+
+The practice was kept up all through our voyage, and I became quite an
+adept at breaking floating bottles and other objects that were sent over
+the side, for the bladders soon came to an end; but our voyage was very
+uneventful.  It was always enjoyable, for there was so much that was
+fresh to see.  I never complained about the heat, which was very great,
+although people were lying about under awnings, while I used to get into
+the chains, or the rigging below the bowsprit, so as to gaze down into
+the wonderfully clear water and watch the dolphins and bonita as they
+darted through the sunlit depths with such ease and grace.
+
+Sometimes I have wished that I could be a fish, able with a sweep or two
+of my powerful tail to dart myself through the water just as I pleased,
+or float at any depth, keeping up with the huge steamer as it was driven
+on.
+
+Then a change would come over me, and I would think to myself: Well, I'm
+very glad I'm not a fish; for just as I would be watching some lovely
+mackerel-like fellow with a flashing back of mottled blue and purple,
+some monster ten times his size would make a dart at him and engulf him
+in his capacious throat.  And as I watched the larger fish seize their
+food, it seemed to me that once they could get within easy range they
+seemed to suck their prey into their jaws, drawing it in with the great
+rush of water they sent through their gills.
+
+It was not tempting at such times and above all when one used to see a
+thin grey fellow, six or eight feet long, seeming to sneak by the side
+of the ship, or just astern, where there was an eddy.  Every now and
+then it would turn half over and show the pale under parts as it made a
+snatch at something that looked good to eat; and after a good many tries
+the sailors managed to catch one by means of a hook baited with a piece
+of ham that had been condemned as high.
+
+It was only about six feet long, and when it lay on the wet deck
+thrashing about with its tail I thought that after all a shark was not
+such a dangerous-looking creature as I expected, and I said so to my
+uncle.
+
+"Think not, Nat?" he said.
+
+"Why, no, uncle, I don't think I should be afraid of a shark; I think I
+could catch such a fellow as that with a rod and line."
+
+"Ah!  Nat, some of them run up to fifteen or twenty feet in length," he
+said; "and they are awfully savage brutes.  Such a one as this would be
+enough to kill a man."
+
+"He don't look like it, uncle," I said.  "Why, look here!"
+
+I ran to where the shark lay, and stooping down, seized it with both
+hands by the thin part just before where the tail forked, meaning to
+give it a shake and drag the brute along the deck; but just as I got
+tight hold the creature seemed to send a wave down its spine, and with
+one flip I was sent staggering across the deck to fall heavily at full
+length, the crew and passengers around roaring with laughter at my
+discomfiture.
+
+I was so angry and mortified that I jumped up, opened my great
+jack-knife, and was rushing at the shark, when my uncle laid his hand
+upon my arm.
+
+"Don't be foolish, Nat, but take your lesson like a man.  You will not
+despise the strength of a shark for the future."
+
+"Why, it was like touching a great steel spring, uncle," I said.
+
+"If anything I should say that the backbone of a shark has more power in
+it when set in motion than a steel spring, Nat," he said.  "There, now,
+our friend is helpless, and we can examine him in peace."
+
+For, after thrashing the deck with a series of tremendous blows with his
+tail, the shark had his quietus given to him with a few blows of a
+hatchet, and as he lay upon the deck my uncle pointed out to me the
+peculiarity of the monster's structure, and after we had examined his
+nasty sharp triangular teeth in the apparently awkwardly placed mouth, I
+was shown how it was that a shark had such wonderful power of propelling
+itself through the water, for in place of having an ordinary fin-like
+tail, made up of so many bones with a membrane between, the shark's
+spine is continued right along to the extremity of the upper curve of
+its propeller, the other curve being comparatively small.
+
+The flying-fish in the Red Sea have been described too often for it to
+be necessary for me to say anything about the beauty of these fishy
+swallows, but we saw hundreds of them dart out of the sea, skim along
+for a distance, and then drop in again.  Then there were glimpses had in
+the deep clear blue--for that was the colour I found the Red Sea--of
+fishes with scales of orange, vermilion, and gold, bright as the
+gorgeous sunsets that dyed sea and sky of such wondrous hues evening
+after evening before darkness fell all at once, and the great stars,
+brighter, bigger, and clearer than I had ever seen them before, turned
+the heavens into a vast ocean of gems.
+
+Day and night seemed to me to follow one another with wonderful
+rapidity, till one morning, as the steamer was panting and throbbing on
+its way, my uncle pointed to what looked like a low distant haze far
+away on our right.
+
+"Do you see those mountains, Nat?" he said.
+
+"Mountains, uncle!  Are these mountains?"
+
+"Yes, my boy, in a land that I could find it in my heart to visit, only
+that is not quite wild enough for our purpose."
+
+"What place is it, then?"  I said, gazing eagerly at the faint distant
+line.
+
+"Sumatra, Nat;" and as he spoke the long-shaped island, so familiar on
+the maps at school, rose before my eyes, and with it came Java, Celebes,
+Borneo, and New Guinea, places that were before long to be the objects
+of our quest.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
+
+THE MALAY KRIS IN STRANGE LANDS.
+
+Three days later we were lying in Singapore harbour, and I had one or
+two runs ashore to have a good look at the town, with its busy port full
+of all kinds of vessels, from the huge black-sided steamer and trim East
+Indiaman, to the clumsy high-sterned, mat-sailed, Chinese junk, and long
+narrow Malay prahu.
+
+I could have stayed there a month staring about me at the varied scenes
+in the bright sunshine, where hundreds of Chinamen in their blue cotton
+loose clothes and thick-soled shoes were mingled with dark-looking
+Hindoostanees, Cingalese, and thick-lipped, flat-nosed, fierce-looking
+Malays, every man in a gay silk or cotton sarong or kilt, made in plaids
+of many colours and with the awkward-looking, dangerous kris stuck at
+the waist.
+
+I say I could have stopped here for a month, enjoying the change, and
+wondering why the Malays should be so constantly chewing betel-nut and
+pepper leaves.  I learned, too, that there was much to be seen in the
+island, and that there were tigers in the jungle near the plantations;
+but my uncle said there was no time to waste, and we must get on.
+
+"We don't want civilisation, Nat, or the works of man; we want to go far
+away into the wilds."
+
+"But don't you mean to go to Malacca, uncle?"  I said.  "That is where
+so many birds come from."
+
+"I did think of going there, Nat; but I want to get to less-frequented
+spots, and I have found to-day a great prahu that is going right away to
+the Ke Islands, which will be well on our route to Aru and New Guinea.
+The Malay captain says he will take us, and tow our boat behind."
+
+"Our boat, uncle?"
+
+"Yes, Nat; while you have been staring about at the heathen I have been
+busy looking out for a boat, and I have found one that I think will do.
+Come and see."
+
+I went with him to a creek outside the busiest part of the town, where
+the principal part of the people seemed to be fishermen, and here, after
+threading our way amongst dozens of clumsy-looking boats, my uncle
+showed me one that I should have thought would be the last to suit us.
+
+"Why, you don't admire my choice, Nat!" he said smiling.
+
+"It is such a common-looking thing, and it isn't painted," I replied.
+
+"No, my boy, but it is well varnished with native resin.  It is Malay
+built, very strong, and the mast and sails are well-made, though rough;
+better still, it will carry us, and a man or two for crew if we like,
+and give plenty of room for our treasures as well."
+
+"But it is differently rigged to the boats on the Thames, uncle," I said
+disparagingly.
+
+"Naturally, my boy," he said laughing; "but the sails will require the
+same management."
+
+"And what an anchor, uncle!"  I said.  "Why, it is made of bamboo and a
+stone."
+
+"We can easily buy a small grapnel and some cord, Nat," he said smiling;
+"and when you have found out how our boat will sail, you will think
+better of it, I am sure."
+
+On the following day but one we were on board the prahu surrounded by
+fierce-looking Malays, every man being armed with his kris, and looking
+as bloodthirsty a lot as I thought I had ever seen.  Our boat was towing
+behind as the men used long oars to get us out of the port, and then the
+great matting sails were hoisted, and we began to go swiftly through the
+surging sea.
+
+"There, Nat," said my uncle gleefully, "good-bye to civilisation, for we
+are fairly off.  How do you feel now?"
+
+"I was thinking, uncle, suppose that, now they have us safely on board,
+and away from all help--"
+
+"They were suddenly to rise up, draw their knives, which are said to be
+poisoned, Nat."
+
+"Yes, uncle, and stab us."
+
+"Rob us," he said laughing.
+
+"And throw us overboard, uncle."
+
+"Ah!  Nat; suppose they did.  What would Uncle Joe say?"
+
+"It would kill him, uncle," I said, with tears in my eyes.
+
+"And Aunt Sophy?" he said.
+
+"Well, I don't know about Aunt Sophy," I replied; "but I hope she would
+be very sorry."
+
+"Ah! well, you needn't be nervous, Nat, for I don't think the Malays are
+such bloodthirsty fellows as people say; and our captain here, in spite
+of his fierce aspect, is very gentlemanly and pleasant."
+
+I could not help looking at our captain, whom Uncle Dick called
+gentlemanly, for to my eyes he seemed to be a fierce savage, with his
+scarlet kerchief bound round his head, beneath which his dark eyes
+seemed to flash angrily.
+
+"Shall you keep your loaded gun with you always, uncle, while we are
+with these people?"  I said.
+
+"No, my boy, certainly not," he replied; "and you may take it for
+granted, Nat, that even the most savage people are as a rule inoffensive
+and ready to welcome a white man as a friend, except where they have
+been ill-treated by their civilised visitors.  As for the Malays, I have
+met several travellers who have been amongst then and they all join in
+saying that they are a quiet superior race of people, with whom you may
+be perfectly safe, and who are pleased to be looked upon as friends."
+
+"But I thought, uncle," I said, "that they were very dangerous, and that
+those krises they wore were poisoned?"
+
+"Travellers' tales, my boy.  The kris is the Malay's national weapon
+that everyone wears.  Why, Nat, it is not so very long since every
+English gentleman wore a sword, and we were not considered savages."
+
+We had rather a long and tiresome voyage, for the prahu, though light
+and large, did not prove a very good sea-boat.  When the wind was fair,
+and its great sail spread, we went along swiftly, and we were seldom for
+long out of sight of land, coasting, as we did, by the many islands
+scattered about the equator; but it was through seas intersected by
+endless cross currents and eddies, which seemed to seize upon the great
+prahu when the wind died down, and often took us so far out of our
+course one day, that sometimes it took the whole of the next to recover
+what we had lost.
+
+So far, in spite of the novelty of many of the sights we had seen, I had
+met with nothing like that which I had pictured in my boyish dreams of
+wondrous foreign lands.  The sea was very lovely, so was the sky at
+sunrise and sunset; but where we had touched upon land it was at ports
+swarming with shipping and sailors of all nations.  I wanted to see
+beautiful islands, great forests and mountains, the home of strange
+beasts and birds of rare plumage, and to such a place as this it seemed
+as if we should never come.
+
+I said so to Uncle Dick one day as we sat together during a calm, trying
+to catch a few fish to make a change in our food.
+
+"Wait a bit, Nat," he said smiling.
+
+"Yes, uncle, but shall we see wonderful lands such as I should like?"
+
+"You'll see no wonderful lands with giants' castles, and dwarfs and
+fairies in, Nat," he replied smiling; "but before long I have no doubt
+that I shall be able to show you beauties of nature glorious enough to
+satisfy the most greedy imagination."
+
+"Oh! of course I did not expect to see any of the nonsense we read of in
+books, uncle," I said; "only we have been away from home now three
+months, and we have not got a single specimen as yet, and I want to
+begin."
+
+"Patience, my boy, patience," he said.  "I am coming all this distance
+so as to get to quite new ground.  So far we have not landed on a tropic
+island, for I shall not count civilised Singapore; but very soon we
+shall take to our own boat and coast along here and there, landing where
+we please, and you shall have nature's wonders and natural history to
+your heart's content.  Look there," he said softly; "there is a
+beginning for you.  Do you see that?"
+
+He pointed down into the gloriously blue clear water, illumined by the
+sunshine, which made it flash wherever there was the slightest ripple.
+
+"Yes, I can see some lovely little fish, uncle," I said.  "Why, they are
+all striped like perch.  There's one all blue and scarlet.  Oh!  I wish
+I could catch him."
+
+"No, no; farther down there, where those pink weeds are waving on that
+deep-brown mass of coral.  What's that?"
+
+"Why, it's a great eel, uncle.  What a length! and how thin!  How it is
+winding in and out amongst the weed!  Is it an eel?"
+
+"No, Nat; it is a snake--a sea-snake; and there is another, and another.
+They are very dangerous too."
+
+"Are they poisonous, then?"  I said.
+
+"Extremely.  Their bite is often fatal, Nat, so beware of them if ever
+you see one caught."
+
+We had a fine opportunity for watching the movements of these snakes,
+for several came into sight, passing through the water in that peculiar
+waving manner that is seen in an eel; but a breeze springing up soon
+after, the sail filled out, and once more we glided rapidly over the
+beautiful sea.
+
+I call it beautiful sea, for those who have merely looked upon the ocean
+from our own coasts have no conception of the grandeur of the tropic
+seas amongst the many islands of the Eastern Archipelago, where the
+water is as bright as lapis lazuli, as clear as crystal, and the
+powerful sun lights up its depths, and displays beauties of submarine
+growth at which the eye never tires of gazing.
+
+It used to worry me sometimes that we had not longer calms to enable me
+to get down into the little boat and lie flat, with my face as close to
+the water as I could place it, looking into what was to me a new world,
+full of gorgeous corals and other Zoophytes, some motionless, others all
+in action.  Scarlet, purple, blue, yellow, crimson, and rich ruddy
+brown, they looked to me like flowers amongst the singular waving weeds
+that rose from the rocks below.
+
+Here fishes as brilliant in colours, but more curious in shape, than the
+pets of our glass globes at home, sailed in and out, chasing the insects
+or one another, their scales flashing every now and then as they turned
+on one side or dashed up towards the surface and leaped clean out of the
+water.
+
+In some places the sand was of a beautiful creamy white and as pure as
+could be, Uncle Dick saying that it was formed out of the corals which
+were being constantly pounded up by the waves.
+
+But whenever the breeze rose I had to be quickly on board again, and on
+we sailed till, after a long dreamy voyage, we came one morning in sight
+of some mountains; and as we drew nearer I could see that the rocks rose
+straight up from the sea, which, calm as it was, sent up columns of
+spray where the waves broke upon the solid stone.
+
+"There, Nat," said my uncle, "that is our present destination."
+
+"What! that rocky place, uncle?"  I said, with a tone of disappointment
+in my voice.
+
+"Yes, my quick young judge," he said laughing.  "Wait till we get closer
+in," he continued, using his glass; "or no, you can see now; look, Nat."
+
+He handed me the glass, and as I looked through, my heart seemed to give
+a great throb, for the lovely picture I gazed upon seemed to more than
+realise my dreams.
+
+For what at a distance looked to be a sunlit rocky shore, proved through
+the glass to be a land with lovely shaped trees growing to the edges of
+the cliffs, which were covered with wonderful shrubs and creepers.  Even
+the rocks looked to be of beautiful colours, and every here and there I
+could see lovely little bays and nooks, edged with glistening white
+sand, upon which the crystal water played, sparkling like diamonds and
+sapphires in the sun.
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried.
+
+"Well, Nat, will that place do for a beginning?"
+
+"How soon can we get ashore?"  I cried excitedly in answer.
+
+"In a couple of hours, now, Nat; but I said will this place do?"
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried, "it was worth coming all the way to see.  I could
+wander about there for months.  Shall I get the guns out of the cases?"
+
+"Gently, gently," he said laughing; "let's get into harbour first."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
+
+I FIND THE BLACK WAYS STRANGE.
+
+We were not very long in getting to the harbour, a snug landlocked cove
+where the great prahu in which we had come could lie well protected from
+the rollers.  Our passage in was made easy, as the great sails were
+lowered by the men in a couple of canoes, who paddled out, shouting and
+singing, and splashing the water; and then, after ropes had been made
+fast to their sterns, they paddled away again, drawing us steadily
+inshore.
+
+I began to wonder directly whether these would be anything like the
+savages who came to Robinson Crusoe's island; but a moment's reflection
+told me that Juan Fernandez was supposed to be his island, and that was
+on the other side of the world.
+
+"Well, Nat, what do you think of our visitors?" said my uncle, as I
+leaned over the prow of our vessel and watched the men in the canoe.
+
+"I was thinking, uncle, that it can't cost them much for clothes," I
+said, laughing.
+
+"No, Nat," he replied, joining in my mirth; "but do you see how
+different they are to our sailors here?"
+
+"Yes, they are blacker, uncle, and have different shaped noses, and
+their hair curls instead of being straight."
+
+"Good!" he exclaimed; "that's the way to become a naturalist.  Observe
+everything.  You are quite right; we are going to leave one race of men
+now, Nat, the Malays, to travel amongst the Papuans, a people who are
+wonderfully different in every way."
+
+I felt a little nervous at first on going ashore, for we were surrounded
+by quite a crowd of fierce-looking blacks, all chattering,
+gesticulating, and pressing on us in their eagerness to get close up,
+but I soon found that it was only excitement and delight at seeing us
+among them, and that they wanted to barter ornaments and shells, for
+tobacco and sugar, or knives.
+
+They were just like children, and though, had they been so disposed,
+they could have overpowered us and taken possession of everything we
+possessed in an instant, nothing seemed farther from their thoughts.
+
+The captain of the prahu came ashore with us, and we explained to one of
+the chief men that we wanted to have a hut on shore and stay with them
+for a time, and his countenance expanded into a broad grin of pleasure,
+one which seemed to increase as we both shook hands with him, and uncle
+gave him a handful of tobacco, and I a small common one-bladed knife.
+
+He looked at both in turn, and then seemed puzzled as to what he ought
+to give us in exchange, while, when he was made to understand that they
+were presents and nothing was wanted back, he attached himself to us,
+and very soon we found ourselves the possessors of a very dark, little
+well-thatched hut, with no windows, and nothing to close the door, but
+it answered our purpose in giving us shelter, and to it the chief
+willingly helped with a couple of dozen of his men, in getting our
+chests, boxes, and stores.
+
+The next thing was to find a place for our boat, which was towed ashore
+behind a canoe; and on the chief understanding the want, he very soon
+pointed out to us a shady nook where it could be run ashore and beached
+in safety, away from the waves, he helping himself to make the rope fast
+to a large cocoa-nut tree.
+
+This done, the chief walked, or rather strutted, round our boat, and
+looked under it, over it, and about it in all directions, making
+grimaces expressive of his disgust, and ending by kicking its sides and
+making derisive gestures, to show that he thought it a very poor boat
+indeed.
+
+The prahu was going away the next day, so a busy scene of trading went
+on till night, when the captain sought us out, and in his broken English
+enquired very earnestly whether we had landed everything, including
+sundry stores which my Uncle Dick had purchased of the Scotch merchants
+at Singapore, they being able to tell him what was most likely to find
+favour amongst the savages with whom we should have to deal.
+
+In answer to a question, the Malay captain assured us that we might feel
+quite safe amongst the Ke islanders, and also with those in the Aru and
+neighbouring isles; but he said that he would not trust the men of New
+Guinea, unless it was in a place where they had never seen white men
+before.
+
+He promised to be on the look-out for us as he was trading to and fro
+during the next year or two, for my uncle assured him that we should be
+about that time among the islands, and with the promise to meet us here
+in a year's time if we did not meet before, and to come from Singapore
+provided with plenty of powder and shot for our use, and ready to take
+back any cases of specimens we might have ready, he parted from us with
+the grave courtesy of a Mohammedan gentleman.  The next time we saw him
+was in the morning, as he waved his scarlet headkerchief to us from the
+deck of his prahu, which was floating away on the current, there being
+barely wind enough to fill the sails.
+
+Some very beautifully shaped canoes filled with the naked black
+islanders paddled out for some little distance beside the prahu, singing
+and shouting, and splashing the sea into foam with their paddles, making
+it sparkle like diamonds in the glorious morning sunshine.
+
+But after a while my uncle and I, in spite of the delightful sensation
+of being ashore in such a glorious climate, began to feel so very human
+that we set to and made a fire; then I fetched water from a spring in
+the rock that ran over in a cascade towards the sea, and after rigging
+up three pieces of bamboo, gypsy fashion, the kettle soon began to sing,
+the coffee was measured out, a box dragged outside the hut door to act
+as a table, and just as the canoes approached the shore we began upon
+biscuit, a couple of toasted red herrings, of which we got a couple of
+boxes at Singapore, and what seemed to me the most delicious cup of
+coffee I had ever tasted.
+
+"There," uncle said to me at last, "we are regularly launched now, Nat.
+Those Malays were not savages, but people of law and order.  Now we are
+left alone in the wilds indeed."
+
+"Yes, uncle, and here come the black fellows," I said with my mouth full
+of biscuit.
+
+In fact, as soon as they had run their beautiful canoes up on to the
+sands they were starting in a body to come and look at us; but there was
+a loud shout and some gesticulating, and we saw one tall savage
+flourishing a spear, when they all went off in other directions, while
+the savage with the spear came sidling towards us in a slow, awkward
+way, keeping his face turned in the opposite direction, but gradually
+coming nearer.
+
+"I hope he does not mean to throw that spear at us, Nat," said my uncle.
+"Where did the others go?"
+
+"They seemed to go into the woods there," I said.
+
+"Humph!  And they might get round to the back of our hut," said my
+uncle, looking rather uneasy.  "But we will not show any distrust.  Have
+you recognised that chief this morning?"
+
+"I think this is he, uncle," I said, "but I can't see his face."
+
+"Well, we will soon see," said my uncle, as we went on with our
+breakfast, and kept on watching the black till he came about fifty yards
+away, apparently searching for something amongst the shrubs and plants
+with the handle of his spear.
+
+"Shout at him, Nat," said my uncle.
+
+"Eh?"
+
+The savage must have seen us from the first, but he looked up, then
+down, then turned himself and _gazed_ in every direction but that in
+which we were; and I shouted again, but still he would not look our way.
+
+"He is shamming, Nat, like a very bashful boy," said Uncle Dick.  "He
+wants us to ask him to breakfast.  Hallo!  Get my rifle, Nat; I can see
+a lot of heads in the trees there.  No, sit still; they are only boys."
+
+The savage evidently saw them at the same moment, for he made a rush
+towards the dark figures that were stealing from tree trunk to tree
+trunk, and we saw them dash away directly out of sight, after which the
+savage came sidling in our direction again.
+
+"Hi!"  I shouted, as the childish pantomime went on, and the savage
+stared in all directions as if wonder-stricken at a strange noise coming
+he knew not whence, and ending by kneeling down and laying his ear to
+the ground.
+
+"Hi!"  I shouted again; but it was of no use, he could not possibly see
+either us, our chest, our fire, or the hut, but kept sidling along,
+staring in every direction but the right.
+
+"Go and fetch him, Nat, while I toast another bloater.  We'll give him
+some breakfast, and it will make him friendly."
+
+I got up and went off, wondering what Uncle Joe and Aunt Sophia would
+have said to see me going to speak to that great spear-armed savage, and
+for a moment I wondered what would happen if he attacked me.
+
+"Uncle Dick would shoot him dead with his rifle," I said to myself by
+way of comfort, and I walked boldly on.
+
+Still he would not see me, but kept sidling on till I got close up to
+him and gave him a smart spank on his naked shoulder.
+
+In an instant he had spun round, leaped to a couple of yards away, and
+poised his spear as if to hurl.  Then, acting his astonishment with
+great cleverness, his angry countenance broke up into a broad smile, he
+placed his spear into the hollow of his left arm, and stepped forward to
+shake hands, chattering away eagerly, though I could not understand a
+word.
+
+"Come and have some breakfast," I said, and he chattered again.  "Come
+and have some breakfast," I shouted; and then to myself: "How stupid I
+am!  He can't understand."
+
+So I took him by the arm, and pointed towards where my uncle was
+watching us with his rifle leaning against the table; and I knew that he
+must have been looking after my safety.
+
+The savage stared here and there and everywhere, but he could not see my
+uncle till I dragged him half-way to the fire and pointed again, when he
+uttered a shout of surprise, as much as to say, "Well, who would have
+thought of seeing him there!"
+
+He then walked up with me, grinning pleasantly, shook hands, and looked
+astonished as we pointed to the ground for him to sit down.
+
+He seated himself though, at last, after sticking his spear in the sandy
+earth, and then watched us both as I spread some salt butter out of a
+pot on a piece of biscuit, and then handed him over some hot coffee,
+which I made very sweet, while my uncle, after shaking hands, had gone
+on toasting the bloater upon a stick of bamboo.
+
+"Don't give him the coffee too hot, Nat," said my uncle.  "There, that's
+done, I think."
+
+"I could drink it myself, uncle," I replied, and we placed the food
+before our guest, pointing to it, but he kept on shaking his head, and
+put his hands behind him.
+
+"Perhaps he thinks it is not good, uncle," I said, after we had several
+times partaken of our own to set him an example.
+
+"Or that it is poisoned," said my uncle.  "Taste it to show him it is
+good, Nat."
+
+I took up the tin mug of coffee and tasted it twice, then broke a piece
+off the biscuit, put a little of the herring upon it, and ate it, the
+savage watching me closely the while.
+
+Then his face broke into a broad smile once more, and he made believe to
+have suddenly comprehended that the food was meant for him, for, taking
+a good draught of the coffee, he leaped up, tossing his arms on high,
+and danced round us, shouting with delight for quite a minute before he
+reseated himself, and ate his breakfast, a good hearty one too,
+chattering all the while, and not troubling himself in the least that we
+could not understand a word.
+
+"I'm sorry about one thing, Nat," my uncle said.  "He would not eat that
+food because he was afraid that it was poisoned."
+
+"Well, wasn't that right of him, uncle?"  I said, "as we are quite
+strangers."
+
+"Yes, my boy; but it teaches us that he knows what poison is, and that
+these savages may make use of it at times."
+
+Our black guest looked at us intently whenever we spoke, and seemed to
+be trying to comprehend what we said, but began to laugh again as soon
+as he saw that we observed him, ending by jumping up and shaking hands
+again, and pointing to the rifle, seizing his spear, holding it up to
+his shoulder, and then making a very good imitation of the report with
+his mouth.
+
+He then pointed to a bird flying at a distance, and laughed and nodded
+his head several times.
+
+"That relieves us of a little difficulty, Nat," said my uncle.  "The
+Malay captain seems to have told him why we have come; but there is
+another difficulty still, and that is about leaving our stores."
+
+"It seems to me, uncle, that what we ought to do first is to learn the
+language."
+
+"Yes, Nat, and we must.  It would be more useful to us now than your
+Latin and French."
+
+"Yes, uncle, and we shall have to learn it without books.  Hallo! what's
+he going to do?"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER NINETEEN.
+
+OUR VERY BLACK FRIEND.
+
+The reason for my exclamation was that our visitor suddenly began to
+drag the chest we had used for a table into the hut, and after this he
+carried in the kettle, and two or three other things that we had had
+out, the rifle included; after which, as we watched him, he patted us
+both on the chest to call our attention to what he was going to do, and,
+picking up his spear, he thrust it down into the ground close up to the
+doorway, its point standing up above the thatch.
+
+"What does he mean by that, uncle?"  I asked.
+
+"I think I know, Nat," he replied; "but wait a minute.  This fellow is
+no fool."
+
+For after calling our attention to what he was going to do, he ran off
+into the jungle; and as we watched the spot where he had disappeared, he
+peered at us from behind a tree trunk, then from another, and another,
+popping up in all sorts of out-of-the-way places where we least expected
+to see him, and then suddenly creeping out on hands and knees from among
+some bushes, raising his head every now and then as if looking to see if
+he was watched, and again crawling on towards the hut.
+
+Just in the midst of the pantomime he became aware of what we had seen
+before, about a dozen boys coming cautiously through the forest, when,
+jumping up in a rage, he dashed at them, and they disappeared, he after
+them, to come back panting and continue his performance, hiding and
+creeping out again, and going nearer and nearer to the hut.
+
+"I say, uncle, isn't this all nonsense?"  I said.
+
+"No, my boy.  He can't talk to us to make us understand, so he is trying
+to show us something by signs."
+
+As he spoke the black crept on and on, rising to his knees and peering
+round to see if he was watched, and at last, having arrived within half
+a dozen yards of the hut, he rose and made a dash for the door, making
+believe to see the spear, stuck up there like a sentry, for the first
+time, and then stopping short, uttering a howl of dread, and shivering
+all over as he crept crouching away, holding out his hands behind him as
+if to ward off a blow.
+
+Then suddenly springing up, he ceased acting, looked at us, and laughed.
+
+"Why, what does he mean, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"I know," said Uncle Dick quickly; and pointing to some of the savages
+down on the shore he went up to the door of the hut, and made as if to
+go in, but stopped and pointed again to the savages at a distance.
+
+The black nodded and laughed, danced about with delight, and then
+pointing to the savages himself he ran to the door, and came shivering
+and crouching away once more as if too much alarmed to go in.
+
+"It is all right, Nat," said my uncle; "he is evidently a chief, and he
+means that no one will dare go into the hut while his spear is stuck
+there.  We have made a friend."
+
+All this time the savage was looking sharply from one to the other, as
+if to make sure that we comprehended him; and then, seeing that we did,
+he made signs for us to follow him, talking excitedly the while.
+
+We walked with him to a grove of cocoa-nut trees, passing a number of
+the people as we passed through, but no one attempted to follow us; and
+after about a quarter of an hour's walk he led us to a roughly-built
+palm-thatched shed, where we could hear the sounds of chopping and
+hammering, and on entering we found, to our surprise, that the shed was
+far larger than we had expected, and that in it were four men busy at
+work making a boat similar to one that lay there evidently but lately
+built.
+
+Our new friend pointed to the finished boat, and we looked it over at
+once to find that it was beautifully made and perfect, with its oars,
+anchor, mast, and sail, and finished with such neatness that I began to
+wonder what tools the man must use, while my wonder was increased upon
+my uncle pointing out to me the fact that there was not a single nail in
+the whole boat, which was entirely put together by means of wooden pegs,
+and fastened with thin bands of rattan cane.
+
+The black noticed our appreciation of the boat, and had we felt any
+doubt before of his power, it was silenced at once, for, giving his
+orders, the boat was half carried, half run down over the soft sand out
+into the pure blue water, when he signed to us to enter, leaped in
+afterwards, and we were run right out by the men.
+
+The breeze was light, but strong enough for the boat, and the sail being
+hoisted, away we went upon the long rollers, rising and falling so
+easily that I could not help thinking how clever these islanders must
+be.
+
+"Why, Nat," said my uncle, "we ought to have waited until we came here,
+for this boat is worth a dozen of the one I bought.  It is so light and
+buoyant, and suited to the seas we are on.  It will hold quite as much
+as our own, and be stronger and far easier to manage."
+
+All this time the black was watching him intently, striving to
+understand his words, but shaking his head in a disappointed manner from
+time to time.
+
+We had a fair trial of the boat, and became each minute better
+satisfied.  Sometimes my uncle steered, sometimes I, and always to find
+that the light vessel went over the roughest rollers like a cork, and
+without shipping a drop of water.
+
+My uncle managed as well that we should run along the coast, so as to
+see something of the country, with the result that I grew quite excited
+by my desire to land and see some of the wonders of the place; and at
+last the boat's head was put about and we ran back.
+
+Now, however, the black chief took the rudder in hand, and ran us ashore
+on the top of a great roller, which left us high and dry upon the soft
+white sand, our companion jumping out and pulling us beyond reach of the
+next wave with the greatest ease.
+
+The spot he had chosen was close to the boat we had brought from
+Singapore, up to which our companion had walked, kicking it with a look
+of contempt; and I must say that I could not help feeling ashamed of the
+rough, common, clumsy-looking thing, after our ride in that from which
+we had just disembarked.
+
+Just then our companion shouted, and half a dozen blacks came racing and
+clattering to our side, taking charge of the boat, while we walked up to
+the hut, not without some misgivings as to the state of its contents.
+
+It was quite evident, though, that no one had been near it, and our
+companion, with a look of consequence that was very comical in a naked
+savage, took up his spear and stood aside while we entered and obtained
+our guns and ammunition.
+
+At this, however, he made signs indicative of his displeasure, shaking
+his head and pointing to the boat and then to our stores.
+
+"I shall have to trade for the boat," said my uncle; "and to tell the
+truth, Nat, I don't feel at all unwilling."
+
+So setting to, there was a long pantomime scene, in which my uncle
+offered the black chief our heavy, clumsy boat for the new, light,
+canoe-like vessel we had tried.
+
+The offer was refused with a show of disgust, but not so great as I
+expected; for, as I afterwards found, there were iron and copper
+fittings in our boat that were looked upon by the islanders as a great
+acquisition.  So then my uncle proceeded to lay in the boat a bit at a
+time the additions that he would give in exchange, his offerings
+consisting of showy cloth, brass wire, and axes, till the chief was
+satisfied and the boat was our own, after which he made signs for us to
+get our guns, and we started inland for our first shooting expedition, I
+with my pulses throbbing, and every nerve in a state of tension as I
+wondered what would be the first gloriously feathered trophy that I
+should secure.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY.
+
+AMONGST NATURE'S TREASURES.
+
+It was a land of marvels to me, as now for the first time I saw in all
+their beauty the tall cocoa-nut trees and other palms, like vast ferns,
+towering up on their column-like stems and spreading their enormous
+feathery leaves so gracefully towards the earth.  Then after a few steps
+we came upon bananas, with their long ragged leaves and mighty clusters
+of curiously-shaped fruit, with hundreds of other trees, such as I had
+never even heard of before, and among which, every now and then, we
+heard the sharp harsh cry of some bird of the parrot tribe.
+
+These cries set us both on the _qui vive_, but though we walked for some
+little distance we did not obtain a shot nor see a single bird, but we
+found that there was plenty of forest land full of vast trees with here
+and there patches of beautiful undergrowth, so that, as Uncle Dick said,
+it was only a matter of time.
+
+"I feel as excited over it, Nat, as you seem to be, my boy; for it is
+intensely interesting always to me, this search for unknown birds.
+What's that?"
+
+We stopped to listen, but could not make out what the noise was that
+kept falling upon our ears.  It was a kind of soft pleasant croak,
+ending in a kind of deep hum, sometimes coming from one direction,
+sometimes from another.
+
+"It can't be a bull-frog, Nat, for we are not near any marsh or water as
+far as I can see."
+
+"Are there tree bull-frogs, uncle?"  I said, "because that noise comes
+out of one of the tall trees.  Oh! look, there's a big bird," I cried,
+and raising my gun I took quick aim and fired, when far above us there
+was a heavy flapping noise of wings amongst the trees, and then silence.
+
+"A miss, or a hit too weak to bring him down, Nat," said my uncle
+smiling.  "Better luck next time.  Load again, my boy."
+
+I hastily reloaded, and we went on again, rising higher and higher over
+very difficult ground; and then we entered another grove of high trees
+and heard the same soft croaking noise as before.
+
+"Pigeons, Nat, without doubt," said my uncle.  "No other birds, I think,
+would have made that curious flapping of the wings."
+
+"But that bird I shot at was too big for a pigeon, uncle," I replied.
+
+"You'll find pigeons out here, Nat, four times as big as you have seen
+at home.  Look, my boy, on the top branches of that great tree there is
+quite a cluster of them.  Steal up softly; you round that way, I will go
+this.  We shall one of us get a shot, I dare say."
+
+I made a little circuit in obedience to my uncle's orders, and we crept
+up softly towards where a huge tree rose like a pillar to a tremendous
+height before sending out a branch, and there, just dimly seen in the
+soft twilight beneath the canopy of leaves, were several huge birds,
+which took flight with a great rattle of wings as we came near.
+
+There was the quick report of my uncle's gun, closely followed by mine,
+and one bird fell heavily to the ground, the others disappearing from
+view beyond the trees; but just then our companion uttered a shout and
+dashed on ahead, to return in a few minutes with a second bird which his
+quick eyes had detected as wounded, and he had seen it drop into a tree
+some distance off, and then fall, to lead him a long chase before he
+secured it and brought it back.
+
+Meanwhile we were both kneeling beside the first, which had fallen in a
+patch of open ground where the sun came down, and I shall never forget
+the delight with which I gazed at its wonderfully beautiful plumage.
+
+"A pigeon, you see, Nat," said my uncle; "and a fine one too."
+
+"Is that a pigeon, uncle?"  I said wonderingly.
+
+"To be sure it is, my boy, and--"
+
+_Crack_!
+
+"That was a thrush, if I am not mistaken."
+
+I ran and picked up a bird that he shot in the middle of his speech, as
+it flew over some low bushes, and brought it back in triumph.
+
+"No, uncle, it is not a thrush," I cried.  "It is a lovely blue and grey
+bird."
+
+"What is it, then, Nat?" he said, smiling.  "Have you forgotten all I
+told you about the representatives of our home birds being bright in
+colour?"
+
+"But I did not think a thrush could be all of a lovely pale blue,
+uncle," I said; "and I never saw such a pigeon as that.  Why, its back
+and wings are almost as green as those cuckoos--the trogons--and what
+beautiful feet and eyes!  Oh! uncle," I said, "I am glad we came."
+
+He smiled as he knelt down and carefully smoothed the feathers of the
+great pigeon, thrusting a little cotton-wool into its beak to soak up
+any moisture that might escape and damage the feathers.
+
+"We shall, I believe, find plenty of magnificent pigeons out here, Nat,"
+he said, as I eagerly watched his acts, so as to know what to do next
+time.
+
+"But I never expected to find pigeons, uncle, with gold and violet
+reflections on their feathers."
+
+"Why not, Nat," he replied laughing, "when in dull, foggy old England,
+where there is so little sunshine, the pigeons and doves have beautiful
+iris-like reflections on their necks and breasts?  Now for the thrush.
+There, Nat, that is a beauty.  I should have felt that I had done a good
+day's work if I had only secured that dainty prize with its delicately
+harmonious coat of soft grey and blue."
+
+"And it is a thrush, uncle?"
+
+"Certainly.  Look at the beak.  This is one of the Pittas or
+ground-thrushes, Nat, of which there are a good many out in these
+islands.  Some of them are, I believe, much more brightly coloured than
+this; but bright plumage is not all we want, my boy; it is new
+specimens, Nat.  We must be discoverers as well as collectors."
+
+By this time the lovely thrush was hung with the two pigeons carefully
+by the beaks to a long bamboo, and after we had explained to our black
+companion, by means of a little dumb-show, that he must carry the bamboo
+carefully, a task which, after a few skips and bounds to show his
+delight, he undertook to perform.  We went on again, trusting to him to
+find the way back through the wilderness of great tree trunks, some of
+which rose, without a branch, to a vast height above our heads, but only
+to make up for it afterwards, for the branches then clustered so thickly
+that all the sunshine was shut out, and we walked in the deep shadow,
+save where here and there we found an opening which looked quite
+dazzling by contrast.  Here it was that we found flowers growing, and
+saw traces enough of insects to make us determine to bring
+collecting-boxes another time, on purpose to obtain the glorious beetles
+and butterflies that we saw here and there.
+
+"Look, uncle," I cried; "there's another, and another.  Oh, if I had my
+butterfly-net!"
+
+For I kept seeing beetles of dazzling lustre, and butterflies marked
+with such brilliant colours, that I was ready to throw down my gun and
+rush off in chase.
+
+"Yes, this is a better collecting ground than Clapham Common, Nat," said
+my uncle.  "We ought to have plenty of pinning out to do to-morrow
+night.  To-day I hope to be busy enough making skins.  Hist!  Look at
+the black."
+
+I had just time to save the bamboo with the birds from being thrown down
+upon the ground by our companion, who went upon hands and knees, and
+crawled forward a short distance to the shelter of some bushes at the
+edge of a bright opening, where the sun poured down like showers of
+silver light.
+
+"He has found something," I whispered.
+
+"Then you run forward, Nat, and see.  Be cool, and take a good quick
+aim.  I'll mind the birds."
+
+He took the bamboo, and I ran forward to where the black was waving me
+on; but went more cautiously as I drew nearer, and a few moments later I
+was crouching in the shadow of the bushes at the edge of the opening,
+watching the objects at which the black was pointing.
+
+I knew by means of my ears what birds he had found, before I caught
+sight of them, for every now and then a harsh shrill scream was uttered,
+and before long I could see across the opening quite a little flock of
+beautiful scarlet lories busily feeding on the clustering fruit of a
+tall forest tree, which, being close to the sunny opening, was covered
+with leaves and twigs, from the top to the very ground.
+
+I was so utterly taken up by the beauty of the sight that I forgot all
+about my gun, but knelt there watching the lovely little long-tailed
+birds, climbing by the help of their beaks, in and out amongst the
+branches, sometimes hanging by their strong curved bills, sometimes head
+downwards by one or both legs, and always busily hunting for food.
+
+I had seen stuffed specimens before, but they seemed so poor and
+common-looking beside the velvety softness and brilliant colouring of
+these smooth-feathered, lively, rounded birds, and I kept on enjoying
+the sight to so great an extent that I am sure the flock would have
+escaped had not my black companion shook my arm violently, and pointed
+to my gun, when, recalling the object of my journey, I raised it, took
+careful aim, and fired.
+
+There was a shrill cry from the birds, and the flock took flight, but
+not until I had managed to get another shot, the result being that I
+secured three very beautiful specimens to take back to my uncle, showing
+them to him with a glow of pride.
+
+"I want to be of some use, uncle," I said, for I had been afraid that he
+would think I could not shoot.
+
+"Use, Nat! why, you shot one of those pigeons this morning."
+
+"Did I, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"To be sure, my boy.  At all events I did not, so it must have been
+you."
+
+He was delighted with the three specimens I had secured, and saying that
+these would be as many as he could comfortably preserve that day, we
+went on exploring more than collecting, in what was to me quite a
+fairyland of wonders.
+
+Perhaps long confinement on shipboard had something to do with it; but
+all the same, every place we came to had its beauties of some kind or
+another.  Now it was a noisy stream leaping from the rocks in a feathery
+cascade; at another time, a grove full of curious orchids.  Every now
+and then some lovely butterfly would start from flower or damp spot in
+the openings, but it was of no use to chase them then, my uncle said,
+for we had no means of preserving them.
+
+"Let's collect, Nat," he said, "and make a splendid set of cases of
+birds and insects; but let's have no wanton destruction.  I hate to see
+birds shot except for a purpose."
+
+"We shall have to look out, uncle," I said, laughing, "for it is hard
+enough work to walk on this ground; I don't know how we shall run."
+
+In fact, when we got back to our hut, after shooting a couple more
+pigeons, our shoes were showing already how sharp the rocks were that
+formed a great part of the ground over which we tramped.
+
+I almost wondered at my uncle shooting two more pigeons, as we had
+already a couple, but I found out the reason when we reached home, as we
+called it, to find that everything was in its place; no one apparently
+having entered the hut, from which our black guide now took his spear,
+and without another word hurried away.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
+
+FEEDING IN THE WILDERNESS.
+
+"I hope Master Ebony is not offended," said my uncle, wiping his face.
+"Perhaps it is only his way.  Now, Nat, get some sticks and make a good
+fire, while I lay the cloth and cook.  That's the evil of being alone,
+we have to prepare and cook for ourselves; but we'll have a treat
+to-day."
+
+I soon had a fire burning, and then watched Uncle Dick as with sharp
+knife and clever fingers he quickly skinned the four pigeons, placing
+their skins where they would not dry, and then busying himself over the
+birds.
+
+"Won't you have some dinner first, uncle?"  I said, for I was terribly
+hungry.
+
+"First?  No, my boy, not till we have cooked it.  You don't want to eat
+your birds raw, do you?"
+
+"What! are you going to eat those--those--"
+
+"Pigeons?" he said, as I hesitated.  "To be sure, Nat; why not?  Do you
+suppose that because birds have bright feathers they are not good to
+eat?"
+
+"Well, no, uncle," I replied, as I thought of pheasants, and that at one
+time people used to eat the peacock; "but these birds have green
+feathers."  It was a very stupid remark, but it seemed the only thing I
+could then say.
+
+"Ah! they'll be none the worse for that, my boy," he said, laughing, as
+he removed the birds' crops on to a great leaf which I held for him.
+"We'll examine those after dinner, Nat, so as to see on what the birds
+feed.  If I'm not mistaken they eat the large fruit of the nutmeg for
+one thing."
+
+"Then they ought to taste of spice, uncle," I said, laughing.
+
+"Wait a bit, Nat, and you'll see how good these fruit-pigeons are.  Now,
+cut with that great jack-knife of yours a good sharp pair of bamboo
+skewers, or spits, and we'll soon have the rascals roasting.  We can't
+eat the insects, but we can the birds, and a great treat they will be
+after so much shipboard food."
+
+"That they will be, uncle," I said, as the pigeons, each quite double or
+three times the size of one of our home birds, were stuck before the
+fire, and began to send out a nice appetising smell.
+
+"Then you won't be too prejudiced to eat them?" he said, laughing.
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I said, "I'm so hungry I could eat anything now."
+
+"Well done, Nat.  Well, my boy, as long as we get plenty of specimens to
+skin we sha'n't starve.  Turn that skewer round.  That's right; stick it
+tightly into the sand, and now let's have on a little more wood.  Pick
+up those old cocoa-nut shells and husks, and put on, Nat."
+
+"Will they burn well?"  I said.  "I was afraid of putting out the fire."
+
+"Splendidly, my boy.  The shells are full of oil, and will send out a
+capital heat."
+
+We were obliged to nibble a biscuit while we waited, and anxiously
+watched the frizzling and browning birds, for we were terribly hungry.
+
+"I hope they won't be long, uncle," I said.
+
+"So do I, Nat," he replied; "but what a splendid dining-room we have got
+out here!  Isn't it lovely, my boy, under this blue sky and shading
+trees?"
+
+"Hundreds of times better than going to a picnic at Bushey Park, uncle,"
+I said.  "But you talked of eating the birds we shot.  Thrushes would be
+good, wouldn't they?"
+
+"Delicious, Nat, only so very small."
+
+"But you wouldn't eat parrots, uncle, lories, and paroquets, and these
+sort of birds?"
+
+"Why not?" he replied, turning his skewer, while I imitated him, it
+seeming to be settled that we were each to have a couple of pigeons for
+our dinner.
+
+"I don't know why not, uncle," I said thoughtfully, "only it seems so
+queer to eat a Poll parrot;" and as I spoke I could not help thinking of
+poor Humpty Dumpty, and all the trouble I had had.  "It seems queer," I
+said again.
+
+"But why does it seem queer, Nat?" he said, smiling.  "Come, my boy, you
+must throw aside prejudices."
+
+"Well, you see, uncle, they have got such hooked beaks," I said, in a
+helpless sort of way.
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!" he laughed.  "Why, what a reason, Nat!  I might as well
+say I would not eat snipe, or woodcock, because it has such a long
+straight beak.  Turn your skewer, Nat.  They are beginning to smell
+maddeningly nice.  They're as fat as butter.  Nothing like a walk such
+as ours to give you an appetite.  There, take the big tin and go and
+fill it with Adam's ale."
+
+I ran to the rock pool and filled the tin with the cool clear water, and
+came back to the fire.
+
+"They'll soon be done, Nat," said my uncle.  "Yes, my boy, I should eat
+parrots, and shall eat a good many, I hope.  Why, look here, Nat, what
+do parrots eat?"
+
+"Sop and seed and sugar," I said.
+
+"Yes, when they are shut up in a cage at home, Nat; but fruit, my boy,
+in their native state.  There, you may take that as a rule, that all
+birds that live on seed or fruit are good for food."
+
+"And those that live on prey, uncle, are bad," I said.
+
+"Well, no; that won't do, Nat.  Parrots are delicious.  I've eaten
+dozens.  And so are some birds that live on small prey--ducks and geese,
+for instance, eat a great many live things; and the birds that live on
+insects are, some of them, very good.  I think we may say birds of light
+diet are all good, and draw the line at all carrion or raptorial birds.
+I should not like to eat hawk, owl, or anything of the crow family; but
+there is no knowing, Nat, what we might do if half-starved, and that's
+what I am now.  Nat, my boy, the birds are done.  Now for a glorious
+feast!  I'm sure I shall pick the bones of my two."
+
+"And I'm sure I shall, uncle.  I was never so hungry in my life."
+
+"Then now to begin, my boy; give me that tin plate and say grace, if we
+are in the wilds.  What's become of all the savages?"
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried, "here comes our guide.  He wasn't offended."
+
+"Thunder!" cried Uncle Dick, with a comical look of disgust; "he has
+come back to dinner."
+
+"Yes, uncle," I groaned, as I looked at the pigeons; "and he has brought
+two great hungry fellows with him."
+
+"Fetch the guns, Nat," cried my uncle in comical wrath; "let's fight in
+defence of our prey.  No, don't; we must bribe them with biscuits to
+go."
+
+Uncle Dick looked at me in a miserably resigned way, and it all seemed
+so droll that these blacks should come up just as we were preparing for
+such a feast, that I leaned back against the cocoa-nut tree by the fire
+and laughed till I cried.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
+
+COMPANY TO DINNER.
+
+I was wiping the tears from my eyes as Mr Ebony, as uncle called him,
+came up, carrying something in a great palm leaf, while his companions
+had something else in a basket.
+
+Mr Ebony was grinning tremendously.  Then he said something, and the
+two others went away, while our black guest, for that he evidently meant
+to be, sniffed at the pigeons, rubbed himself, and danced with delight.
+
+But we had wronged him, for he was not going to behave shabbily, for,
+taking the basket, he rolled out of it a dozen great fruit, half being
+cocoa-nuts, the other something nearly as large that I had never seen
+before.
+
+Then he nodded and grinned, and had another bit of a dance before
+unrolling the huge palm leaf, and showing us four good-looking fishes,
+each twice as big as a large mackerel, and so fresh that one was hardly
+now dead.
+
+Mr Ebony grinned and danced again, nodding at us both, and saying
+something in his tongue which sounded to me like, "Now we'll have such a
+jolly tuck-out;" but of course it was not that, though it evidently
+meant as much.
+
+The next minute with wonderful skill our visitor had cut some bamboos
+with a kind of adze he had in the cord round his waist, slit open and
+cleaned the fish with a sharp-pointed piece of wood, and then got each
+one stuck on a piece of bamboo to roast before the fire.
+
+He was like a man on springs; he did things so jerkily and quick,
+jumping up and rushing off, to come back laden with wood for the fire,
+some of which he carefully put on, and then nodded and grinned and
+rubbed himself.
+
+"Well, Mr Ebony," said my uncle, smiling, "you are really not a bad
+fellow after all; and as you have come to dinner in full dress I am very
+glad to see you, and let's fall to.  By all the rules of etiquette, my
+dear sir, soup comes first, sir.  We have no soup.  Fish follows next,
+but, my dear carbonaceous-looking friend, the fish is not done, while
+the pigeons are, so sit down.  Nat, my boy, give our honoured guest a
+tin plate and a biscuit.  Monsieur Ebony--pigeon?"
+
+As my uncle spoke he pulled up his bamboo spit, and, taking hold of the
+sandy end, he presented the other to our visitor, who took hold tightly,
+watching my uncle the while as he drew his hunting-knife, and, with a
+dexterous chop, divided the bamboo in two, leaving each with a pigeon.
+
+"Come, Nat, boy, fall to.  That other pigeon will have to be divided."
+
+Then there was silence as I helped myself to the great pigeon, and we
+began to eat with such a sense of enjoyment as I never felt before; but
+when my uncle and I were half through our pigeons Mr Ebony had finished
+his, and was casting furtive glances at the one still frizzling and
+browning before the fire in company with the fishes, which our guest
+carefully turned.
+
+"Give him the other pigeon, Nat," said my uncle, "and we will make up
+with fish;" so I offered it to our visitor, but he shook his head, and
+began chattering, pointing to the fish, which he kept turning; and as
+soon as one was done, looked with a good deal of natural politeness to
+see if we were ready; but as we were not, he threw his bones over his
+head--of course I do not mean his own bones, but the bones of the
+pigeon, which he had crunched up with his white teeth, like a dog, and
+began at once upon his fish.
+
+Leaving the fourth pigeon stuck upon the spit, we now in our turn each
+tried a fish, which Uncle Dick said were a kind of perch, and very
+delicious they were, especially with the addition of a little pepper, of
+which, after the first taste, our visitor showed himself to be very
+fond; and taken altogether, we made a most delicious repast, without
+thinking of the dessert which had yet to come.
+
+This our visitor commenced after he had eaten a second fish, chattering
+away to us, and opening the nuts with great skill, giving one to each of
+us, so that for the first time I tasted what cocoa-nut really was like.
+Not a hard, indigestible, sweet, oily kind of woody kernel fast round
+the shell, so that it was hard to get it off; but a sweet, soft pulp
+that we cut and scraped out like cream-cheese, while it had a refreshing
+slightly acid flavour that was most delicious.
+
+I never saw anyone before like our black friend, for no sooner did he
+see by our looks that we enjoyed his cocoa-nuts than he jumped up and
+danced, laughing with pleasure, but stopping every now and then to have
+a taste himself, till we had finished, when he took one of the other
+great nuts, which I saw were thorny, and marked down the sides with
+seams, as if ready for opening by means of a knife.
+
+"That is not cocoa-nut, is it, uncle?"  I said, looking curiously at the
+great wooden fruit, as the black proceeded to split it open with his
+hatchet, inserting the blade very cleverly so as to get it open, with
+the result that a very unpleasant odour arose.
+
+"It don't seem to be good, whatever it is," said my uncle.  "Why, it
+must be the durian, Nat," he said eagerly.  "I wanted to see that
+fruit."
+
+"But it does not seem good to eat, uncle," I said, as I looked at the
+portion given to me, which appeared to be full of a kind of custard with
+big seeds inside, about as large as a chestnut.
+
+"They say it is delicious," he replied, helping himself to a little with
+the blade of his knife.  "Taste away."
+
+I tasted, and he tasted, the black watching us attentively; and no
+sooner did he see the face I made than he became tremendously excited,
+jumping about, making smacking sounds with his lips, and rubbing himself
+to show how good it was.  Then, still seeing that we did not get on, he
+opened another, and taking half began to eat rapidly, dancing about with
+delight and rolling his eyes, to explain to us that he was having a most
+delicious feast.
+
+"Perhaps this is a better one," said my uncle, stretching out his hand
+for the untouched half, but upon tasting it he did not find it so
+satisfactory as that which we had, and we made a very poor dessert, as
+far as the durian was concerned, greatly to our friend's chagrin.
+
+The meal being at an end, we each took a hearty draught of the pure
+water, and offered the tin to our guest, but he shook his head and kept
+on making signs as he cried out:
+
+"Rack-rack-rack-rack!"
+
+"What does he mean, uncle?"  I said.  "Look, he is pretending to pour
+something into the water.  He means arrack."
+
+"Yes, and he will not get any, Nat--neither arrack nor brandy.  Those
+are for medicines, my boy; but go and get one of those small bottles of
+raspberry vinegar, and I'll give him some of that."
+
+The black watched me intently as I fetched the little bottle of rich red
+syrup, and kept his eyes upon his host, when, after emptying all but
+about half a pint of water out of the tin, my uncle poured out a
+table-spoonful of the syrup into the clear water and stirred it up,
+offering it afterwards to the black, who took it, smelt it suspiciously,
+and then handed it to me.
+
+I drank a portion, and found it so good that I finished it, to our
+guest's amazement and disgust; but the cup was soon replenished, and now
+he tasted eagerly, drinking it up, and then indulging in a fresh dance.
+
+"Now for work," said my uncle.  "Let's clear away, Nat;" and the remains
+of the dinner having been carried into the tent, the box of requisites
+was brought out, and with the black squatting down upon his heels to
+watch us attentively, I helped Uncle Dick prepare his first skins.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
+
+HOW TO PREPARE SKINS, AND GO FISHING.
+
+The process was very simple, for he took the thrush and the lories,
+inserted a sharp-pointed penknife just through the skin, and then with
+clever fingers turned the delicate skin back, taking care not to injure
+the feathers either by the moisture of the bird's flesh or by handling
+and roughening the plumage, the result being that he skilfully turned
+the skin inside out after cutting through the legs and wings, cleaning
+the bones of flesh, and leaving in the skull, after stripping the bird
+right to the beak.
+
+It was surprising how beautifully clean everything came away, so that
+when the fleshy side of the skin had been brushed over with moistened
+arsenical soap, the wing-bones tied together, the hollow of the skull
+and orbits of the eyes filled up with cotton-wool, and a ball of the
+same placed for the body, the skin being turned back over all and
+slightly shaken, a stranger would hardly have known that the flesh of
+the bird had been removed.
+
+There was no odour except the aromatic scent of the preserving soap; and
+when a little sugar-paper had been twisted up into which to thrust the
+bird's head and shoulders to keep the neck short, and the bird had lain
+in the sun for a few hours, it became quite stiff and dry, exactly like
+the skins with which I was familiar.
+
+Uncle Dick insisted upon my doing the thrush and one of the lories,
+while he did the pigeons, whose skins were so tender, and so covered
+with oily fat, that they required a great deal of care to keep the
+feathers unsullied.
+
+I set to work then, skinning my birds pretty readily from old
+practice, and after a little bungling I managed to make of them
+respectable-looking skins.
+
+"You'll soon improve, Nat," said my uncle, as we laid our specimens all
+together in the sun, the black nodding his approval at all we did; but
+the skins had not been lying there long, and our hands washed previous
+to putting on the kettle for tea, before our new friend jumped up in a
+great state of excitement, pointing to a reddish-brown streak that
+seemed to run from the wood nearly to where our specimens lay.
+
+"Ants!" exclaimed my uncle, darting to the skins, and shaking off a few
+of the enemies that had come to the attack; and it was not until we had
+contrived to make a little channel all round one of our boxes upon which
+the skins were laid, and connected it with the little spring of water,
+so that our treasure was surrounded by a tiny moat, that we could keep
+the insects away.
+
+Our black friend, who was evidently a great chief among his people, made
+no scruple about stopping to have some tea with us, watching the boiling
+of the kettle and our preparations with the greatest of curiosity, but
+always in a calm, composed way.
+
+"It is rather a nuisance always having him here, Nat," said my uncle;
+"but we should be bothered with a good many more if he were to go, and
+really he does not seem a bad sort of fellow."
+
+He certainly was not, for though he ate heartily of anything we gave
+him, he was as generous as could be, going off to return with men laden
+with fruit, fish, and a kind of sago, which was not at all bad boiled up
+and sweetened.
+
+I missed a good many things such as I had been used to, but so far it
+all seemed to be glorious fun, and that night I lay down to rest looking
+through the open doorway at the stars, breathing the soft warm air, and
+dropping off into a delicious sleep, to dream of home, and Uncle Joe in
+his garden, smoking his long clay pipe.
+
+I was awakened at daybreak by some one touching me, and on opening my
+eyes I started with dread as I saw a black face close to my own, and a
+grinning set of white teeth.
+
+I knew directly who it was, though, and getting up I saw that my uncle
+was still peacefully sleeping off the previous day's fatigue.
+
+I was going to rouse him, but Mr Ebony pulled me by the arm to come
+without waking him.
+
+My next movement was to get my gun; but again our black friend objected,
+pulling at me half angrily, and I accompanied him outside into the cool
+grey morning.
+
+I hesitated to follow him for a minute, thinking that I ought not to
+leave my uncle; but I could not help thinking that we were quite
+helpless amongst these savages if they chose to turn against us, and
+therefore all we could do was to cultivate their good-will.
+
+Mr Ebony, whose black mop of hair stood out more fiercely than ever,
+was watching me attentively, scowling fiercely, as I thought; but as
+soon as I prepared to follow him he began to grin and chatter away to
+me, keeping on repeating the word "_Ikan-Ikan_," till we were down in
+the half darkness by where the waves lapped the sand; and now I saw a
+good-sized canoe with half a dozen men waiting, all looking, with their
+paddles in their hands, like so many fierce black executioners, prepared
+to make an end of me.
+
+Mr Ebony signed to me to get into the boat, and feeling that perhaps
+they might be going to make a prisoner of me and take me to another
+island, I asked myself whether I ought not to resist; but seeing how
+useless it would be, I resigned myself to my fate, jumped into the
+canoe, Mr Ebony followed; and with no singing and splashing now, but in
+utter silence, we pushed off over the grey sea.
+
+"Where are we going, I wonder?"  I said to myself.
+
+"Ikan, Ikan," said Mr Ebony, shaking something in the bottom of the
+canoe.
+
+"Ikan! where's that, I wonder?"  I said to myself.  "Why, these are
+fishing-lines.  Ikan, fish," I exclaimed, pointing to the lines and then
+to the sea, making as if to throw in one of the lines.
+
+"Ikan, Ikan," cried Mr Ebony, grinning with delight, and then he
+touched my hands and the lines, and patted my back--dancing about
+afterwards till he nearly danced overboard, after which he became a
+little more calm, but kept on smiling in the most satisfied way, and
+shouting "Ikan, Ikan;" all the others saying it after him, as if highly
+satisfied, and when to please them I said "Ikan, Ikan," they uttered a
+shout, and I felt quite at home, and delighted at having come.
+
+I don't know how it was, but as soon as I felt satisfied that they were
+not going to do me any harm I began to learn how much they were all like
+a set of schoolboys of my own age, for big, strong, well-made men as
+they were, they seemed to be full of fun, and as young as they could be.
+
+They paddled swiftly out and away from the land, working hard to send
+the great canoe well along over the long rollers that we seemed to
+climb, to glide down the other side; and, with the exception of the
+heaving, slow rolling motion of the sea, all being deliciously calm, I
+thoroughly enjoyed my ride, especially as Mr Ebony, who was evidently a
+very big man amongst his people, had taken a great liking to me and kept
+on drawing my attention to every splash on the surface of the water, and
+then to the busy way in which he was preparing his coarse fishing-lines.
+
+I suppose there are some boys who never cared for fishing; but however
+cruel it may be as a sport, I must confess that I was always
+passionately fond of it, and now to be out on this tropic sea before
+sunrise, with the stars seen faintly here and there, the blacks keeping
+up a rhythmical motion of the paddles, and the water lapping up against
+the bow of the canoe, I felt an indescribable kind of delight that no
+words of mine will put on paper.
+
+I should think we paddled about a couple of miles, and then at a word
+from Mr Ebony the paddles were all laid in, and a line, with its great
+coarsely-made hooks formed out of well-sharpened pieces of brass wire,
+was handed to me, my guide showing me how to throw it over the side; not
+that I needed showing, for it seemed to come quite natural; and I began
+to think, as I passed the line over, of the sticklebacks on Clapham
+Common, and the occasional carp that we schoolboys used to catch.
+
+Mr Ebony grinned with satisfaction, and threw his own line over the
+side just as a splash behind me made me turn in time to see a rope
+running out rapidly, evidently attached to some kind of anchor.
+
+This checked the canoe, which was floating along so fast that it had
+begun to ride over our lines, which now, however, floated away upon the
+swift current.
+
+There was no noise or chattering now, but all the blacks sat or stood
+very quietly in the canoe, and I saw that three of them had long spears,
+barbed like hooks, and looking as if they were meant for catching fish.
+
+There was a good length of line in my hands, which I kept on paying out,
+as the sailors call it, just as Mr Ebony was letting out his till it
+was nearly all gone, and I saw that the end was tied to the edge of the
+canoe.  But still there was no sign of any fish, and I was beginning to
+stare about me, for just then a patch of golden light seemed to start
+out into view, and I could see that the tops of the mountains in the
+island were just catching the first rays of the sun, while the stars
+that had been looking so pale seemed to go out quickly one after
+another.
+
+"I wonder whether Uncle Dick is awake yet," I thought to myself, "and
+what he will say to my being away, and--"
+
+An exclamation from my black companion brought me back from my dreamy
+thoughts; not that it was necessary, for something else had roused me,
+and that was a sharp jerk at the line, which snatched it quite out of my
+hands, and had it not been fastened to the side of the boat I should
+have lost it.
+
+Mr Ebony was coming to my help, but seeing me dart at it again and,
+catching hold, begin to haul in and struggle hard with my fish, he
+rubbed himself and grinned, especially when he saw that I had to hang on
+with all my might to keep from being dragged out of the canoe.
+
+The next moment he had enough to do to manage a fish that had taken his
+bait, and to keep it from crossing my line so as to get them into a
+tangle.
+
+It was quite startling for the moment to have hold of so strong a fish,
+one which darted here, there, and everywhere; now diving straight down,
+now running away out to sea, and then when I thought the line must snap,
+for it made tugs that cut my hands and jerked my shoulders, I uttered a
+cry of disappointment, for the line came in slack, and the fish was
+gone.
+
+It puzzled me to see how coolly the others took it, but I supposed that
+they were used to losing fish from the badness of their tackle, and
+besides, there was evidently a big one on Mr Ebony's line to take their
+attention.
+
+"I wonder whether he has taken the hook," I thought to myself as I
+carefully drew in the line, coiling it neatly down between my legs, yard
+after yard, till I had pulled in at least fifty yards of the coarse
+cord, when, to my utter astonishment, there was a sudden check or rush,
+and the line began to run rapidly out again, my fish being still there,
+and I saw now that it had made a rush in towards the canoe, and then
+lain quite still close to the bottom till I had disturbed it by jerking
+the line as I hauled it in.
+
+The rest that it had had seemed to have made it stronger than ever, for
+it darted about at a tremendous pace, and I was still playing it,
+letting it run when it made fierce dashes, and hauling in the line
+whenever it grew a little slack, when there was a bit of a bustle by my
+side as Mr Ebony drew his fish close up to the side of the canoe, and
+one of the blacks darted a barbed spear into it and lifted it into the
+canoe.
+
+It was a beautifully-marked fish about three feet long, and as I glanced
+at it I wondered whether mine would be as big; and then I thought it
+must be bigger, it pulled with such tremendous force; but at last its
+struggles grew less and less powerful, and twice over I was able to draw
+it nearly to the surface, but only for it to dart away again, and I
+thought it was lost.
+
+It seemed to excite a good deal of interest amongst the savages, two of
+whom stood, one on either side of me, ready with their spears to make a
+thrust at the fish, and one of them stretched out his hand to take the
+line from me, but Mr Ebony uttered such a fierce exclamation, and
+caught so angrily at a paddle, that the man drew back, and after a long
+and gallant fight I at last drew my fish so close in that, just as it
+was in the act of dashing off again, a couple of spears transfixed it,
+and it was drawn over the side amidst a shout of triumph.
+
+Mr Ebony, who was the most excited of all, patting me on the shoulders
+and shaking hands most eagerly with one of the savages, took out the
+hook, the line was thrown over again, and I had time to examine my
+prize, a splendid fish, flashing with glorious colours in the morning
+light.  It was over a yard long, and very thick and round, while its
+glistening scales were as big as shillings at the very least; in fact I
+don't think I should exaggerate if I said that some in the centre rows
+were as large as two-shilling pieces, fluted and gilded, and some tinged
+with orange and glistening scarlet and green.
+
+So great was the delight of all on board that they began to dance and
+sing with such vigour that the canoe rocked about, and one man went head
+over heels out into the sea.
+
+I was horrified as I saw him disappear, but he was up again, grinning
+hugely, and slipped in over the side of the canoe like a great black
+eel, giving himself a shake to send the water out of his mop of hair,
+and then sitting down to watch us fish.
+
+For quite half an hour now we caught nothing, but it did not seem to
+matter, for there was so much to look at as the glorious sun rose over
+the sea, turning it into orange and gold; while, when I was tired of
+that, the beauty of the trees and mountains on the island, with the
+endless changes of light and shade, made my heart beat with pleasure as
+I thought of what a lovely home these savages possessed, and it seemed
+to explain to me why it was that they were all so childlike and happy.
+
+I caught another fish then of seven or eight pounds weight, different to
+the others, and Mr Ebony caught seven or eight quickly one after the
+other, I suppose out of a shoal, and then, laughing and chattering once
+again, the anchor, which proved to be a curious elbow, evidently the
+root of a tree, sharped at its points and weighted with a lump of coral,
+was hauled up, placed in the stern of the canoe, and we turned for the
+shore.
+
+"What a morning for a bathe!"  I thought, as we drew nearer; and
+starting up in the canoe when we were about a quarter of a mile from the
+land, I began to take off my things, meaning to swim ashore, where we
+were within a couple of hundred yards; but Mr Ebony stopped me, saying
+something I could not understand of course.
+
+"I'm going to swim ashore," I said, making believe to leap overboard,
+and then striking out with my arms; but my companions all chattered
+angrily, and Mr Ebony, to my horror, came at me, snapping at my arms
+and legs with his great white teeth, and looking terribly fierce, while,
+as I shrunk away, one of the blacks touched me on the back, and as I
+turned sharply, with Mr Ebony holding on to my trouser leg and
+apparently trying to tear out a piece, the black behind me pointed down
+into the clear water, now brightly lit-up by the sun, and I saw two long
+grey fish gliding slowly amongst the coral rocks, and I wanted no
+telling that they were sharks.
+
+I pointed to the sharks in my turn, shuddering as I thought of what an
+escape I had had; and not being able to express myself in language, I
+did what Mr Ebony had done to me, made a dash at his leg and pretended
+to bite it, not doing so, however, for I did not care to touch his great
+black limb with my teeth.
+
+He understood me, though, and chattered with delight, getting up and
+relieving his feelings by a short dance before settling down again and
+shaking hands.
+
+In another minute the canoe was run up on the beautiful soft sand, the
+savages leaping out into the shallow water and carrying it beyond reach
+of the waves, when I stepped out with Mr Ebony, who made one of the men
+pick up my fish and carry it before us in triumph to our hut, the others
+taking the rest of the fish towards the village.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
+
+A BUTTERFLY HUNT.
+
+"Why, Nat," cried my uncle, "I was beginning to be alarmed.  Been
+fishing, eh?" he said, as he shook hands with our black friend, who had
+evidently made up his mind to stay breakfast; for, seizing the big fish,
+he snapped off a couple of great banana leaves upon which to lay it, and
+the man who had carried it went away; but not until I had made him show
+his teeth by giving him a couple of biscuits and a handful of sugar.
+
+I explained to my uncle how I had been carried off that morning, and my
+feeling of alarm, and he nodded.
+
+"I don't think there is anything to be alarmed about, Nat," he replied,
+"so long as we do not in any way touch upon their prejudices; but what a
+splendid fish, Nat, my boy!  It must be a kind of mullet, I should say,
+by its soft mouth and the long barbs hanging from the corners of its
+chubby lips.  Yes, that's what it must be; but I'm sorry to say that I
+am very ignorant about fish."
+
+My uncle had not been idle, for he had made a good fire, the kettle was
+boiling, and we should have begun breakfast at once if it had not been
+for Mr Ebony's preparations.  He had lost no time, but had slit off
+some great chunks of solid fish, placing them on great bamboo skewers to
+roast, washing his hands afterwards with great nicety, and then scooping
+up the dry warm sand and letting it trickle over his fingers, palms, and
+wrists, until they were dry.
+
+"I have not been idle, you see, Nat," said my uncle, pointing to a newly
+made skin, that of a very lovely little green lory with a delicate
+peach-coloured head, the separation from the green feathers being marked
+by a deep black collar which gave the bird a neatness and beauty that
+was very attractive to the eye.
+
+But Mr Ebony was not satisfied with his contribution to the breakfast,
+for, striking me on the breast, pointing to the fire, and saying, "Ikan,
+Ikan, youf, youf," several times over, I repeated them to his
+satisfaction, understanding that he meant I was to mind the fish, and
+then he went off quickly.
+
+"Ikan," said my uncle, "that's the Malay word for fish, so I suppose
+they use some Malay words though their language is quite different."
+
+"Then he said, `youf, youf,' uncle."
+
+"Yes: youf must mean cooking or fire, which is api in the Malay tongue.
+But this fresh morning air gives me an appetite, Nat.  I hope he won't
+be long; turn the fish, my lad, it's burning."
+
+"No, uncle, it's only brown," I replied, altering the position of the
+great collops; "but how beautiful it smells!"
+
+"Yes, Nat, we want no fish sauces out here, my boy."
+
+"Where did you shoot that beautiful lory, uncle?"  I asked.
+
+"It was in that palm-tree close to us, Nat," he replied; "and now, while
+we are waiting, I'll put together a few boxes and the butterfly-nets and
+the cyanide bottle, ready for a start directly after breakfast."
+
+"Shall you take the guns, uncle?"
+
+"Only one, Nat, and we'll carry it in turn," he replied.  "This is to be
+a butterfly and beetle day, so we will not go far in any direction, but
+keep within reach of the camp so as to come back for food and rest.  It
+will save us from having to carry provisions."
+
+Just then we saw Mr Ebony coming towards us loaded with a basket of
+fruit, which he placed on the sand, and then after a dance round us he
+plumped down by the fire and picked out the skewers where the fish was
+most done, handing one to each, and our breakfast began.
+
+Mr Ebony thoroughly enjoyed his coffee with plenty of sugar, for he had
+no distrust now, but ate and drank as we did, laughing and talking all
+the while, and stopping every now and then to point to butterfly or bird
+that went by, eating a prodigious breakfast, but mostly of fish and
+fruit.
+
+Breakfast over, as soon as he saw us ready for a start he stuck his
+spear down again in front of the door, excited and eager to be off, and
+ready to draw our attention to the fact that one of us had no gun.
+
+We pointed, however, to the butterfly-nets and that satisfied him, and
+when we were ready to start I suggested to my uncle that we should put
+the uncooked remains of the fish and the fruit inside the hut so as to
+have them when we came back.
+
+"To be sure, Nat," he said, "I had forgotten them."
+
+But at the first attempt to remove them Mr Ebony stopped me, and
+uttered a loud, ringing cry, whose effect was to bring about a couple of
+dozen little naked black boys out of the jungle, where they must have
+been watching us, safely hidden all the time.
+
+To these comical-looking little objects the chief said a few words, when
+there was a rush, and the remains from our breakfast were carried off
+like magic, Mr Ebony pointing to the sea and to the trees as much as to
+say, "There is plenty more when we want it."
+
+We were not long in getting to work, for no sooner were we in the denser
+part of the island where the foliage grew thick and moist, than we were
+astounded at the number of little lizards that swarmed about, darting
+here and there and puzzling me at first as to what colour they were.
+One moment they seemed to be bright green, the next like a wriggling
+line of the most beautiful blue.
+
+I found out their colour, though, as soon as I had one in the
+butterfly-net, for while their bodies were of a brilliant green, their
+tails were a blue as pure as the sky.
+
+A couple of them were consigned to the spirit bottle for preservation,
+and then we tramped on, growing more and more delighted with the country
+the farther we went.
+
+For some time butterflies were absent, so we had to take to collecting
+birds, but hardly had we shot three different kinds of parrots, all of a
+most lovely colour, than we seemed to tumble upon the butterflies, and
+in the course of that one day we captured some of the most lovely
+specimens I had ever seen out of a museum.  Blue, yellow, black,
+crimson, no tint was wanting to make them attractive, and we went on for
+hour after hour, forgetting all about our dinner in the excitement of
+the chase, and filling our boxes before we thought of leaving off.
+
+Not only butterflies had been captured, but beetles of many kinds, most
+of them clad in armour that seemed to have been burnished, so brilliant
+were they in their green, purple, and violet when held up in the sun.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
+
+WHY EBONY WOULD NOT SAY GOOD-BYE.
+
+It was with feelings full of regret that we said good-bye to our black
+friend at the end of a month; for by that time the want of fresh
+specimens made my uncle say that it was time to be on the move.  We
+could have gone on shooting scarlet lories, nutmeg pigeons, and pittas
+as long as we liked, but that would have been wanton work, and uncle
+discovered that the neighbouring islands would, wherever we went, give
+us fresh supplies and present to us birds and insects such as we had
+never seen before, so at last we prepared to start, and with some little
+difficulty made Mr Ebony understand that we wanted a good supply of
+sago, fruit, and fish for our voyage.
+
+At first he could not understand that we were going right away, but as
+soon as he did comprehend our signs the poor fellow looked miserable,
+for he had regularly attached himself to us all the time of our stay,
+and he was inconsolable at the idea of our going.
+
+He helped us, however, to load our boat, and would have given us fish
+enough for twenty people would we have taken it; and at last, just after
+an early breakfast, we bade farewell to the beautiful island, and waving
+an adieu to the people, of whom we had seen very little, we turned to
+shake hands with our black friend, both my uncle and I having ready a
+present for him; mine being a handy little hatchet, my uncle's a large
+two-bladed knife.
+
+To our surprise, though, as we stood down on the sands he refused to
+shake hands with us, looking very serious and glum, and when we gave him
+our presents, thinking that they would bring a smile to his face, he
+took them quickly and threw them into the bottom of the boat.
+
+"It is a pity," said my uncle, "for I do not like the idea of parting
+bad friends, Nat, my boy.  I'd give something if I could speak to the
+poor fellow in his own language and tell him that we are not ungrateful
+for all his kindness."
+
+"I often wish we could speak in their own tongue, uncle," I said.
+
+"Yes, Nat, but it is next to impossible, for there are fifty or sixty
+different dialects spoken.  There, offer to shake hands with him again.
+You two were always such good friends."
+
+I offered my hand to the black chief, but he put his own behind him and
+pointed to the boat, as much, it seemed to me, as to say, "There, you've
+got all you want now; go away."
+
+My uncle tried with no better success, and as the natives were gathering
+about us we reluctantly got in where the beautiful canoe lay heaving on
+the sands as the great rollers came in.
+
+Everything was in readiness, our boxes snugly stowed, our provisions
+ready, our guns in their waterproof cases, the sail lay ready for
+hoisting, and all that was wanted now was to wait until a good wave came
+in and then shove off and ride out on it as it retired.
+
+The canoe was so large that I wondered whether we should be able to
+manage it ourselves; but I had full confidence in my uncle's skill, and
+it seemed to me that my help now ought to be of some use.  So I seized
+the pole that lay ready, and prepared to use it; but Mr Ebony, as we
+had somehow got into the habit of calling him now, said something to the
+little crowd on the sands, when, as he took the lead, eight or nine ran
+into the water, seized the boat by the sides, and ran her right out
+forty or fifty yards to where the water was up to their breasts, when,
+giving us a final thrust, away we went upon the top of a roller, my
+uncle hoisting the sail at the right moment, and we glided on.
+
+I had seized a great paddle used for steering and taken care to keep the
+boat's head right, laughing to myself the while, and wondering what my
+uncle would say when he turned round, for he was hauling up the sail and
+too busy to notice anything but his work.
+
+When at last he did turn round, just as we had glided lightly a good
+five hundred yards from the shore, he cried out: "Hallo!"
+
+For there, just in front of me, squatting down upon his heels and with
+all his white teeth displayed, was Mr Ebony, apparently quite at home,
+and without the slightest intention of going back.
+
+"Why, what does this mean?" said my uncle, and he pointed to the shore.
+
+But Mr Ebony had no intention of going, and if we had not learned much
+of his language, he had picked up something of ours, for he began to
+shout, "No, no, no, no, no," till he was out of breath, and laying
+himself down he took tight hold of one of the thwarts of the canoe, as
+if to say that he meant to cling to that if we tried to throw him over.
+
+"This is why he wouldn't shake hands, Nat," said my uncle.  "He couldn't
+swim ashore now, for the sharks, so I suppose he means to come with us.
+Let's see."
+
+My uncle pointed to the shore, but Mr Ebony shook his head, so Uncle
+Dick pointed right ahead eastward, in the direction we were going, and
+our black friend nodded, and jumping up danced about, grinning and
+muttering excitedly the while.
+
+"Well, Nat," said my uncle, "what's to be done?  He wants to go with
+us."
+
+"Can't we take him, uncle?"  I replied.
+
+"Oh yes, Nat, we can take him," he replied; "and he would be very
+useful.  Only it comes upon me like a surprise.  It is, of course, a
+good thing to have a black with us, for it will teach the people we come
+across that we are friendly, even if we cannot make them understand,
+though, I dare say, Ebony here will be able sometimes to act as
+interpreter."
+
+"Ebo-Nee, Ebo-Nee, Ebo-Nee," cried our passenger loudly; and he began to
+beat his chest to show that he comprehended whom we meant.
+
+Then touching me on the chest he cried with great eagerness, "Nat, my
+boy--Nat, my boy," looking delighted when we laughed; and to give
+further example of his powers as a linguist, he next touched my uncle as
+he had touched me.
+
+"Ung-go-Dit, Ung-go-Dit," he cried, finishing off by slapping his naked
+flesh, and shouting, "Ebo-Nee, Ebo-Nee."
+
+"Very good, Master Ebo-Nee," said Uncle Dick; "since you are so apt at
+learning, you may as well go on and pick up our words, for I quite
+despair of learning yours."
+
+The black was shrewd enough to see that we accepted his presence, and
+upon this he shook hands with us both twice over and then took the great
+paddle from my hand, steering and showing himself thoroughly skilful in
+the management of our canoe.
+
+My uncle pointed east as the course he wanted to go; but our crew, as we
+called him, rose in mutiny directly, pointing south, and handing the
+paddle back to me he grew very excited, saying, "Bird, bird," flapping
+his arms like wings and uttering screeches, whistles, and cries, before
+lifting an imaginary gun to his shoulder and uttering the word "Bang!"
+
+"That is plain enough to understand, Nat," said my uncle.
+
+"Yes," I replied; "he means that there are plenty of parrots and other
+birds on some island where he will take us."
+
+"Bird, bird," cried Ebo-Nee, as we called him henceforth, and he pointed
+south-west.
+
+"It does not much matter where we go, Nat," said my uncle, "so long as
+we visit islands where naturalists have never been before, so I shall
+trust to our friend here.  We can get to New Guinea at any time now, for
+it lies all along the north.  All right, go on then," said my uncle to
+Ebo-Nee, and he nodded and smiled, pointing to what looked like a mist
+upon the water far away.
+
+"Nat, ung, shoot," cried Ebo eagerly; "shoot, shoot, shoot."
+
+"Why, we shall have quite an English scholar on board soon, Nat," said
+my uncle laughing; and then in turns we held the sheet as the swift
+canoe glided over the sunlit waves till the island we had left began to
+grow dim in the distance and its mountains to sink, as it were, beneath
+the wave, while the place to which we were going grew less misty and
+indistinct.
+
+It was evidently very high land, and as we drew nearer we could see that
+right and left of it there were other islands apparently of goodly size.
+
+Mid-day came and we made a hearty meal, the canoe, urged by the soft
+brisk breeze, still gliding onwards till towards evening, when we were
+sufficiently near the land we approached to make out that it was very
+bleak and bare and sterile.  There was a ridge of mountains in the
+central portion, but as we examined the place with the glass it looked
+as blank and uninviting as could be.
+
+"Not a sign of an inhabitant," said my uncle.  "I'm afraid we have made
+a mistake, Nat; but perhaps one of the other islands may prove more
+inviting."
+
+He continued his inspection and went on talking.  "There are plenty of
+traces of sea-birds," he continued, "for the cliffs are covered with
+guano; but it is not their breeding season, and I cannot see a single
+bird.  But he is not making straight for the sands.  Why don't you try
+to land there?"
+
+Ebo shook his head, and then laughed and said, "No," steering the canoe
+to the left of the island.  And so we sailed on till it was so near
+sunset that it would be dark in half an hour, when our crew, who had
+evidently been here before, suddenly steered the canoe into a cove well
+sheltered from the rollers, and lowering the sail we ran her up on the
+soft sands quite clear of the sea, Ebo at once setting to work
+collecting dry drift-wood to make a fire.
+
+He pointed out a sheltered spot among some heaped-up rocks where the
+sand had been blown up by tempests into a soft bed, and here, after a
+very hearty meal well cooked over the fire Ebo had made, we lay down to
+sleep; my uncle having climbed to the top of the rocks and swept the
+island with his glass, returning to say that there was not a trace of a
+human being.
+
+We slept soundly and well out there in that little storm-swept island,
+but no storms disturbed us, and the first thing I heard after lying down
+was the crackling of wood as Ebo piled it up to make a good fire.
+
+As soon as he saw me awake he beckoned me to go to the boat, and there,
+taking the fish we had brought out of the basket, he smelt it, made me
+do the same, and then threw all but one small silvery fellow into the
+sea.
+
+"Hullo!" cried my uncle, "isn't that waste, Nat?" for he had advanced
+over the sands unheard.
+
+"I think so, uncle, but he means to catch some fresh."
+
+That was evidently Ebo's intentions, for he cut up the silvery fish into
+scraps for bait, and then signing to us to help him, we launched the
+canoe, paddled out half a mile, and then threw over a couple of lines,
+Ebo showing his teeth with delight as he drew in quickly a couple of
+good-sized mullet-looking fish, a couple more, and another soon coming
+to my line.
+
+But Ebo was not satisfied till we had caught five or six times as many
+as seemed necessary.  Then and then only did we paddle ashore.
+
+It was soon evident why Ebo had wanted so many fish, for after cleaning
+and setting enough for our breakfasts to roast, he prepared the rest and
+put them to cook while we made a hearty meal.
+
+This being ended my uncle rose.
+
+"Well, Nat," he said, "this seems a terribly sterile place, but we may
+as well have a look round; one finds good specimens sometimes in
+unlikely spots.  Let's get our guns."
+
+Ebo was watching us intently all the time, evidently trying to
+comprehend us and directly after he, to our utter astonishment, shouted
+out: "no gun; no shoot; no gun; no bird.  Boat, boat, boat, boat."
+
+He pointed to the canoe, and then right to sea again, and seeing us
+laugh he burst into a hearty fit himself, ending by dancing about and
+putting the freshly cooked fish on board, where we followed him and once
+more launched upon the tropic sea.
+
+It was plain enough that this was only a resting-place upon our way, for
+as soon as the sail was hoisted Ebo took the paddle and steered us
+south-west, leaving larger islands to right and left though nothing was
+visible ahead.
+
+"I suppose we must trust him, Nat," said my uncle; "but it does look
+rather wild work cruising these seas in an open canoe, quite at the
+mercy of a savage whose language we cannot speak."
+
+"But I think he must have been here before, uncle," I replied.
+
+"No doubt about it, my boy."
+
+"Nat, my boy," cried Ebo laughing, for he had caught part of my uncle's
+speech.
+
+"Yes, he has been here before, and probably has touched at some place
+where he has seen, or thinks he has seen, plenty of birds.  At any rate,
+if the weather holds fair it will not be such a very difficult thing to
+run for some island for shelter."
+
+I had been thinking the same thing, that it seemed a very risky
+proceeding to sail right out to sea under the guidance of this savage;
+but there was so much romance and novelty in the idea of sailing away
+like Columbus in search of a new land, that I thoroughly enjoyed it, and
+the farther we sailed the more excited I grew.
+
+It was now plain enough why Ebo had insisted upon a good supply of fish,
+for we dined off it and then made our evening meal of the same, no land
+being in sight, and when at last the lower edge of the sun seemed to
+touch the crimson water, sending a path of light right to our canoe,
+whose sail it seemed to turn to ruddy gold, there was still no land in
+sight.
+
+My uncle stood up and used the glass, gazing straight before him in the
+direction that seemed to be our goal; but Ebo shook his head, and then
+closed his eyes and made believe to sleep, pointing to us in turn.
+
+"He wants us to lie down and sleep, Nat," said my uncle, "but it is out
+of the question;" and he shook his head.
+
+Ebo tried again and again to get us to lie down, but finding that we
+would not, he sat there laughing and looking as merry as could be,
+although there was no land in sight, and at last, when the sun was
+disappearing, he placed the paddle in my uncle's hand, pointing
+south-south-west as the course to be steered, after which he lay down
+and went off fast asleep.
+
+I sat talking to my uncle and holding the sheet, though the breeze was
+so steady it seemed to be quite unnecessary, while he steered the canoe
+onward through the darkness, taking the stars for his compass, till the
+motion of the boat and the darkness combined to send me off into a deep
+sleep.  I had closed my eyes and started up several times before, but
+this last time, when I opened my eyes again a was to see the black
+figure of Ebo seated there steering, with the sun just above the
+horizon, and my uncle stretched in the bottom of the canoe fast asleep.
+
+Ebo grinned as I stared at him, and then as I looked about I found that
+far away to the west there was land that we must have passed in the
+night, but still we were sailing on as it were into space.
+
+The water now was bright golden again, and the air felt delicious; but I
+began to wish that we were at our journey's end, and pointing ahead I
+tried to learn from our steersman how much farther he was going to take
+us.
+
+His reply was to point straight ahead, and we were still speeding on,
+when, after five or six hours' sleep, my uncle jumped up into
+wakefulness, ready to partake of the waiting meal of cold fish,
+biscuits, and fruit; the coffee, which in a case like this I made by
+means of a spirit-lamp, being kept in abeyance for a time.
+
+"Well, Nat," he said, "is our wild-goose chase nearly at an end?  Is
+land in sight?"
+
+"No, uncle," I said, after gazing carefully ahead.  Just then Ebo
+pointed to the telescope, and made signs to my uncle to use it.
+
+"Look through?" he said to the black.  "All right, my friend, I will;"
+and placing it to his eye as he stood up in the boat he cried to me as I
+eagerly watched him, "Land ahead, Nat, and apparently a wooded shore!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
+
+AN UNKNOWN ISLAND.
+
+By the time we had made a hearty meal Ebo pointed with triumph to the
+faint hazy speck in the distance, now growing minute by minute plainer
+to our eyes.
+
+Ebo watched our countenances very intently, and then suddenly broke out
+with:
+
+"Bird--shoot--bird."
+
+"He seems to have brought us here under the impression that it is a good
+place, Nat, and I trust it will prove so," said my uncle.  "I hope there
+will be no unpleasant savages to hinder our work."
+
+As we drew nearer the glass was frequently brought to bear, but neither
+my uncle nor I could detect any sign of habitation, not even when we
+were within a quarter of a mile of the shore; but, to Uncle Dick's great
+delight, the place proved to be densely wooded in some parts, while the
+lofty hills looked green and park-like, with the large trees dotted here
+and there.
+
+The beach was a soft white sand, upon which the waves curled gently
+over; and not twenty yards from the highest marks made by the tide, the
+tall palms, loaded with fruit, drooped their great feathery leaves.
+
+As far as we could see the island was not large, but the interior was
+very mountainous, the green hills running up to a great height, for the
+most part well-clothed with wood; and to our great delight, as we ran
+the boat cautiously upon the sand, we could hear the screams of parrots
+and the whistling and twittering of innumerable birds.
+
+"We may as well be prepared against danger," said Uncle Dick, loading
+his gun, and I followed suit; but Ebo began to chatter and expostulate
+with us for leaving the boat, and signed to us to help him run it up on
+the next wave well ashore, so that a rope could be made fast round the
+nearest palm stem.
+
+This we did, and the black's next movement was to collect wood for a
+fire.
+
+To humour him we waited about while he lit the fire, but kept making
+little incursions amongst the openings to see if we could spy out any
+signs of human habitation.
+
+But look where we would we saw nothing, and it soon became evident that
+we were the only occupants of that part of the island.
+
+Ebo seemed so satisfied and contented that it was very evident that
+there was nothing to fear; so we obeyed his signs after we had helped
+him to make a good fire, and followed him through an open park-like
+piece of the country till we were about half a mile from the sea, when
+his object in guiding us was plain enough, for he pointed out a little
+flock of half a dozen pigeons, as big, it seemed to me, as ordinary
+fowls, and getting within range we fired together, and shot four.
+
+Ebo rushed forward in triumph, and I followed, to regret that I had not
+attended to Uncle Dick's instructions about reloading, for I could have
+obtained a specimen of a curious great black parrot or cockatoo, I could
+not quite see which, as it flew across an opening.
+
+But we secured the birds we had shot, and going back my uncle and I set
+to and skinned them, handing over the bodies to Ebo to cook, while we
+carefully preserved the skins, admiring them all the while.
+
+For they were of a rich warm slate colour, and each bird bore a delicate
+grey crest upon his head, which gave him a noble look, making each bird
+seem a very prince among pigeons.
+
+Handsome as was the appearance of the birds, they were none the less
+delicious in the eating.  No doubt our open-air life had a good deal to
+do with the keen enjoyment we had in eating the birds we shot; but
+feeding as these pigeons did on spices, nuts, and other sweet food, the
+flavour given to their flesh was very fine.
+
+Dinner over, we were for an expedition; but Ebo protested loudly.
+Taking an axe and beckoning us to follow we accompanied him to a patch
+of bamboo, and helped him to cut down a good selection of stout pieces,
+and after them a number of lengths of rattan cane, which grew here in a
+wonderful way.  I had seen it growing before, but never to such
+perfection; for it seemed to run up one tree and down another, running
+along over the bushes for a short distance and then ascending another,
+till Uncle Dick computed that some of these canes were quite a hundred
+yards long.
+
+It was very evident what Ebo meant, and he was telling us all the time,
+though not a word could we understand, as we helped him.
+
+"As we are to make a hut for shelter, Nat, I suppose he expects us to
+stay here for some time, which is a good sign, for he evidently knows
+that there are plenty of specimens to be had."
+
+"Do you think any naturalist has been here before, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"I hardly dare think such a thing, Nat," he replied; "but I cannot help
+feeling hopeful.  As I judge it this seems to be an island to which he
+and his fellows have sailed some time or another, and it is possible
+that European foot has never trodden here before."
+
+"Let's hope it is so, uncle," I said; "and then, what a collection we
+shall get!"
+
+"You will make me as sanguine as you are yourself, Nat," he said
+laughing; and then we began to be too hot and busy to talk much, for
+after carrying the bamboos and rattans to the edge of the forest, just
+beneath a widely spreading tree, in whose branches every now and then
+some beautiful lory came and perched, but only to fly off screaming, Ebo
+began to build.  Sharpening four stout bamboos and forcing them into the
+soft sandy soil for the four corners of the hut, he very soon bound as
+many more to them horizontally about five feet from the ground, tying
+them in the cleverest way with the cane.
+
+Then he tied a couple more across at each end, and laid a long stout
+bamboo in the forks they made for a ridge-pole, binding all as strongly
+as could be with an ingenious twist, and after that making rafters of
+smaller bamboos, so that in a couple of hours he had made the rough
+framework.
+
+Towards the latter part of the time, in obedience to his instructions,
+which were given by word of mouth and wave of hand, Uncle Dick and I cut
+a great number of palm leaves of a very large size, with which Ebo
+rapidly thatched the hut, making by the time it was dark a very rough
+but very efficient shelter, where we lay down to sleep that night upon a
+pile of soft dry grass, of which there was any quantity naturally made
+into hay and close at hand.
+
+We were so tired out that night that we did not trouble ourselves about
+there being no sides to the hut, being only too glad to have a roof to
+keep off the dew, and, trusting to there being no dangerous wild beasts,
+we followed Ebo's example, lying down and sleeping soundly till the sun
+was once more above the sea.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.
+
+FRESH TREASURES.
+
+Ebo set to work earnestly to finish the hut, binding down the palm
+leaves of the thatch with more long canes, which he cleverly threaded in
+and out, and afterwards secured their ends.  Then he cut off the long
+ends of the bamboos so as to leave all tidy before commencing the sides.
+
+My uncle was as anxious as I was to go upon some expedition; but as
+there was no shelter to be obtained here, and it became more and more
+evident that we were upon an uninhabited island, he saw the necessity
+for having our boxes and stores under a roof.
+
+So we set manfully to work helping the black, cutting bamboos, bringing
+large palm leaves, fetching long rattan canes, and handing them to him;
+while, saving when he left off for meals, Ebo toiled like a slave,
+working with an industry that we should not have expected to find in an
+inhabitant of one of these sleepy isles.
+
+At last, though, he finished, and his childish delight seemed to know no
+bounds.  He danced and shouted, ran in and out, walked round the hut,
+and then strutted up to us full of self-satisfaction, his tongue going
+all the while, and evidently feeling highly delighted at our smiles and
+words of praise.
+
+No time was lost in transferring our boxes and stores beneath the roof;
+and then, as it wanted quite three hours to sunset, my uncle proposed,
+by way of recompense for all our drudgery, that we should take our guns
+and see if we could not obtain a few specimens.
+
+Ebo looked delighted, and, without being told, obtained a short piece of
+bamboo ready for carrying the birds we shot.
+
+Then, taking his spear out of the canoe, he smiled to show how ready he
+was; but Uncle Dick took him by the arm and led him up to the door of
+the hut.
+
+"Put your spear there, as you did before, to keep off all visitors,
+Master Ebo," he said; and he accompanied his request with signs to
+express what he wished.
+
+Ebo understood him at once, and made as if to stick the spear in the
+ground before the door, but he stopped short and shook his head, ran a
+few yards, and peered in amongst the trees; turned round and shook his
+head again; ran in another direction and peeped about, coming back
+shaking his head again.
+
+Ebo's motions said as plainly as could be:
+
+"There is nobody here but ourselves," and as if to satisfy us he led the
+way to a high hill about a mile away, from whence we had a splendid view
+all but in one direction, where there lay a clump of mountains.  Look
+which way we would there was nothing but rich plain and dense jungle,
+with occasional patches of park-like land.  Not a sign was there of
+huts, and once more Ebo looked at us and shook his head, counting us
+afterwards in his own way--one, two, three, and then tossing his arms in
+the air.
+
+"We are in luck, Nat," said my uncle.  "This island must swarm with
+natural history specimens, and he has brought us here because he thought
+it a good place; so now to make the best use of our time.  Look out!"
+
+As he spoke he raised his gun and fired at a bird darting down a narrow
+rift between two rocks that looked as if they had been riven asunder.
+
+I thought he had missed it, but Ebo ran ahead and returned directly with
+a most lovely kingfisher in glorious plumage.
+
+"If we get nothing more in this island, Nat, I shall be satisfied," said
+my uncle as we gazed at the lovely creature which Ebo had brought; and
+seeing the satisfaction in our faces he indulged in another dance.
+
+"Yes," continued my uncle, patting Ebo's black shoulder, "you are a
+treasure, Ebo, and I see we shall be greatly in your debt.  Now, Nat, we
+must not have a feather of that bird spoiled.  I feel ready to go back
+on purpose to prepare it."
+
+It was indeed a lovely creature; but as I gazed upon its delicately
+beautiful tints I felt puzzled.  It was of rich purple on the back, with
+azure-blue shoulders dashed and speckled with a lighter blue, while all
+the under parts were of a pure white, which seemed to throw out the rich
+colours of the back.  But the great beauty of the specimen was its tail,
+which was long and had the two centre feathers continued almost without
+any plumes till the end, where they spread out like a couple of racket
+bats, making the little bird in all about a foot and a half long.
+
+I felt as if I should never tire of gazing at the beautiful specimen,
+and quite understood my uncle's feeling about wishing to make sure of it
+by preserving it at once.
+
+Just then, though, a large bird flew across, at which I fired, but it
+was too far distant, and the shots did no more than rattle about its
+feathers.
+
+"Did you see its great beak, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"Yes, Nat, a hornbill.  I daresay we shall find plenty of them here.
+They take the places in the East of the toucans of the West.  But now,
+Nat, there is an easy shot for you--look!  Ebo is pointing to it.
+There, seated on that twig.  Now see he darts off after a fly and is
+back again.  No, he is off once more.  We have scared him."
+
+But by this time I had seen the bird, and taking quick aim as it hovered
+and snatched at a fly of some kind, I fired and brought it down, to find
+that I too had got a prize in the shape of a lovely little bee-eater,
+with plumage rich in green and blue, brown and black, while its tail was
+also rendered more beautiful by the extension of its central feathers in
+two long thin points.
+
+My uncle's gun spoke out again the next moment, the second barrel
+following quickly, and Ebo ran and picked up another of the lovely
+kingfishers, and one of a different kind with a rich coral-red beak,
+short tail, and its back beautifully barred with blue and black like the
+ornamental feathers in the wings of a jay.
+
+"That is a bee-eater you have shot, Nat, and a lovely thing too.  Mine
+are all kingfishers."
+
+"There must be a little stream down in that hollow between those rocks,
+uncle," I replied.
+
+"No, Nat, I don't suppose there is," he said, smiling.  "But why do you
+say that?"
+
+"Because of those kingfishers, uncle.  There must be a stream or pool
+somewhere near."
+
+"I daresay there is, Nat; but not on account of these birds, my lad.
+They are dry kingfishers, Nat.  They do not live upon fish, but upon
+beetles, butterflies, and moths, darting down and picking them off the
+ground without wetting a feather."
+
+"Why, how curious!"  I said.  "They have beaks just like the kingfishers
+at home."
+
+"Very much like them, Nat," he said; "but they catch no fish.  But come,
+we must get back to the hut, or we shall never get our birds turned into
+skins before dark.  Look out!"
+
+We fired so closely together that it sounded like one shot, and three
+more of the great pigeons fell heavily to the ground--part of a little
+flock that was passing over our head.
+
+Ebo seized them with a grin of delight, for he knew that these meant
+larder, and then hastening back we had just time to strip and prepare
+our skins before night fell, when, work being ended, the fire was relit,
+the kettle boiled, and a sort of tea-supper by moonlight, with the dark
+forest behind and the silvery sea before us, ended a very busy day.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.
+
+A BIT OF A SCARE.
+
+That night as I lay in the dark, with the beach outside lit-up by the
+moon, and listened to the strange noises of the forest behind the hut, I
+felt over and over again ready to awaken my uncle or Ebo, so sure was I
+that I could hear wild beasts on the move.
+
+Should there be tigers, or leopards, or even wild boars, what chance
+should we have if they attacked?  Or it might be that one of the huge
+serpents of which I had read so much might creep in at the open door.
+
+I wanted to be brave, but somehow that night I felt horribly afraid,
+even the humming buzz of some night-flying beetle making me start.
+Perhaps I was over-excited, or perhaps, as my uncle would have said, I
+had eaten too much.  At all events, be it what it may, I could not go to
+sleep, but lay there turning hot and cold and wishing it was morning.
+The silence seemed so dreadful, and the idea of this being an
+uninhabited island, instead of being delightful as it had felt in the
+bright sunshine, now appeared horrible, and I lay thinking of our being
+far from all human help, and that if our boat happened to drift away we
+should be left to starve.
+
+Of course this was all nonsense, for with such a clever savage as Ebo
+and our own ingenuity and tools we could have built another boat--not
+such a good one as we had arrived in, but quite strong enough to bear us
+over a calm sea to one or the other of the islands where trading vessels
+came.
+
+Then I grew hot and seemed to be dripping with perspiration, and my
+horror increased.  What would become of us when our food and powder and
+shot were gone?  We should starve to death.  And I began to tremble and
+wish I had not come, feeling as if I would give anything to be back at
+home in my old bedroom, with the gas outside in the road and the
+policeman's heavy foot to be heard now and then as he went along his
+beat on the look-out for burglars.  I should have been ready to meet
+Aunt Sophia the next morning and receive the severest scolding I had
+ever had--anything to be away from where I was.
+
+Then I tried to reason with myself and to think that even if our powder
+and shot were gone we could make bows and arrows, and set traps, and as
+food ran short we could always make fishing-lines and catch the scaly
+creatures that swarmed amongst the rocks all round the shore.  Besides
+which there were cocoa-nuts in plenty, with abundance of other fruit.
+
+I thought too of how when I was at home I should have revelled in the
+idea of being in such a place, to have an uninhabited island, and such a
+glorious one, far more beautiful and productive than that of Robinson
+Crusoe, than whom I should be far better off, for in addition to a man
+Friday I had my clever uncle for companion, guide, and protector.
+
+At the thought of the last word I stretched out my hand to awaken him
+and tell him of my horrible feeling of dread; but I drew it back for
+very shame, for what was there to be afraid of?
+
+I grew a little calmer then and lay gazing out of the open door at the
+brilliant moonlight, which made some leaves glisten as if they were of
+silver, and all beneath and amidst the thickets look dark and black and
+soft as velvet.
+
+Then came a strange sighing noise from the forest behind us, which made
+my flesh creep as I wondered what it could be.  Then there was a wild,
+strange cry, and soon after a heavy crash as of something falling.
+
+After that, as I lay bathed in perspiration and oppressed by the
+terrible feeling of loneliness that seemed to increase, I fancied I
+heard the pat, pat, pat, pat of some animal running along the ground,
+followed by a hard breathing.
+
+"That must be a wild beast," I said to myself; and I rose up on one
+elbow to listen, meaning to get hold of my gun and load it if the sound
+came nearer.
+
+Then in a confused and troubled way I began to ask myself whether I
+ought to awaken Uncle Dick and at the same time kick Ebo to make him
+seize his spear and help in our defence.
+
+But there are no big wild beasts in these islands, my uncle had said to
+me several times, even expressing his doubt as to there being anything
+very large in New Guinea.
+
+"But there are great apes," I said to myself.  "I know there are in
+Borneo, so why should there not be others in an island like this?" and
+in imagination I began to picture a hideous, great orang-outang
+cautiously advancing towards our cabin.
+
+I knew they could be very fierce and that they were tremendously strong.
+Then, too, some travellers had described them as being quite giants of
+six, seven, and eight feet high, and supposing that there really were no
+other wild beasts in this island, undoubtedly there were these wild men
+of the woods, as the Malays called them, and it was one of these that
+was coming about the hut.
+
+Of course; I knew now as well as if I had seen it.  That crash I had
+heard was made by one of these monsters, and that was its hard breathing
+that I could hear now.
+
+It was of no use that I tried to make myself believe that I was only
+listening to Ebo breathing, and every now and then indulging in a
+regular snore.  No, I would not believe it, and lay with my feeling of
+horror increasing each moment till I lay so helpless now, that if I had
+wanted to get my gun I could not, I dared not move.
+
+Then there was another horror in the shape of a curious lapping noise
+from the sea, with a splashing and wallowing as of some great beast; and
+I did know this, that horrible crocodiles came up the rivers and lived
+about their mouths, going out to sea and back, and though we had seen no
+river yet in this island, it was evident that this was one of the
+monsters crawling about on the shore, and I seemed to see it in the
+moonlight with its great coarse, scaly back, crooked legs, long stiff
+tail, and hideous head with sly cruel-looking eyes, and wide, long,
+teeth-armed jaws.
+
+After a while I knew as well as could be that with its strange instinct
+it would scent us out and come nearer and nearer, crawling along over
+the soft sand and leaving a track that could easily be seen the next
+day.  I even seemed to see its footprints with the wide-spread toes, and
+the long, wavy furrow ploughed by its tail.
+
+It was all one terrible nightmare, growing worse and worse; the noise on
+the shore increased, the rustling and crashing in the woods; there was a
+strange humming and buzzing all around, and the breathing sounded closer
+and deeper.
+
+At last when I felt as if I could bear it no longer, and that if I did
+not rouse my uncle and Ebo we should be destroyed, I tried to call out,
+but my voice sounded weak and faint; there was a terrible sense of
+oppression about me, and the humming and singing noise increased.
+
+I contrived, however, to touch Ebo, and he muttered angrily and changed
+his position, the noise he made in doing so waking my uncle, who started
+up on one elbow as if to listen.
+
+"He hears it all, then," I said to myself, and with a wonderful sense of
+relief I knew that we should be saved.
+
+Why did I not spring up to help him? you will say.
+
+Ah! that I could not do, for I lay there perfectly paralysed with fright
+and quite speechless, till to my horror I saw in the dim light of the
+reflected moonbeams my uncle lie down again, when I made a tremendous
+effort and gasped forth something or another, I cannot say what.
+
+"Hallo!" he exclaimed.  "Anything the matter, Nat?" and getting up
+quickly he struck a match and lit a little wax taper that he always
+carried in the brass match-box, part of which formed a stick.
+
+He was kneeling by my side directly and had hold of my hand, when at his
+touch my senses seemed to come back to me.
+
+"Quick!--the guns!"  I panted; "wild beasts!--a crocodile, an ape,
+uncle.  I have been hearing them come."
+
+"Nonsense! my boy," he said, smiling.
+
+"No, no; it is no nonsense, uncle.  Quick!--the guns!"
+
+"No, my dear boy, it is nonsense.  There are no noxious or dangerous
+beasts here.  You are quite safe from them.  You have been dreaming,
+Nat."
+
+"I've not been asleep," I said piteously.
+
+"Haven't you, my lad?" he said, with one hand on my brow and the other
+on my wrist; "then you have been fancying all these troubles.  Nat, my
+boy, you have got a touch of fever.  I'm very glad you woke me when you
+did."
+
+"Fever, uncle?"  I gasped, as the horror of my situation increased, and
+like a flash came the idea of being ill out in that wilderness, away
+from all human help and comfort; and, ludicrous is it may sound, I
+forgot all about Uncle Dick, and began to think of Dr Portly, who had a
+big brass plate upon his door in the Clapham Road.
+
+"Yes, my boy, a touch of fever, but we'll soon talk to him, Nat; we'll
+nip him in the bud.  A stitch in time saves nine.  Now you shall see
+what's in that little flat tin box I brought.  I saw you stare at it
+when I packed up."
+
+"I thought it was preserving things, uncle," I said.
+
+"So it is, my boy, full of preserving things, one of which you shall
+soon have for a dose.  I hope you like bitters, Nat?"
+
+He laughed so pleasantly that he seemed to give me courage, but I
+glanced in a frightened way at the opening as I said that I did not much
+mind.
+
+He saw my glance, and went outside with a cup in his hand, to come back
+in a few minutes with it full of water from a pool close by.
+
+"No wild beasts about, Nat, my boy," he said merrily.  "They were only
+fever phantoms."
+
+"But I have not been to sleep, uncle," I protested.
+
+"Sign that you are ill, Nat, because generally you drop off in an
+instant and sleep soundly for hours.  There are no wild beasts, my boy,
+in these islands."
+
+"But I'm sure I heard a great ape breathing hard, and it broke off a
+great branch in the forest."
+
+"And I'm sure, Nat, that you heard Ebo snoring; and as to the branch
+breaking, you heard, I dare say, a dead one fall.  They are always
+falling in these old forests.  We don't notice the noise in the day,
+when the birds are singing, but in the night everything sounds
+wonderfully clear."
+
+"But I'm certain I heard a crocodile crawling up out of the sea, and
+creeping towards the hut."
+
+"And I'm certain you did not, my dear boy.  We have no muddy tidal river
+here for them to frequent.  It was all fever-born, Nat, my boy; believe
+me."
+
+All the while he was talking I saw that he was busy getting something
+ready.  First he put a little white powder in a glass, then he poured a
+few drops of something over it, and filled it up with water, stirring it
+with a little bit of glass rod before kneeling down by me.
+
+"There, Nat," he said kindly, "drink that off."
+
+"What is it, uncle?"  I said, taking the glass with hot and trembling
+hand.
+
+"A preserving thing, my boy.  One of the greatest blessings ever
+discovered for a traveller.  It is quinine, Nat, fever's deadliest
+enemy.  Down with it at once."
+
+The stuff was intensely bitter, but my mouth was so hot and parched, and
+the water with it so cool and pleasant, that I quite enjoyed it, and
+drew a deep breath.
+
+"There, now, lie down again, my boy, and be off to sleep.  Don't fill
+your head full of foolish imaginings, Nat.  There is nothing to fear
+from wild beasts here."
+
+"But am I going to be very ill, uncle?"
+
+"No, certainly not.  You will sleep after that till three or four hours
+past sunrise, and then you will waken, feeling a little weak, perhaps,
+but in other respects all right.  Perhaps it will come back again, and
+if it does we will rout it out once more with some quinine.  Why, Nat,
+I've had dozens of such attacks."
+
+I lay back, feeling more at rest, and satisfied that uncle was right
+about the beasts, for there was no sound now to trouble me; only the
+lapping of the water, which seemed to be only the waves now beating
+softly upon the sand, while the heavy breathing was certainly Ebo's,
+that gentleman never having moved since I touched him.
+
+Then I saw my uncle shut up his little tin case and replace it in the
+chest, put out the wax taper, and lie down upon his couch of dry grass,
+yawning slightly, and then lying gazing out of the open door, for I
+could see his eyes shine.
+
+But by degrees the faintly lit-up hut, with its bamboos and roof, its
+chests, guns, and Ebo's spear, all seemed to grow indistinct, and then
+all was restful peace.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
+
+A STRANGE CRY IN THE WOODS.
+
+When I opened my eyes again the sea was dancing and sparkling, and the
+leaves waving gently in the soft warm breeze.  I could see from where I
+lay that the water was rippling gently upon the sand, and not far from
+the hut door my uncle was busy skinning some bright-plumaged bird, while
+Ebo was cooking a couple of pigeons, and watching a little kettle stuck
+amongst the glowing ashes.
+
+I was very comfortable, and did not feel disposed to move, for all
+seemed so calm and pleasant; and when I thought a little about my
+previous night's fancies I was ready to smile at them as being perfectly
+absurd.
+
+I did not speak, but lay quite still, gazing at the lovely picture
+framed by the open door, and thinking how beautiful it all was, and how
+foolish I had been to go on fancying such dangers as I had in the night.
+
+Then it was very pleasant, too, to watch Uncle Dick, and how very much
+quicker and cleverer he was at making a skin than I was.  Still, I hoped
+by practice to get to be as quick.
+
+He went on till he had dressed the interior of the skin with the soap
+preparation, and after filling certain parts with cotton-wool, and tying
+the wing-bones together, he turned it back, smoothed the plumage, and I
+saw that it was another of the short blue-barred kingfishers similar to
+that we had obtained before.
+
+I could not help noticing as I lay there so quietly what great care and
+attention he gave to his task, seeming as if he thoroughly enjoyed his
+work, and felt it to be a duty to do it well.
+
+At last, though, it was put away to dry, and after carefully washing his
+hands he came to the hut door very gently to see if I was awake.
+
+"Ah, Nat," he said smiling, "how are you after your long sleep?"
+
+"Long sleep, uncle!"  I cried.  "Is it very late?"
+
+"Nearly noon, my boy.  Well, how are you?"
+
+"I--I think I'm quite well, thank you, uncle," I said, springing up, and
+feeling ashamed to be lying there, but turning so giddy that I should
+have fallen had Uncle Dick not caught my arm.
+
+"Sit down," he said quietly.  "There, that is better."
+
+"Yes; I feel better now," I said.
+
+"To be sure you do.  Well, Nat, I think we have beaten the fever.  You
+will feel weak for a day or two, but you will soon be all right."
+
+And so it proved.  For after two or three days of weakness, and a
+strange weary feeling that was quite new to me, I rapidly got better and
+felt no more dread of being alone at night; in fact I slept soundly as
+could be, and got up ready and fresh for any new work.
+
+Uncle Dick was very kind, for until I was stronger he contented himself
+with shooting just about the hut, finding plenty of beautiful birds; but
+as soon as I was strong enough we prepared some cold provisions and
+started off for a longer exploration.
+
+Ebo was delighted, and capered about in the excess of his joy,
+chattering in his own tongue and introducing every English word he had
+picked up, and these began now to be a good many; but he had very little
+idea of putting them to a proper use, muddling them up terribly, but
+keeping in the most perfect humour no matter how we laughed at him.
+
+"It is my belief, Nat," said Uncle Dick, "that we shall find something
+better worthy of our notice yet if we make a good long expedition into
+the more wooded parts of the island."
+
+"I thought we could not be better off, uncle," I said, "for we are
+getting some lovely birds."
+
+"So we are, Nat; but one is never satisfied, and always wants more.  I
+expect we shall find some birds of paradise, for it strikes me that the
+cry I have heard several times at daybreak comes from one of them."
+
+"Birds of paradise!  Here, uncle?"  I cried.
+
+"Why not, my boy?  It is as likely a place as it is possible to imagine:
+an island near the equator, deeply wooded, and hardly ever visited by
+man.  I should say that we must find some here."
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried as my eyes glistened, and I felt my cheeks flush
+at the anticipation of seeing one of these noble birds before the muzzle
+of my gun.
+
+"I shall be greatly disappointed if we do not find some, and I should
+have been in search of them before now, only I thought you would like to
+go, and there was plenty of work close home."
+
+I did not say much, but I felt very grateful at his thoughtfulness, and
+the very next morning we were off before it was day, tramping through
+the thick herbage and mounting the rising ground towards the south.
+
+"I purpose trying to get right across the island to-day, Nat," he said,
+"and if we are too tired to get back all the way we must contrive enough
+shelter and camp out for one night in the woods."
+
+"I shall not mind, uncle," I said, and on we went.
+
+This time we had provided ourselves with light small baskets, such as we
+could swing from a cord that passed over our right shoulders, and long
+and deep enough to hold a good many specimens.  We all three bore these,
+Ebo's being double the size of ours, as he had no gun to use, but
+trotted easily by our side with his spear over his shoulder.
+
+Before we had gone two miles several lovely birds had fallen to our
+guns, principally of the thrush family, for our way was amongst bushes
+on the rising ground.
+
+It is impossible to describe properly the beauty of these lovely
+softly-feathered objects.  Fancy a bird of the size of our thrush but
+with a shorter tail, and instead of being olive-green and speckled with
+brown, think of it as having a jetty head striped with blue and brown,
+and its body a blending of buff, pale greyish blue, crimson, and black.
+
+We kept on, taking our prizes from the baskets, where they lay in
+cotton-wool, to examine and admire them again and again.
+
+No sooner had we feasted our eyes upon these birds than something as
+bright of colour fell to our guns.  Now it would be a golden oriole or
+some glittering sun-bird.  Then a beautiful cuckoo with crimson breast
+and cinnamon-brown back.  Then some beautifully painted paroquet with a
+delicate long taper tail; and we were in the act of examining one of
+these birds, when, as we paused on the edge of a forest of great trees
+by which we had been skirting, my uncle grasped my arm, for, sounding
+hollow, echoing, and strange, there rang out a loud harsh cry:
+"_Quauk-quauk-quauk!  Qwok-qwok-qwok_!"
+
+This was answered from a distance here and there, as if there were
+several of the birds, if they were birds, scattered about the forest.
+
+"There, Nat," said my uncle; "do you hear that?"
+
+"Yes," I said, laughing.  "I could hear it plainly enough, uncle.  What
+was it made by--some kind of crow?"
+
+"Yes, Nat, some kind of crow."
+
+"Are they worth trying to shoot, uncle?"  I asked.
+
+"Yes," he said with a peculiar smile; and then, as the cry rang out
+again, apparently nearer, he signified to Ebo that he should try and
+guide us in the direction of the sounds.
+
+The black understood him well enough, and taking the lead he went on
+swiftly through the twilight of the forest, for it was easy walking here
+beneath the vast trees, where nothing grew but fungi and a few
+pallid-looking little plants.
+
+And so we went on and on, with the trees seeming to get taller and
+taller, and of mightier girth.  Now and then we caught a glimpse of the
+blue sky, but only seldom, the dense foliage forming a complete screen.
+
+Every now and then we could hear the hoarse harsh cry; but though we
+went on and on for a tremendous distance, we seemed to get no nearer,
+till all at once Ebo stopped short, there was the hoarse cry just
+overhead, and I saw something sweep through the great branches a hundred
+and fifty feet away.
+
+I had not time to fire, for my uncle's gun made the forest echo, though
+nothing fell.
+
+"I missed it, Nat," he said, "for the branches were in my way; but I
+thought I would not let the slightest chance go by."
+
+"What was it, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"One of your crows," he replied, laughing; and Ebo went on again.
+
+Just then my uncle glanced at his compass, and saw that we were
+travelling in the right direction--due south--so it did not matter how
+far we went; but though we kept hearing the cries of the crow-birds, as
+I eventually called them, we saw no more, and felt disappointed for a
+time, but not for long; there were too many fresh objects for our
+notice.
+
+At last daylight appeared ahead, and we came out from amongst the
+trunks, which had risen up on every side of us like pillars, into a
+beautiful open valley dotted with trees, some of which were green with
+luxuriant branches right to the ground.
+
+We did not spend many moments gazing at the beautiful landscape, so
+lovely that I half expected to see houses there, and that it was the
+result of clever gardening; but it was nature's own work, and in every
+tree there were so many birds, and of such lovely kinds, that we seemed
+to have come to the very place of all in the world to make our
+collection.
+
+"There, Nat, look!" said my uncle, pointing to where, in the full
+sunshine, a great bird with a train of soft amber plumage flew across
+the opening, to disappear amongst the trees; "there goes one of your
+crows."
+
+"That lovely buff bird, uncle?"  I said; "why, it looked like what I
+should think a bird of paradise would be."
+
+"And that's what it was, undoubtedly, Nat," he said, "though I never
+before saw one on the wing."
+
+"But you said crow, uncle," I said.  "Oh! of course, you said the birds
+of paradise belonged to the crow family.  I wish you could have shot
+it."
+
+"It would have required a rifle to hit it at that distance, Nat; but
+wait a bit.  We have learned one thing, and that is the fact that we
+have birds of paradise here, and that satisfies me that we cannot do
+better than keep to our present quarters.  This place exceeds my highest
+hopes for a collecting ground.  There, look at that bird by the great
+hollow-looking tree."
+
+"I was looking at it, uncle.  It is one of those great birds with the
+big bill and a thing upon it like a deck-house."
+
+"Yes," said my uncle, "and there is something more.  Look, Ebo has gone
+on.  He seems to understand by our looks when he cannot make out our
+words."
+
+For Ebo had trotted forward towards the tree that had taken our
+attention, where the great hornbill had flown to a dead trunk some
+ten-feet from the ground, and then flapped away.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY.
+
+A CURIOUS MARRIED COUPLE.
+
+As Ebo reached the tree he turned back to us laughing and pointing with
+his spear, and then signed to us to come, though even when we were close
+up to him I could see nothing but a tiny hole in the trunk of the great
+tree.
+
+"It can't be a nest, uncle," I said, "because it is not big enough.
+Perhaps it is a wild bees' hive."
+
+"I don't know yet," said my uncle.  "I'm like you, Nat, a little bit
+puzzled.  If it were not so small I should say it was a nest from the
+way that great hornbill keeps flapping about and screeching."
+
+"Shall I shoot it, uncle?"  I said eagerly.
+
+"Well, no, Nat, I hardly like to do that.  If it is as I think, it would
+be too cruel, for we should be starving the young, and it will be easy
+to get a specimen of a hornbill if we want one, though really it is such
+a common bird that it is hardly worth carriage as a skin."
+
+Just then, to show us, Ebo began to poke at the hole with the point of
+his spear, and we saw the point of a bill suddenly pop out and dart in
+again, while the great hornbill shrieked and shouted, for I can call it
+nothing else, so queerly sounded its voice.
+
+"Why, it can't be the hornbill's nest, uncle!"  I said.  "Look how small
+it is."
+
+"Yes, it is small, but it is the hornbill's nest after all," said my
+uncle, as Ebo kept on poking at the hole and bringing down pieces of
+what seemed to be clay.  Then, seeing how interested we were, he took
+off his basket, lay down his spear, and taking a hatchet from his
+waistband cut a few nicks for his toes, and began to climb up, the big
+hornbill screeching horribly the while, till Ebo was level with the
+hole, from out of which the end of a bill kept on peeping.
+
+Then the hornbill flew off and Ebo began to chop away a large quantity
+of dry clay till quite a large hole was opened, showing the original way
+into the hollow tree; and now, after a great deal of hoarse shrieking
+the black got hold of the great bird that was inside, having quite a
+fight before he could drag it out by the legs, and then dropping with
+it, flapping its great wings, to the ground.
+
+"Undoubtedly the female hornbill," said my uncle.  "How singular!  The
+male bird must have plastered her up there and fed her while she has
+been sitting.  That was what we saw, Nat."
+
+"Then there must be eggs, uncle," I cried, with my old bird-nesting
+propensities coming to the front.
+
+But Ebo was already up the tree again as soon as he had rid himself of
+the great screaming bird, and in place of bringing down any eggs he
+leaped back to the earth with a young hornbill, as curious a creature as
+it is possible to imagine.
+
+It was like a clear leather bag or bladder full of something warm and
+soft, and with the most comical head, legs, and wings, a good-sized soft
+beak, a few blue stumps of feathers to represent the tail, and nothing
+else.  It was, so to speak, a horribly naked skin of soft jelly with
+staring eyes, and it kept on gaping helplessly for more food, when it
+was evidently now as full as could be.
+
+"Are there more birds?" said Uncle Dick pointing to the hole; but Ebo
+shook his head, running up, thrusting in his hand, and coming down
+again.
+
+"Very curious, Nat," said my uncle.  "The male bird evidently shuts his
+wife up after she has laid an egg, to protect her from other birds and
+perhaps monkeys till she has hatched, and then he goes on feeding her
+and her young one."
+
+"And well too, uncle; he is as fat as butter."
+
+"Feeding both well till the young one is fit to fly."
+
+"Which won't be yet, uncle, for he hasn't a feather."
+
+"No, my boy.  Well, what shall we do with them?" said my uncle, still
+holding the screeching mother, while I nursed the soft warm bird baby,
+her daughter or son.
+
+"Let's put the little--no, I mean the big one back, uncle," I said,
+laughing.
+
+"Just what I was thinking.  Climb up and do it."
+
+I easily climbed to the nest and was glad to get the young bird in again
+without cracking its skin, which seemed so tender; and no sooner had I
+rolled it softly in and climbed down than my uncle let the mother go,
+and so strong was her love of her young that she immediately flew to the
+hole and crept in, croaking and screaming in an uneasy, angry way, as if
+she was scolding us for interfering with her little one, while from a
+distance amongst the trees the cock bird kept on answering her with the
+noisiest and most discordant cries.
+
+Every now and then it came into sight, flying heavily across the
+openings between the trees, its great cream-coloured, clumsy-looking
+bill shining and looking bright in the sun, while the cries it uttered
+tempted one to put one's fingers into one's ears.
+
+And all the time the hen bird inside the tree kept answering it
+peevishly, as much as to say, Look here: what a shame it is!  Why don't
+you come and drive these people away?
+
+"This is one of the most singular facts in natural history that I have
+met with," said Uncle Dick, who was still gazing curiously up at the
+tree and watching the female hornbill's head as she kept shuffling
+herself about uneasily, and seemed to object to so much light.
+
+"I think I know what it is, uncle," I said, laughing.
+
+"Do you, Nat," he replied.  "Well, you are cleverer than I am if you do
+know.  Well, why is it?"
+
+"The hen hornbill must be like Uncle Joe's little bantam, who never
+would sit till she was shut up in the dark, and that's why Mr Hornbill
+fastened up his wife."
+
+My uncle laughed, and then, to Ebo's great delight, for he had been
+fidgeting about and wondering why it was that we stopped so long, we
+continued our journey in search of the birds of paradise, whose cries
+could be heard at a distance every now and then.
+
+But though we kept on following the sounds we seemed to get no nearer,
+and to make matters worse, so as not to scare them uncle said it would
+be better not to fire, with the consequence that we missed shooting some
+very beautiful birds that flitted from tree to tree.
+
+"We must give up the birds of paradise to-day, Nat," said my uncle at
+last.  "I see it is of no use to follow them; they are too shy."
+
+"Then how are we to get any?"  I said in a disappointed tone; for we had
+been walking for some hours now and I was tired.
+
+"Lie in wait for them, Nat," he replied smiling.  "But come, we'll try
+and shoot a few birds for food now and have a good dinner.  You will
+feel all the more ready then for a fresh walk."
+
+By means of a little pantomime we made Ebo understand what we wanted,
+and in a very little while he had taken us to where the great pigeons
+thronged the trees, many being below feeding on a kind of nut which had
+fallen in great profusion from a lofty kind of palm.
+
+If we had wanted a hundred times as many of the big pigeons we could
+easily have shot them, they were so little used to attack; but we only
+brought down a sufficiency for our present wants, and as soon as Ebo
+understood that these birds were not to be skinned but plucked for
+eating, he quickly had a good fire blazing and worked away stripping the
+feathers off so that they dropped on the fire and were consumed.
+
+The plumage was so beautiful that it seemed to be like so much wanton
+destruction to throw it away, and I could not help thinking what delight
+it would have given me before I had seen Uncle Dick's collection, to
+have been the possessor of one of these noble birds.  But as my uncle
+very reasonably said, we should have required a little army of porters
+to carry our chests, and then a whole vessel to take them home, if we
+were to preserve every specimen we shot.  We could only save the finest
+specimens; the rest must go for food; and of course we would only, after
+we had obtained a sufficiency of a particular kind, shoot those that we
+required for the table.
+
+Ebo was invaluable in preparing fires and food for cooking, and upon
+this occasion, as he placed the birds on sticks close to the hot blaze,
+I watched him with no little interest, longing as I did to begin the
+feast.
+
+But birds take time to cook, and instead of watching impatiently for
+them to be ready, I saw that Uncle Dick had taken his gun down a narrow
+little glade between two rows of trees growing so regularly that they
+seemed to have been planted by a gardener.
+
+But no gardener had ever worked here, and as I overtook my uncle he
+began to talk of how singular it was that so beautiful a place should be
+without inhabitants.
+
+"The soil must be rich, Nat, to produce such glorious trees and shrubs.
+Look at the beauty of what flowers there are, and the herbage, Nat.  The
+place is a perfect paradise."
+
+"And do you feel sure, uncle, that there are no savages here?"
+
+"None but ourselves, Nat," said my uncle, laughing.
+
+"Well, but we are not savages, uncle," I said.
+
+"That is a matter of opinion, my boy.  I'm afraid the birds here, if
+they can think about such things, would be very much disposed to look
+upon us as savages for intruding upon their beautiful domain to shoot
+one here and one there for our own selfish purposes."
+
+"Oh! but birds can't think, uncle," I said.
+
+"How do you know?"
+
+Well, of course I did not know, and could produce no argument in support
+of my case.  So I looked up at him at last in a puzzled way and saw that
+he was smiling.
+
+"You can't answer that question, Nat," he said.  "It is one of the
+matters that science sees no way of compassing.  Still, I feel certain
+that birds have a good deal of sense."
+
+"But you don't think they can talk to one another, do you, uncle?"
+
+"No, it cannot be called talking; but they have certain ways of
+communicating one with the other, as anyone who has taken notice of
+domestic fowls can see.  What is more familiar than the old hen's cry to
+her chickens when she has found something eatable? and then there is the
+curious call uttered by all fowls when any large bird that they think is
+a bird of prey flies over them."
+
+"Oh! yes, I've heard that, uncle," I said.
+
+"I remember an old hen uttering that peculiar warning note one day in a
+field, Nat, and immediately every chicken feeding near hurried off under
+the hedges and trees, or thrust their heads into tufts of grass to hide
+themselves from the hawk."
+
+"That seems to show, uncle, that they do understand."
+
+"Yes, they certainly comprehend a certain number of cries, and it is a
+sort of natural language that they have learned for their preservation."
+
+"I know too about the chickens, uncle," I said.  "Sometimes they go
+about uttering a little soft twittering noise as if they were happy and
+contented; but if they lose sight of their mother they pipe and cry and
+stand on their toes, staring about them as if they were in the greatest
+of trouble."
+
+"I think I can tell you another curious little thing about fowls too,
+and their way of communicating one with the other.  Many years ago, Nat,
+I had a fancy for keeping some very large fine Dorking fowls, and very
+interesting I found it letting the hens sit and then taking care of
+their chickens."
+
+"But how is it, uncle," I said, interrupting him, "that a tiny, tender
+chicken can so easily chip a hole in an egg-shell, as they do when they
+are nearly ready to come out?"
+
+"Because, for one reason, the egg-shell has become very brittle, and all
+the glutinous, adhesive matter has dried away from the lime; the other
+reason is, that the pressure of the bird's beak alone is sufficient to
+do it, because the pressure comes from within.  There is a wonderful
+strength in an egg, Nat, if the pressure is from without; it will bear
+enormous weight from without, for one particle supports another, and in
+reason the pressure adds to the strength.  The slightest touch, however,
+is sufficient to break a way out from within.  I'll be bound to say you
+have often hammered an egg with a spoon and been surprised to find how
+hard it is."
+
+"Yes, uncle, often," I said.
+
+"Well, but to go on with my story, Nat.  One day a favourite hen had
+eleven beautiful little yellow downy chickens, and for the fun of the
+thing I took one soft little thing out of the nest and carried it into
+the yard, where the great cock was strutting about with his
+sickle-feathered green tail glistening in the sun, and, putting down the
+tiny yellow ball of down, I drew back, calling the old cock the while.
+
+"He ran up, thinking it was something to eat; but as soon as he reached
+the helpless little chick he stopped short, bent his head down, looked
+at it first with one eye, then with the other, and seemed lost in
+meditation.
+
+"`Come, papa,' I said, `what do you think of your little one?'
+
+"Still he kept on staring intently at the little thing till it began to
+cry `_Peek, peek, peek_' in a most dismal tone, for it was very cold,
+and then the old cock, who had been looking very important and big,
+suddenly began to cry `_Took, took, took_', just like a hen, and softly
+crouched down, spreading his wings a little for the chick to creep under
+him and get warm, and no doubt he would have taken care of that chicken
+and brought it up if I had not taken it back to the hen.
+
+"But look! we are talking about barn-door fowls and losing chances to
+get lovely specimens of foreign birds and--what's that?"
+
+For just then a shrill wild call rang down the lovely glade, and I
+thought that Uncle Dick was wrong, and savages were near.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.
+
+LOST IN THE FOREST.
+
+There was no occasion for alarm, the cry only coming from Ebo, who, as
+soon as he saw us, began making frantic signs to us to come.
+
+"That means the pigeons are cooked, Nat," said my uncle, laughing; and
+this was the case, for, as soon as he saw us, the black came running up
+gesticulating and pointing behind him in the direction of the fire,
+where the delicious birds were waiting for us to eat.
+
+Those were delightful meals that we had out in the shade of some grand
+wide-spreading tree, in whose branches every now and then a parrot would
+come shrieking, to be followed by others; and as we ate our dinner so
+would they busily find and eat theirs, hanging by their legs, perhaps
+head downwards, or perching on one leg and using the other with its soft
+clasping yoke toes like a hand to convey the food towards its beak.
+
+I never felt tired of watching the parrots and paroquets, for besides
+their beauty of plumage of all kinds of soft tints of green, brightened
+with orange and scarlet and blue, they always looked such plump and
+delicately feathered birds.  I have seen hundreds of them stuffed, and
+have admired the bird-mounters' skill, but they never get anywhere near
+nature and the soft and downy beauty of a bird in its native state.
+
+The wonder to me was that they could keep themselves so prim, and with
+every feather in such perfect order.  The paroquets, for instance, had
+the central feathers of their tail so long and thin and delicate, that
+it seemed that, flitting and climbing about the trees so much, they must
+get them broken, but they apparently never did, except when they were
+damaged by our shot.
+
+It was the same with the lovely racket-tailed kingfishers and the
+fly-catchers, some of which had tails double the length of their own
+bodies, and of a delicacy that was beautiful in the extreme.
+
+But I must go back to the rest of our adventures that day, for as soon
+as we had dined and had a rest, Uncle Dick signed to Ebo that he should
+make a rough hut beneath this tree, ready for our sleeping that night,
+and leaving him industriously at work, we started off together to try
+and explore a little more of the island.
+
+Going as straight as we could, we were not very long before, from a bit
+of a hill, we could see the blue waters of the ocean spreading far and
+wide, and soon after we made out the great rollers falling over upon the
+sands, which spread right and left, of a dazzling whiteness, being
+composed entirely of powdered-up coral and madrepore.
+
+There was no need, my uncle said, to go farther that day, for we had
+found out that it was no great distance across the island; the thing now
+was to discover its length.
+
+"It seems a foolish thing to do, perhaps, Nat," said my uncle, "but I
+should very much like to try a little more exploration to-day.  I don't
+think we will shoot any more birds, but examine the land instead, so as
+to be a little at home with its shape, ready for making a trip here and
+there in the future.  We shall be able to mark down good spots, too, for
+finding specimens in the future."
+
+"But shall you stay here long, uncle?"  I asked.
+
+"That I cannot answer, Nat," he replied, as we shouldered our guns and
+trudged on.  "It all depends upon the number of specimens we find, and
+so far it seems to me that we might travel far before we hit again upon
+such a wild paradise."
+
+"I wonder how Uncle Joe would like to live here!"  I said laughing.
+"What a garden he might have, and how things would grow!  Oh, how I
+should like to help him build the house and get the garden in order!"
+
+"Your Uncle Joe would be happy anywhere, Nat," said my uncle.  "He is
+one of those contented amiable men who are always at rest; but I'm
+afraid your Aunt Sophia would soon find it dull, and be grumbling
+because there was no gas, no pavement, no waterworks, no omnibuses, no
+cabs, no railroads.  No, Nat, my boy, your Aunt Sophia would be
+miserable here."
+
+"And yet it is such a lovely place," I cried enthusiastically.
+"Everything is so beautiful.  Oh! uncle, I could stay here forever."
+
+"No, Nat, you could not," he replied laughing; "but it is very beautiful
+all the same.  I have travelled a great deal, and have seen some
+wonderful scenery, but I have never met with so much beauty condensed in
+so small a space."
+
+We kept on walking, but it was only to stop every now and then before
+some fresh find--sometimes it would be a curiously-shaped orchid, or a
+pitcher-plant half full of dead insects.  Then some great forest tree
+full of sweet-scented blossoms, and alive with birds and insects, would
+arrest our attention; or down in some moist hollow, where a tiny stream
+trickled from the rocks, there would be enormous tree-ferns springing up
+twelve or fifteen feet above us, and spreading their beautiful fronds
+like so much glorious green lace against the sky.  A fern is always a
+beautiful object, but these tree-ferns were more than beautiful--they
+were grand.
+
+The farther we went the more beauties we found, and we kept on noting
+down places to visit again where there were palm and other trees full of
+fruit, which evidently formed the larder of various kinds of beautiful
+birds.  We could have shot enough in that walk to have kept us busy
+making skins for days, but we kept to the determination my uncle had
+made, not to shoot any more that day, except once, when the curious
+hoarse cry of some bird of paradise, answered by others at a distance,
+tempted us away.
+
+"Birds of paradise are exceptions, Nat," said my uncle, smiling.  "We
+must get them when we can."
+
+I immediately seemed to see the beautiful bird flying amongst the trees,
+with its lovely buff plumes trailing behind like so much live sunshine,
+and glancing once at my gun to see that the cartridges were in all
+right, I crept cautiously on amongst the trees on one side as Uncle Dick
+made a bit of a curve round in another, so that we had a good many great
+forest trees between us, whose foliage we carefully watched as we went
+cautiously on.
+
+Every now and then, after a silence that made us think that our labour
+was all in vain, and we were about to give up, the loud harsh cry would
+come echoing from amongst the trees, and always seeming so near that I
+thought I must get a shot at the bird in a moment or two, and I bent
+down and crept on as quietly as I could, till the tree from which the
+sound seemed to come was reached.
+
+Then I would stand ready to fire, watching carefully for a shot, peering
+amongst the boughs, and fancying a dozen times over that I could catch
+glimpses of the bird amongst the leaves, when, as if laughing at me for
+my pains, the cry would come again from a couple of hundred yards away,
+and the chase went on.
+
+I did not shout to Uncle Dick, for by stopping to listen now and then I
+could hear the rustling of the leaves and twigs as he went on, besides
+every now and then catching through the dim light a glimpse of his face.
+
+Once or twice, when a beautiful bird sprang up between us, my heart
+began to beat more quickly, for I thought that if uncle was tempted to
+shoot at it he might hit me; but by degrees I grew more confident and
+walked boldly on, feeling that I had nothing to fear.
+
+That bird must have led us for miles.  Every time we were ready to give
+up, the hoarse cry rang out again, and we followed once more, feeling
+sure that sooner or later we must get a shot at it, or at one of the
+others which kept answering from a distance; but at last I heard a
+peculiar whistle from where my uncle would be, and I forced my way
+through the undergrowth and joined him.
+
+"Nat," he said, wiping the perspiration from his face, "that must have
+been a wild-goose instead of a bird of paradise.  Have you heard it
+lately?"
+
+"No, uncle; not for quite a quarter of an hour.  I think it must have
+taken a longer flight this time."
+
+"_Yawk, yawk--wok, wok, wok, wok, wok_," rang out close behind us, and
+we both fired simultaneously at a faint gleam of what seemed to be
+yellow light as it flitted through the glade, running forward to get
+beyond the smoke in the hope that we might have hit it.
+
+But even if we had we should not have been able to find it, for in the
+eagerness of our pursuit we had come now into one of the densest parts
+of the forest that we had found, and after wandering on through a faint
+warm glow caused by the setting sun shining through the tree trunks, a
+sudden dull greyness had come upon us, followed almost at once by
+darkness, and we knew that we were lost.
+
+"I ought to have known better, Nat," said my uncle, with an exclamation
+of impatience.  "I have not the most remote idea where our camp is, and
+Ebo will be expecting us back."
+
+"Oh! never mind, uncle," I said; "let's have a try.  I dare say we can
+find the way back."
+
+"My dear boy, it would be sheer folly," he replied.  "How is it
+possible?  We are tired out now, and it would be only exhausting
+ourselves for nothing, and getting a touch of fever, to go striving on
+through the night."
+
+"What are we to do then, uncle?"
+
+"Do, my boy?  Do as Adam did, make ourselves as comfortable as we can
+beneath a tree.  We can do better, for we can cut some wood and leaves
+to make ourselves a shelter."
+
+"What, build a hut, uncle?"  I said in dismay; for I was now beginning
+to find out how tired I really was.
+
+"No; we won't take all that trouble; but what we do we must do quickly.
+Come along."
+
+I followed him up a slope to where the ground seemed to be a trifle more
+open and the trees larger, and as we forced our way on my uncle drew his
+great hunting-knife and chopped down a straight young sapling, which,
+upon being topped and trimmed, made a ten-feet pole about as thick as my
+arm was then.
+
+This he fixed by resting one end in the fork of a tree and tying the
+other to a branch about five feet from the ground.
+
+"Now then, Nat," he cried, "get your big sheath-knife to work and clear
+the ground here.  Does it seem dry?"
+
+"Yes, uncle, quite," I said.
+
+"Well, then, you chop off plenty of soft twigs and leaves and lay them
+thickly for a bed, while I make a roof over it."
+
+We worked with a will, I for my part finding plenty of tree-ferns, whose
+fronds did capitally, and Uncle Dick soon had laid sloping against the
+pole a sufficiency of leafy branches to form an ample shelter against
+the wind and rain should either come.
+
+"So far, so good, Nat," he said; "now are you very hungry?"
+
+"I'm more tired than hungry, uncle," I said.
+
+"Then I think we will light a fire and then have as good a night's rest
+as we can."
+
+There was no difficulty in getting plenty of dried wood together, and
+after a few failures this began to blaze merrily, lighting up the leaves
+of the trees with a rich red glow; and when it was at its height setting
+a good many birds flitting about in the strange glow, so that we could
+have procured more specimens here.  But after sitting talking by the
+fire for some time we crept in under our leafy shed, and it seemed to me
+that no sooner had I stretched myself out than I fell fast asleep.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.
+
+ANOTHER NIGHT HORROR.
+
+I had no idea how long I had been asleep when all at once I started into
+wakefulness, feeling that we were in danger.
+
+I did not know what the danger might be, but that there was something
+about to happen I was sure.
+
+It was very dark in our narrow shed, and nearly dark out beyond our
+feet, only that a faint glow from our fire made one or two tree trunks
+stand out like dark sentinels just on the other side.
+
+My uncle was so near that I could have wakened him by just moving one
+hand, but remembering that other night I shrank from wakening him
+without cause.
+
+"I've got another fever fit coming on," I said to myself; but all the
+same I did not feel so, only startled and timid, and to encourage myself
+I thought that I must have had a bad dream.
+
+But no; I could remember no dream.  It seemed as if I had sunk at once
+into a profound sleep from which I had just wakened fancying that we
+were in danger.
+
+Then I lay quite still listening to my uncle's breathing, and thinking
+how helpless and unprotected we were out in that wild place, not even
+having Ebo with us now.
+
+But what was there to fear, I asked myself as I recalled my uncle's
+words, that he was certain there were no wild beasts in such an island
+as this, and there were no other inhabitants than ourselves.
+
+Yes, I could think of all this, and it ought to have made me more
+comfortable; but no, there was still that curious feeling of being in
+danger, and I felt as certain as if I could see it, that something was
+coming to attack us.
+
+Then as I could neither see nor hear anything I began once more to
+conclude that I must be suffering from another attack of fever, and I
+lifted my hand to awaken my uncle, so that he might give me some quinine
+again.
+
+Then I recollected that the medicine was in one of our boxes right away
+from where we were, for we were lost in the forest, and it would be
+impossible to move until the sun was up once more.  So there I lay till
+another change came over me, and I once more felt sure that it was not
+fever again.  I knew it was not, and this time there was no mistake--
+something was coming through the forest, though what it was I could not
+tell.
+
+Should I waken my uncle?
+
+I raised my hand again and again, but always lowered it once more, so
+fearful was I of being ridiculed; and then I lay thinking that although
+uncle had said with such certainty that there were neither inhabitants
+nor wild beasts, there was plenty of room for either to hide away in
+these forests; and besides, should there be no regular inhabitants, some
+might have come by canoe from one or other of the islands.  And, yes, I
+was sure of it, they must have seen our fire, and were creeping up to
+kill us where we lay.
+
+This was a very pretty theory; but would not they make some noise as
+they came, and if so, where was that noise?
+
+I lay perfectly still with the perspiration oozing out of me and my
+horror increasing, but still there was no noise.
+
+Yes, there was--a low rustling sound as of some one creeping through the
+bushes towards us.  There could be no mistaking that sound, it was just
+the same as I had been hearing all the afternoon as we crept cautiously
+on in search of the birds of paradise.
+
+I listened and tried to pierce the darkness with my eyes, but only just
+about the embers of the fire was anything visible, where the tree trunks
+stood all like sentries.
+
+Then the noise ceased and I was ready to believe that I had made a
+mistake.  No, there it was again, and certainly much nearer.
+
+Should I wake Uncle Dick, or should I try to be brave enough to deal
+with the danger myself?
+
+I was horribly frightened and sadly wanted him to give me his help and
+counsel; but as I was not sure, in spite of my feelings, that there
+really was danger, I fought hard with my cowardice and determined to act
+as seemed best.
+
+Cautiously reaching out my hand I took hold of my gun, and by pressing
+my finger on each trigger in turn, I cocked it silently, and raising
+myself on one elbow waited for the danger to come.
+
+The sounds stopped several times, but were always resumed, and the more
+I listened the more certain I felt that some big animal was creeping up
+with great caution towards the fire, though I felt that that animal
+might be a man.
+
+I would have given anything to have been able to sit up in an easier
+position; but I could only have done so by making a noise and perhaps
+waking Uncle Dick for nothing.  So I remained as I was, watching with
+eyes and ears upon the strain, the barrel of my gun towards the opening
+in our leafy shed and well covering the fire; and so minute after minute
+went by, with the sensation more and more strongly upon me of the near
+presence of some creature, one which I each moment expected to see cross
+the faint glow of the fire.
+
+Then all was still, and though I listened so intently I could hear
+nothing but my uncle's breathing.  So still did everything become that I
+began to feel less oppression at my chest, and ready to believe that it
+was all fancy, when suddenly the embers of the fire seemed to have
+fallen a little together, for the glow grew stronger and there was a
+faint flicker which made my heart give one great bound.
+
+For there, between me and the fire, was what appeared to be the
+monstrous figure of an orang-outang, which had crawled close up to the
+fire and was looking at it.
+
+The creature was on all-fours and had its back to me, while the darkness
+of the night prevented me from making it out properly; but it looked to
+me very large and dark coloured, and I had read that the strength of
+these creatures was enormous.
+
+It crouched there about five yards from where I lay, and as I wondered
+whether I had better shoot, I suddenly recollected that both barrels of
+my gun were loaded with small shot, and that at such a distance, though
+the shot would well hang together, they were not certain to make a
+mortal wound; while the result would be that the monster would be more
+fierce and terrible than it was before.
+
+I don't think I was afraid to fire, but I hesitated, and as I waited I
+felt that there was a possibility of the animal not being aware of our
+presence, for it was evidently the fire that had attracted it.
+
+But these hopes came to an end directly, and I raised my gun softly to
+my shoulder, for the creature seemed about to crawl towards me.  This
+was only for a moment or two though, and then there was a peculiar
+scratching noise as if the monster was tearing at the bushes, and I
+could dimly see its great back waving to and fro.  Then all at once the
+scratching ceased, and it seemed to have thrown some twigs and leaves
+upon the fire, which blazed up, and my gun nearly fell from my hand.
+
+"Ebo!"  I shouted; and as my uncle sprang up and we crept out into the
+ruddy light spread by the burning wood, there was my monster in the
+shape of our trusty follower, dancing about like mad, and chattering
+away as he pointed to the fire, then to himself, then to a distance, and
+seemed to be trying to make us understand that he had seen the fire and
+tracked us by its light to where we were.
+
+His delight seemed to know no bounds, for whenever he came to a pause in
+his performance and stood grinning at us, he broke out again, leaping
+about, running away, coming back, and shouting and laughing as he
+slapped himself loudly with his hands.  I can compare his conduct to
+nothing but that of a dog who has just found his master.
+
+The question now arose what was to be done, and by a good deal of sign--
+making we asked Ebo to lead us back to the camp; but he shook his head
+and stamped and frowned, and to cut the matter short threw some more
+wood on the fire, pushed us both into our leaf tent, lay down across the
+front, and went to sleep.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.
+
+MY EARTHQUAKE.
+
+I said very little to my uncle about my alarm, feeling sure that he
+would laugh very heartily at my mistake, but I lay awake for some little
+while thinking that it was time I grew to be more manly and brave, and
+not so ready to be frightened at everything I could not directly
+understand.  It seemed so shocking, too, for I might in my cowardly fear
+have shot poor Ebo, who was one of the best and truest of fellows, and
+seemed never so happy as when able to do something for me.
+
+My last thoughts before I went to sleep were that I hoped I might grow
+into a brave and true man, and I determined to try hard not to be such a
+weak coward.
+
+I have often thought since, though, that if any ordinary man had been
+placed in the same situation he would have been as nervous as I; for to
+awake out of a deep sleep in a dark forest in a wild land, where
+dangerous beasts might be lurking, to hear a peculiar rustling noise,
+and through the faint light to make out the figure of the black, looking
+big and indistinct as he crept on all-fours, was, to put it as you may,
+very startling.
+
+I was ready enough to laugh at all the dread when I awoke in the morning
+to find the sun just up, and sending his rays through the long vistas of
+trees, where the birds were whistling, twittering, and screaming loudly,
+while every now and then from a distance came the hoarse cry of the
+birds of paradise.
+
+"It is terribly tempting, Nat," said my uncle, "but I think we had
+better make straight for camp and get a good breakfast before we do
+anything else.  Hallo! what is Ebo doing?"
+
+"Making up the fire," I said; and directly the black had thrown on a
+great armful of dead wood he came to us laughing and rubbing the front
+of his person, squeezing himself in to show how empty he was, after
+which he picked up a stick, took aim at a bird, said "_Bop_!" and ran to
+pick it up; coming back laughing for us to applaud his performance.
+
+"Well, Nat, that's a piece of dumb-show that says very plainly we are to
+shoot some birds for breakfast before we do anything else, and it would
+perhaps be wise, so come along; there are some of our old friends in
+that great palm-tree."
+
+I followed my uncle closely, and we had no difficulty in shooting three
+of the great pigeons, which Ebo pounced upon and carried off in triumph,
+and in a few minutes they were roasting upon sticks, while our black
+cook busied himself in climbing a cocoa-tree, from which he detached
+half a dozen nuts, each of which came down with a tremendous thud.
+
+I was terribly hungry, but Uncle Dick said we should be worse if we
+stopped there smelling the roasting pigeons.  So we took our guns and
+went across an opening to where there was tree after tree, rising some
+thirty or forty feet high, all covered with beautiful white
+sweet-scented starry flowers, each with a tube running up from it like
+that of a jasmine.
+
+All about this beautiful little birds were flitting, and as we watched
+them for some time I could see their feathers flash and glitter in the
+sunshine, as if some wore tiny helmets of burnished gold and
+breastplates of purple glittering scales.  No colours could paint the
+beauty of these lovely little creatures, which seemed to be of several
+different kinds, for some had patches of scarlet, of orange, blue, and
+white to add to the brilliancy of their feathering; and so little used
+were they to the sight of man that they seemed to pay no attention to
+us, but allowed us to go very close, so that we could see them flit and
+hover and balance themselves before the sweet-scented starry
+bell-flowers, into whose depths they thrust their long thin beaks after
+the honey and insects that made them their home.
+
+I soon learned from my uncle that they were the sun-birds, the tiny
+little fellows that were in the Old World what the humming-birds were in
+the New, for there are no humming-birds in the East.
+
+Following Uncle Dick's example, I took the shot out of my gun, for he
+said that the concussion and the wad would be sufficient to bring them
+down.  But, somehow, we were so interested in what we saw that neither
+of us thought of firing, and there we stood watching the glittering
+feathers, the graceful motions, and the rapidity with which these tiny
+birds seemed to flash from blossom to blossom, till a loud yell from Ebo
+summoned us to breakfast.
+
+"Yes, Nat," said my uncle, who seemed to read my thoughts, "that is the
+way to see the beauty of the sun-birds.  No stuffed specimens of ours
+will ever reproduce a hundredth part of their beauty; but people cannot
+always come from England to see these things.  Take care!  What's that?"
+
+We were going through rather a dense patch of undergrowth, where the
+ground beneath was very soft and full of water, evidently from some
+boggy springs.  There was a great deal of cane and tall grass, with
+water weeds of a most luxuriant growth, and the place felt hot and
+steamy as we forced our way through, till, as I was going first and
+parting the waving canes right and left with my gun barrel, I stepped
+upon what seemed to be a big branch of a rotten tree that had fallen
+there, when suddenly I felt myself lifted up a few inches and jerked
+back, while at the same moment the canes and grass crashed and swayed,
+and something seemed to be in violent motion.
+
+"Is it an earthquake, uncle?"  I said, looking aghast at the spot from
+whence had been jerked.
+
+"Yes, Nat, and there it goes.  Fire, boy, fire!"
+
+He took rapid aim a little to the left, where the canes and broad-leaved
+plants were swaying to and fro in a curious way, just as if, it seemed
+then, a little pig was rushing through, and following his example I
+fired in the same direction.
+
+But our shots seemed to have no effect, and whatever it was dashed off
+into a thicker part, where it was too swampy to follow even if we had
+been so disposed.
+
+"Your earthquake has got away for the present, Nat," said my uncle.
+"Did you see it?"
+
+"No, uncle," I said.
+
+"But you must have trodden upon it, and it threw you back."
+
+"No, uncle; I trod upon the trunk of a small tree, that was all."
+
+"You trod upon a large serpent, Nat, my boy," he exclaimed.
+
+"Ugh!"  I ejaculated; and I made a jump back on to more solid ground.
+
+"The danger has passed now, Nat," he said, smiling at my dread; "but
+really I could not have believed such a creature existed in so small an
+island."
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried, "I shall never like to go about again for fear of
+treading upon another."
+
+"You will soon get over that, Nat, and perhaps we may have the luck to
+shoot the brute.  I don't think we did it much mischief this time,
+though I got a good sight of it as it glided amongst the canes."
+
+"Why, we had no shot in our guns, uncle," I cried; "we took them out so
+as not to knock the sun-birds about too much."
+
+"Of course!" cried my uncle.  "How foolish of me not to remember this!"
+
+We had both reloaded now, and then, without heeding a shout from Ebo, we
+stood looking in the direction taken by the reptile, though now all the
+luxuriant canes and grasses were quite still.
+
+"What do you say, Nat?" said my uncle.  "Shall we follow the monster and
+try and shoot it?"
+
+"It must be forty or fifty feet long, uncle," I said, feeling a curious
+creeping sensation run through me.
+
+"Forty or fifty nonsenses, my boy!" he said, laughing.  "Such serpents
+as that only exist in books.  They rarely exceed twenty feet where they
+are largest.  That fellow would not be fifteen.  What do you say--will
+you come?"
+
+"Ye-es, uncle," I said hesitatingly, feeling hot and cold by turns.
+
+"Why, Nat," he said quietly, "you are afraid!"  I did not speak for a
+moment or two, but felt the hot blood flush into my face as I stood
+there looking him full in the eyes, and unable to withdraw my gaze.
+
+"Yes, uncle," I said at last.  "I did not want to be, but a serpent is
+such a horrible thing, and I am afraid."
+
+"Yes, it is a horrible monster, Nat," he said quietly.  "I don't like
+them myself, but if we could kill it--"
+
+"I can't help feeling afraid, uncle," I said, "but I'm ready to go on
+now."
+
+"What! to attack it, Nat?"
+
+"Yes, uncle."
+
+"It will be rather dangerous, my boy."
+
+"Yes, uncle," I said.  "I suppose so; but I want to get over being so
+afraid of things.  I'm quite ready now."
+
+I looked to him to come on at once, but he did not move, and stood
+looking at me for some minutes without speaking.
+
+"Then we will go and attack the brute, Nat," he said; "but it will not
+go away from that bit of a swamp, so we will try and put a little more
+nerve into our hearts with a good breakfast, and then have Ebo to help
+us, unless he proves to be a worse coward than you."
+
+"He could not be, uncle," I said pitifully; and I felt very, very
+miserable.
+
+"Oh! yes, he could be, Nat, my boy," said my uncle, smiling, and
+grasping me affectionately by the arm.  "You are a coward, Nat, but you
+fought with your natural dread, mastered it, and are ready to go and
+attack that beast.  Master Ebo may be a coward and not fight with and
+master his dread.  So you see the difference, my boy."
+
+Another shout from the black made us hasten our steps to where he was
+dancing about and pointing to the crisp brown pigeons, big as chickens,
+with great green leaves for plates, and the new ripe cocoa-nuts divested
+of their husks; but for a few moments I could not eat for thinking of
+the serpent.  My fresh young appetite asserted itself though soon after,
+and, forgetting the danger to come, I made one of the most delicious of
+meals.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
+
+MANY FEET OF UNPLEASANTRY.
+
+It was only while I was scraping out the last of the delicate cream from
+the inside of a huge cocoa-nut that I recalled the task we had to come,
+and a curious shiver ran through me as I glanced in the direction of the
+swamp where, nearly a mile away, the reptile lay.
+
+Ebo knew nothing about it as yet, and I hardly conceived how he would be
+made to understand what we had seen.
+
+"Do you think he will be ready to help kill the serpent, uncle?"  I
+said, after waiting for some time to see if he would say anything about
+the attack.
+
+"I hardly know, Nat," he replied cheerily; "but we'll soon try him.  By
+the way, use the cartridges with the largest kind of shot, for we must
+make up for this morning's mistakes.  Here, Ebo, we've seen a snake," he
+said.
+
+"Ung-kul, Nat-mi-boi.  Hal-lo, hal-lo hal-lo!" replied Ebo, laughing
+merrily, and showing his white teeth.
+
+"We shall not get at his understanding like that," said my uncle
+quietly; and he sat thinking for a moment.
+
+"Shall I try and draw a snake, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"To be sure, Nat," he replied, laughing; "but where are paper, pencil,
+or chalk?  Stop a minute--I have it."
+
+We generally carried a stout piece of cord with us, ready for any
+emergency, and this cord, about ten yards long and a little thicker than
+clothes-line, my uncle now untwisted from his waist, where he had worn
+it like a belt, and calling Ebo's attention to it he laid it out upon
+the ground.  Then holding one end he made it wave about and crawl and
+curve and twine, ending by knotting it up in a heap and laying the end
+carefully down as if it were a serpent asleep.
+
+Ebo watched the process attentively, at first seriously and then as if
+delighted, clapping his hands, dancing, and chattering away as if
+telling my uncle how clever he was.
+
+"But that does not show him what we want, uncle," I said.
+
+"Well, then, you try."
+
+I took up the rope, made it undulate a little, and then as Ebo looked on
+I gave it a quick twist and wound it round him, pretending to make the
+end bite.
+
+He took to it directly, pretending that the reptile was crushing him,
+fighting his way free of the folds, picking up his club and attacking it
+in turn, beating the make-believe head with his club, and finally
+indulging in a war-dance as he jumped round, dragging the imaginary
+serpent after him, pretending all the while that it was very heavy,
+before stooping down to smell it, making a grimace, and then throwing
+down the rope, which he pretended to bury in the sand.
+
+"It's all right, Nat.  He understands, and has evidently encountered big
+snakes.  Now, then, to show him our enemy, for he will fight."
+
+My uncle was right, for it was evident that Ebo quite understood us and
+meant fighting, for, sticking his spear in the ground, he made signs to
+me that I should lend him my hunting-knife, which I at once did, and
+laughing and chattering away he looked about him a little, and then
+proceeded to cut down a sapling tree about as thick as his arm, from
+whose trunk he selected a piece a couple of feet in length and carefully
+trimmed it into a formidable club with a smooth, small handle, while he
+left the thick end jagged with the ugly places from which he had cut the
+branches.
+
+He was not long in getting it into shape, and no sooner had he satisfied
+himself with his work than he returned my hunting-knife, making believe
+that he was horribly afraid lest it should cut off his head, and then
+proceeded to attack an imaginary serpent that was trying to escape
+through the bushes.  Now he was trying to strike it, now retreating, now
+making blows at it upon the ground, now in the air, ending by dropping
+his club and seizing the neck of the creature, which he pretended had
+coiled round him; now he was down upon one knee, now overthrown and
+rolling over and over in a fierce struggle; but at last his acting came
+to a conclusion by his striking the reptile's head against a tree,
+kicking off an imaginary coil from his leg, and strutting about proudly
+to show how he had conquered.
+
+The most surprising part of the affair was that he did not seem to be in
+the slightest degree exhausted by his efforts, but picked up his club
+and began chattering to us, and pointing to the marsh as if asking us to
+come on.
+
+"Well, Nat," said my uncle, "if he will only fight half as well as that
+when we encounter the serpent, there ought to be nothing to fear.  We
+ought to master the brute easily."
+
+"Would such a serpent be very strong, uncle?"  I asked.
+
+"Wonderfully strong," he replied.  "Their muscles are tremendously
+powerful.  See what strength anything of similar form possesses; an eel,
+for instance."
+
+"Yes, uncle," I said thoughtfully, as I recalled how difficult I had
+once found it to hold a large one that I had caught.  "Eels are very
+strong."
+
+"Look here, Nat," said my uncle kindly, "I don't think we should run any
+risks in following up this serpent, for one good shot would disable it;
+but still it may be a little perilous, and it is not just to expect a
+boy of your age to face such a danger.  You stop back at a distance, and
+I will send Ebo into the marsh to drive it out, while I try to get a
+shot at it."
+
+"Oh, no, uncle!"  I said quickly.
+
+"Come now, my boy," he cried, clapping me on the shoulder.  "You are
+going because you think I shall consider you cowardly if you stay
+behind.  I tell you truly, Nat, I shall not."
+
+"I did feel something of that kind, uncle," I said warmly; "but that is
+not all.  I want to try and be brave and to master all my cowardly
+feelings, and this seems such a chance."
+
+He stood looking at me for a few minutes, and then said quietly:
+
+"Very well then, Nat, you shall come.  But be careful with your gun, and
+do not fire unless you have a clear shot.  Don't hurry, and mind that
+Ebo is not near.  As to the danger," he said, "there is very little.
+The worst thing that could happen would be that the serpent might seize
+you."
+
+I could not help a shudder.
+
+"Coil round you."
+
+The shudder felt now was the serpent wrapping me round.
+
+"And giving you a severe squeeze," continued my uncle.  "It is a hundred
+to one against its teeth catching you in the face, and it is doubtful
+whether they would penetrate your clothes, and even if they did you
+would suffer no worse than from a few thorns, for these constricting
+reptiles are not poisonous."
+
+"It don't sound very nice, uncle," I said, feeling as if my face was
+showing white through the brown of the sunburns.
+
+"No, Nat, it does not," he said; "but now I have told you the worst I
+may as well say something on the other side.  Now the chances are that
+the brute will try its best to escape, and be shot in the act; and even
+supposing that it did seize you, which is no more likely than that it
+should seize Ebo or me, we should immediately get hold of it by the neck
+and have its head off before it knew where it was."
+
+"Yes, uncle, I know you would," I said with more confidence and a
+strange thrill of excitement running through me.  "Let me come, please."
+
+"You shall, Nat," he replied; "and now I'll confess to you, my boy, that
+I should have felt disappointed if you had held back.  Come along, my
+lad, and I think we shall soon slay this modern dragon."
+
+All this time Ebo had been looking at us wonderingly; but no sooner did
+we examine our guns and start forward, than he shouldered his club and
+went before us towards the piece of marshy ground.
+
+I walked on by uncle's side with my gun ready, and all the time I kept
+on wondering what he would have said to me if he had known how nervous I
+felt.
+
+The thoughts of what we were approaching seemed to take all the
+brightness and beauty out of the scene, which was as lovely as could be.
+Strange birds flew by us, glorious trees were on every side, some of
+them covered with flowers, while the brilliant greens of various shades
+made up for the want of colour in others.  Where we were the land seemed
+to slope down into a little valley, while farther back there was a ridge
+clothed to its summit with beautiful vegetation.
+
+But just then, as the poetical writer said, the trail of the serpent was
+over it all, and I kept on seeing imaginary reptiles' heads reared above
+the beautiful waving canes and grasses, and fancied I detected the
+rustling noise made by the creature's scales as they glided through the
+dry stems.
+
+"Now," said my uncle, as we stood at last on the edge of the moist
+depression, "we must contrive some plan of attack, Nat.  We must not let
+the enemy escape, or he will be scaring us all the time we stay."
+
+I thought it very kind of him to say _us_ when I know he meant _you_,
+but I did not say anything, only eagerly searched the thickly-spread
+canes and broad-leaved plants as far as I could see with my eyes, and
+then I could not help thinking what a beautiful spot that marsh was in
+spite of the serpent, as two or three of the lovely pitta thrushes
+flitted amidst the bamboos, and half a dozen sun-birds darted about a
+convolvulus-like plant, and kept flashing in the sunshine, which every
+now and then seemed to make their feathers blaze.
+
+"Now, Nat," said my uncle, "I think this will be a good place for you,
+by this trickling rill; you see the place is roughly in the shape of a
+ham, so you shall have the place of honour, my boy, by the knuckle-bone,
+while I and Ebo go round the fat sides and see if we can find the enemy
+there."
+
+"Do you think it will come this way, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"Yes, Nat, just below you there, so be cool, and give it both your
+barrels as it goes by.  You may depend upon one thing, and that is that
+the reptile, if it comes down here, will be trying hard to escape.  It
+will not attack you."
+
+I hoped Uncle Dick was right, but could not feel sure, as I remained on
+the side of the steep slope, at the bottom of which a tiny stream
+trickled amongst a long patch of luxuriant canes through which I
+expected the serpent would try to escape to another part of the island.
+
+The next minute I was quite alone, for in obedience to my uncle's signs,
+and eagerly falling into his plans, Ebo ran off to get to the back of
+the little marsh, my uncle also disappearing quietly on my own side, but
+of course higher up.
+
+"Perhaps the serpent won't be here after all," I thought to myself as I
+stood there in the midst of the profound silence; and I could not keep
+back the hope within me that this might be the case.
+
+Everything was now very still, only that once from a distance came the
+hoarse cry of a bird of paradise and the scream of a parrot, but
+directly after I seemed to detect the peculiar noise made by a hornbill,
+one of which birds flapped across the little valley towards a clump of
+trees.
+
+Not a sound came from beyond the cane swamp, and the slightest grasses
+hardly moved, but stood there with their feathery plumes bathed in
+sunshine, while with strained eyes I counted the knots on every
+light-brown and cream-coloured cane.
+
+I was watching for a wavy, undulating movement, which I felt sure must
+follow if the serpent was there and creeping about; but all was
+perfectly still.
+
+"It must be farther up to the top of the marsh than he thinks," I said
+to myself; and then I heard a cry which made my blood bound through my
+veins.  But there was nothing the matter; it was only Ebo on the move,
+and I heard my uncle answer him.  Then there was a beating noise as if
+the black was thrashing the canes with his club.
+
+Then my heart seemed to leap to my mouth, for there was a rustling in
+the tall grasses, something seemed to be forcing its way through, and
+with my gun at my shoulder I was ready to fire at the first glimpse of
+the scaly skin, but feathers appeared instead, and a couple of large
+wading-birds flew out.
+
+The beating went on, and bird after bird took flight from its
+lurking-place, some being very beautiful; but no serpent appeared, and I
+began to feel more bold.
+
+Still the beating went on, with Ebo shouting from time to time and my
+uncle answering, till they could not have been more than fifty yards
+above me, when suddenly the black seemed to change his tone, shouting
+excitedly to my uncle.
+
+"They've found it," I said to myself; and in my excitement I forgot all
+about my fears, and stood there with my eyes sweeping the cane growth
+and my ears strained to their utmost.
+
+All at once, and so close that the noise made me jump, I heard a shot,
+followed by a shout from Ebo, and a loud crashing noise, as if the canes
+were being thrashed together with a big stick.
+
+Bang once more, and then perfect silence, but directly after the
+thrashing, beating noise began once more, and as I gazed excitedly in
+that direction I heard my uncle's voice.
+
+"Look out, Nat," he cried.  "It's coming your way."
+
+"Yolly-to, yolly-to!" cried Ebo; but I hardly heard him, for, rushing
+down amongst the reeds and canes, writhing and bounding in the most
+extraordinary way, beating, whipping the tall leaves, tying itself up in
+knots and then throwing itself out nearly straight, came what to me
+seemed to be a most monstrous serpent.
+
+I ought to have fired, but as the reptile came towards me I felt as if I
+must run, and I turned and fled for a dozen yards before shame stopped
+me, and I faced about.
+
+The creature was close at hand, writhing horribly, and leaving behind it
+a beaten track, as in a fit of desperation I raised my gun, took quick
+aim, and fired, leaped aside to get away from the smoke, and fired again
+at something close to me.
+
+The next moment I was knocked down, my gun flying out of my hand, and
+when I struggled up the serpent was gone.
+
+"Hurt, Nat?" cried my uncle, who came running up with Ebo, who began to
+feel me all over.
+
+"I don't think I am, uncle," I said angrily; "but the thing gave me a
+horrible bang."
+
+"Pick up your gun then and come along, lad.  You hit the brute with both
+barrels, and I know I did once.  Come along; load as you run."
+
+Ebo had already gone on in the serpent's track, for after I had been
+sent over by a blow as the reptile writhed so fiercely, it had
+straightened itself out, and gone straight down the little valley
+towards more open ground.
+
+"Obe-ally-yolly!" shouted Ebo, and running after him I found that the
+serpent was gliding about in a rapid way amongst some tall trees, with
+the black darting at it and hitting it with his club from time to time,
+but apparently without making any impression.
+
+"Stand back, Ebo," cried my uncle, waving the black away, and then, as
+Ebo leaped back, preparing to fire.  But he lowered his gun as I came
+up.  "No," he said, "you shall give him the _coup de grace_, Nat;" and
+feeling no fear now I finished the loading of my gun and went in among
+the trees.
+
+"Fire at its head, Nat," cried my uncle; but it was not easy to see it,
+for the creature kept on twining about in a wonderfully rapid way; but
+at last I caught it as the head came from behind a tree trunk, fired,
+and the monster leaped from the ground and fell back in a long straight
+line, perfectly motionless, till Ebo darted in to give it a final thump
+with his club, when, to my astonishment, the blow seemed to electrify
+the creature, which drew itself up into a series of waves, and kept on
+throbbing as it were from end to end.
+
+"Shall I fire again, uncle?"  I said excitedly.
+
+"No, Nat," he replied; "it would only be slaying the slain.  Bravo, my
+boy! you did capitally."
+
+"But I ran away at first, uncle," I said sorrowfully.  "I did not stop
+when the serpent first came out."
+
+"It was enough to make a Saint George run away from such a dragon, Nat,"
+he said laughing.  "I could not have believed such a serpent existed in
+these isles.  Let's see how long he is."
+
+"Thirty feet, uncle," I cried excitedly.
+
+"Your eyes magnify this morning, Nat," he said merrily.  "No, my boy,"
+he continued, after pacing along by the writhing creature's side; "that
+serpent is barely fourteen feet long, but it is wonderfully thick for
+its size, and it proves that there must be animals here such as would
+form its prey."
+
+"Shall you have it skinned, uncle?"  I asked.
+
+"Yes," he replied, handing his knife to Ebo, who readily understood what
+was wanted, and leaving him to his very nasty job, my uncle and I went
+in search of birds of paradise.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.
+
+ANOTHER FISHING TRIP.
+
+We had a long tramp after the birds of paradise that day, but did not
+get one.  We shot some lovely sun-birds though, and a couple of thrushes
+such as we had not seen before.  Our walk took us well in sight of the
+sea once more, and we began to have a pretty good idea of the form of
+the island.  But the more we went about the more my uncle was satisfied
+that it was only a matter of time to make here a glorious collection of
+the birds of the eastern islands.  We saw four different kinds of birds
+of paradise in our walk, though we did not get one on account of their
+shyness, but we did not despair of getting over that; and at last, well
+tired out, we returned to Ebo, who had hung up the serpent's skin to
+dry, and following his guidance till nightfall we got back to our hut by
+the sea-shore, where the boat lay perfectly safe, and being too tired to
+make a fire and cook, we lay down and fell asleep at once.
+
+It was still dark when I was awakened by a hand shaking my arm, and,
+starting up, there was the black face of Ebo bent over me.
+
+"Ikan-ikan," he kept on repeating.
+
+"Ikan--fish," said my uncle, starting up.  "Yes, we may as well get some
+for a change, Nat;" and in a few minutes we were all down on the sand
+launching the boat, which rode out lightly over the rollers.
+
+We had plenty of fishing-lines, so fine that Ebo shook his head at them,
+and proceeded to show us how easily they would break; but after trying
+over and over again without success, and only cutting his hands, he
+grinned and jumped up to dance, but evidently thinking there was no room
+he settled down again and began to examine some hooks and glittering tin
+baits which we had in a box.
+
+These he scanned most carefully as the boat skimmed along, my uncle
+steering, and after trying the sharpness of the hooks he performed what
+always seemed to me a conjuring trick, in bringing a couple of
+mother-of-pearl baits out of his waist-cloth, with a roll of twine.
+
+The savages of the East, in fact most of the eastern people, wear a cord
+round the waist made of a material in accordance with their station.
+The poorer people will have it of cotton or twisted grass, the wealthier
+and chiefs of silk, while some have it threaded with gold.  This thin
+cord is used as a support for their waist-cloth, and is rarely taken
+off, but is fastened so tightly that I have seen it appear completely
+buried in the flesh, just as if the wearers had an idea that they ought
+to make themselves look as much like an insect as possible.
+
+Ebo wore a very tight _lingouti_--as it is called--round and over which
+he tucked the coarse cotton cloth which formed his only article of
+attire, and it was by means of this cotton cloth that he performed what
+I have spoken of as being like conjuring tricks, for somehow or another,
+although he had the appearance of carrying nothing about with him, he
+had always a collection of useful articles stored away in the folds of
+that waist-cloth.
+
+Upon the present occasion he brought out two mother-of-pearl baits such
+as would be used to attract the fish when no real bait could be
+obtained.
+
+It was a sight to see Ebo comparing his pearl baits with our specimens
+of tin and tinned copper, and for a time he seemed as if he could hardly
+make up his mind which was the better.  Then he laid his coil of line
+made of roughly twisted grass beside ours, and inspected the two
+carefully, after which he uttered a sigh and put his own away, evidently
+quite satisfied that the civilised article was by far the better.
+
+We sailed out about a mile and then anchored at the edge of a reef of
+coral, which acted as a shelter against the great rollers which broke
+far away upon its edge, seeming to make a ridge of surf, while where we
+lay all was undulating and calm, but with the tide running strongly over
+the reef, where the water was not a fathom deep and growing shallower
+moment by moment.
+
+Ebo laid his short club ready to his hand, signing to me to draw my big
+hunting-knife and place it beside me.
+
+"That looks as if we were to catch some large and dangerous fish, Nat,"
+said my uncle; and he drew his own knife before passing to each of us a
+line with the artificial baits affixed.
+
+"Won't you fish, uncle?"  I asked.
+
+"No, my boy.  You two can fish, and as soon as you catch one we will cut
+him up for bait.  I don't believe in artificial bait when you can get
+real."
+
+By this time Ebo had thrown out his line and I followed his example,
+seeing the swift current seize upon the bait and carry it rapidly out
+over the reef, twinkling and sparkling in the water as I jerked it by
+paying out more line.
+
+All at once, when it was some fifteen yards away.  I felt a jerk and a
+snatch.
+
+"I've got one," I said; but the tugging ceased directly, and I felt that
+the fish had gone.
+
+Either the same, though, or another seized it directly, for there was a
+fierce tug which cut my hand, and I had to give line for a few moments
+while the fish I had hooked darted here and there like lightning, but I
+had it up to the side soon after, and gazed at it with delight, for it
+was, as it lay panting in the boat, like a magnificent goldfish, five or
+six pounds weight, with bars across its side of the most dazzling blue.
+
+"Poo--chah--chah!"  Ebo cried with a face full of disgust as he twisted
+his own line round a peg in the boat, and seizing his club battered the
+fish to death after unhooking it, and threw it over the side, where, as
+it was carried away, I could see that dozens of fish were darting at it,
+tearing it to pieces as fast as they could.
+
+"What did you do that for?"  I cried angrily, for it seemed wasting a
+splendid fish.
+
+Ebo chatted away in reply, almost as angrily, after which, evidently
+satisfied that I did not understand, he behaved very nastily, though his
+dumb-show was so comic that it made us roar with laughter.
+
+For he pretended to eat, as we supposed, some of the fish.  Then he
+jumped up, sat down, jumped up again, rubbed his front, kicked out his
+legs and shouted, making hideous grimaces as if he were in pain, ending
+by leaning over the side of the boat, pretending to be horribly sick,
+and finishing his performance by lying down, turning up his eyes, and
+moaning.
+
+"We must take what he shows us for granted, Nat," said my uncle, as Ebo
+jumped up smiling, as much as to say, "Wasn't I clever?"  "These people
+know which are the wholesome and which are the unwholesome fish; but I
+was going to use some of that fellow for bait."
+
+Just then Ebo hooked and brought in a fine fish that was all blue, but
+even this one would not do, for he killed it and tossed it overboard,
+chattering at it the while as if he were abusing it for being so bad.
+
+We saw scores of fish dart at it as it was thrown in, and now they bit
+so freely at the artificial baits that there was no occasion to change.
+
+I had hold of what seemed a nice fish directly, and after letting it run
+a little I began hauling in, watching its progress through the shallow
+clear water and thinking how bright and beautiful it looked against the
+brilliant corals, the softly waving weeds of every shade of brown and
+scarlet, while now and then some other fish darted at it.
+
+All at once I uttered a cry of astonishment, for a long line of
+undulating creamy white seemed to dart at my fish, seize it with a jerk,
+and twist itself round it, till fish and the eel-like creature that
+attacked it resembled a knot.
+
+I kept on hauling in, but only slowly now, for fear the hook should
+break out, the weight being double what it was and the water lashed into
+glittering foam.
+
+"What is it, uncle?"  I cried excitedly.
+
+"Don't hurry, Nat," he replied; and just then Ebo, who had been too busy
+pulling in a fish to notice my line, threw out again, and then fastening
+his cord came over to my side to see.
+
+No sooner did he make out what I had at the end of the line than he
+seized his club, gesticulated furiously, and began beating the side of
+the boat, chattering aloud, and signing to me to give him the line.
+
+"Let him have it, Nat," said my uncle.  "He has had experience with
+these things."
+
+I gave up my hold of the fishing-line most unwillingly, for the little
+adventure was intensely exciting, and every jerk and drag made by the
+creature that had seized my fish sent a thrill through my arms to my
+very heart.
+
+"It is some kind of sea-snake that has taken your fish, Nat, and is
+regularly constricting it.  As I told you before, there are some of them
+dangerously poisonous, and not like our great friend out in the swamp."
+
+Meanwhile Ebo was jerking and shaking the line furiously, as if
+endeavouring to get rid of the snake, but without avail, for it held on
+tightly, having evidently got one fold twisted round the line, and I
+must confess, after hearing about the poisonous nature of these
+creatures, to feeling rather nervous as to its behaviour if it were
+brought on board.
+
+But Ebo did not mean to bring it on board.  He wanted to shake it off,
+and what with the struggles of the fish and the writhing and twisting of
+the snake, it seemed every moment as if the line must break.
+
+The black brought it close in, then let it go almost to the full length
+of the line, jerked it, made fierce snatches, but all in vain; and at
+last getting the unwelcome visitor close in, he signed to my uncle to
+take his knife while he raised his club for a blow, when there was a
+sudden cessation of the rush, and foam in the water, and fish and snake
+had gone.
+
+Ebo grinned with triumph, and after examining the bait threw it out
+again, returning to the other side directly to draw in a satisfactory
+fish for our breakfast, while my uncle chatted to me about my last
+captive.
+
+"This is new to me, Nat," he said.  "I never could have thought that
+these snakes or eels, for they seem to partake of the character of the
+latter, would have wound themselves round the prey they seized.  The
+elongated fish in our part of the world, congers, dog-fish, guard-fish,
+and similar creatures, fasten their teeth into their prey, then setting
+their bodies in rapid motion like a screw, they regularly cut great
+pieces out of their victim.  This was precisely the same as a serpent
+with its prey, and it is a natural history fact worth recording.  But
+look!"
+
+I had already felt a fish snap at my bait, checked it, and knew that I
+was fast into a monster.  For a few moments he let me feel something
+heavy and inert at the end of my line, then there was a plunge and a
+rush, the line went hissing out, and try as I would to check it, the
+fish ran straight off till I dragged with all my might, and felt that
+either the line must break or my hands would be terribly cut.
+
+"Give and take, Nat," cried my uncle.
+
+"It's all give, uncle, and I can't take a bit."
+
+I had hardly said the words when I was at liberty to take in as much as
+I liked, for the fish was gone, and upon drawing in my line in a
+terribly disappointed way, it was to find that the fish had completely
+bitten through the very strong wire gimp, not broken it, but bitten it
+as cleanly as if it had been done with a knife.
+
+"That must have been a monster," said Uncle Dick.  "But never mind, my
+boy.  Here, hold still and I'll loop on another bait."
+
+He was in the act of doing this when Ebo began to dance about in the
+boat, striving hard to drag in the fish he had hooked.  His plan was to
+haul in as quickly as he could, never giving the fish a moment's rest,
+and any form of playing the swift, darting creature did not seem to
+enter his head.
+
+He seemed to have found his match this time, for the fish refused to be
+dragged on board, but after a fierce struggle the black's arms were too
+much for it, and a dozen rapid hand-over-hand hauls resulted in its
+being hauled over the side, a sharp-nosed glittering silver-fish about
+four feet long, and I was about to fling myself upon it to hold it down
+and stop its frantic leaps amongst our tackle, when Ebo uttered a cry of
+alarm, darted before me, and attacked the fish with his club, dealing it
+the most furious blow upon the head, but apparently without any effect,
+for as one of the blows fell, the great fish seemed to make a side dart
+with its head, and its jaws closed upon the club, holding on so fiercely
+and with such power that it was not until Uncle Dick had cut off its
+head that the club could be wrenched away, when Ebo showed me the
+creature's jaws full of teeth like lancets and pretty well as sharp.
+
+"No wonder your wire was bitten through," said my uncle.  "Hallo! is he
+not good to eat?"
+
+Ebo evidently seemed to consider that it was not, for the fish was
+thrown over, and the fierce monster, that must have been a perfect
+tyrant of the waters, had not floated a dozen feet before it was
+furiously attacked and literally hacked to pieces.
+
+There was no difficulty in getting fish that morning, the only thing was
+to avoid hooking monsters that would break or bite through our tackle,
+and those which were not good for food.
+
+The reef literally swarmed with fish, some large, some small, and every
+now and then we could see the rapid dash of one of the snake-eels as I
+called them.  I saw them regularly leap out of the water sometimes and
+come down in a knot, twisting and twining about in the most
+extraordinary way, and at last, so interesting was the clear, shallow
+water, that we laid aside our lines and leaned over the side gazing down
+at the fish that flashed about, till the reef was dry, and leaving Ebo
+in the boat we landed to walk about over the shining weeds and coral,
+picking our way amongst shell-fish of endless variety, some with great
+heavy shells a couple of feet long, and some so small and delicate that
+I had to handle them with the greatest delicacy to keep from crushing
+their tissue-papery shells.
+
+I could have stayed there for hours and filled the boat with wonders.
+There was scarlet and orange coral, so beautiful that I was for bringing
+away specimens; but Uncle Dick showed me that it was only the gelatinous
+covering that was of so lovely a tint, and this, he told me, would soon
+decay.
+
+Then there were the brilliantly tinted weeds.  There were sea-slugs too,
+delicacies amongst the Chinese under the name of _trepang_, and so many
+other wonders of the sea that I should have gone on searching amongst
+the crevices of the sharp coral, if I had not had a sharp warning given
+to me to make for the boat by the parts that had only been an inch or
+two deep rapidly increasing to a foot, and my uncle shouting to me to
+come aboard.
+
+It was quite time, for I was some distance from the boat, with the tide
+flowing in so rapidly that in a few minutes I should have had to swim,
+and a swim in water swarming with such furious kinds of the finny tribe
+was anything but tempting.
+
+As it was I had to swim a few strokes, and was of course soaked, but my
+uncle hauled me uninjured into the boat and I little minded the wetting,
+but laughed at my adventure as we sat over our breakfast and feasted
+upon frizzled fish to our hearts' content.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.
+
+EBO SATISFIES OUR WANTS.
+
+It would be tedious if I were to go on describing the almost endless
+varieties of birds we shot, glowing though they were with rainbow
+colours, and to keep repeating how we skinned and preserved this
+sun-bird, that pitta, or trogon, or lovely rose-tinted dove.  Parrots
+and cockatoos we found without number, and as we selected only the
+finest specimens, our collection rapidly increased, so fast, indeed, by
+steady work, that I began to understand how my uncle had brought so
+great a number from the West.
+
+But still one of the great objects of our visit to this part of the
+world had not been achieved; we had shot no birds of paradise; and these
+were scarce things in England at the time of which I write.
+
+There were plenty of rough specimens of their plumage worn in ladies'
+bonnets; but a fair, well-preserved skin was hardly known, those brought
+to England being roughly dried by the natives; so at last my uncle
+declared that no more birds should be shot and skinned until we had
+obtained specimens of some at least of the lovely creatures whose cries
+we often heard about us, but which tantalisingly kept out of shot.
+
+It was a difficult task, but we at last made Ebo understand that we must
+shoot some of these birds, when by his way he seemed to indicate that if
+we had only told him sooner we might have had as many as we liked.
+
+That very day he obtained a good little store of provisions, shouldered
+his spear, and went off by himself, and we saw no more of him for
+forty-eight hours, when he came back in the most unconcerned way, just
+as if he had never been out of sight, and sat down and ate all that we
+put before him.
+
+After that he lay down and went to sleep for some hours, waking up ready
+to dance around us, chattering vehemently until we had finished the
+skins we were preserving, when he signed to us to take our guns and to
+follow him.
+
+We obeyed him, but he did not seem satisfied until we had collected some
+provision as well, when once more he set off, taking us through a part
+of the island we had not visited before, and, if anything, more
+beautiful than that we had.
+
+It was a long journey he took us, and we could have secured hundreds of
+brilliantly coloured birds, but we only shot a few large ones, such as
+we knew to be good food, ready for our halt by the camp fire, for it
+seemed that we were not to return to our hut that night.
+
+Over hillsides, down in valleys where tree-ferns sprang up, of the most
+beautifully laced fronds, great groves of palms and clumps of cocoa-nut
+trees, some of whose fruit Ebo climbed and got for us, and still we went
+on, avoiding the marshy-looking spots which experience had taught us to
+be the home of the serpents, which, in very small numbers, inhabited the
+isle.
+
+Several times over we looked inquiringly at Ebo, but he only smiled and
+pointed forward, and we followed him till he stopped suddenly and showed
+us some wood ready for making a fire.
+
+Here we had a welcome rest and a hearty meal, but he did not let us stay
+long, hurrying us forward, till, just before sundown, he brought us to a
+dense patch of forest, with huge trees towering upward and spreading
+their branches, making an impenetrable shade.
+
+"It will be too dark to travel far here to-night, Nat," said my uncle.
+"Where does he mean to go?  But this ought to be the place for the birds
+of paradise, Nat, if we are to get any."
+
+Just then Ebo stopped, and we found a rough hut of leaves with a bed of
+fern already waiting for us, this having been part of his work during
+his prolonged absence.
+
+His delight knew no bounds as he saw that we were pleased, and as usual
+he indulged in a dance, after which he caught us in turn by the arm and
+tried very hard to explain that the birds of paradise were plentiful
+here.
+
+We were too tired to think about anything much besides sleep, and very
+gladly crept into our hut, to sleep so soundly without a single thought
+of serpents or huge apes, that I seemed hardly to have closed my eyes,
+and felt exceedingly grumpy and indisposed to move when Ebo began
+shaking me to get me up.
+
+"All right!"  I said, and then, as I lay still with my eyes closed, Ebo
+kept on:
+
+"Hawk, hawk, hawk; kwok, kwok, kwok;" and it seemed so stupid of him,
+but there it was again; "Hawk, hawk, hawk; kwok, kwok, kwok."
+
+"Come, Nat," cried my uncle; "unbutton those eyelids, boy, and get up.
+Don't you hear the birds calling?"
+
+"I thought it was Ebo, uncle," I said.  "Oh!  I am so sleepy."
+
+"Never mind the sleepiness, Nat.  Come along and let's see if we cannot
+get some good specimens."
+
+Just then I saw Ebo's face in the opening, and cutting a yawn right in
+half I followed my uncle out into the darkness, for though the birds of
+paradise were calling, there was no sign of day.
+
+But if we wished for success I felt that we must get beneath the trees
+unseen, and, examining my gun, I followed my uncle, who in turn kept
+close behind Ebo.
+
+The black went forward very cautiously, and looking very strange and
+misty in the darkness; but he evidently knew what he was about, going
+along amongst the great tree trunks without a sound, while we followed
+as lightly as we could.
+
+On all sides we could hear the hoarse cries of the birds, which we felt
+must be in good numbers, and I felt less sleepiness now in the fresh
+morning air, and a curious feeling of excitement came over me as I
+thought of the lovely amber plumes of these birds, and wondered whether
+I should be fortunate enough to bring one down.
+
+All at once Ebo stopped beneath an enormous tree, and as we crept up
+close to its mighty trunk we gazed up into the darkness and could here
+and there catch a glimpse of a star; in fact, so black was it, that but
+for the cries of the various birds we heard, it might have been taken
+for the middle of the night.
+
+There was nothing to see but an almost opaque blackness, though now and
+then I fancied I could make out a great branch crossing above my head.
+It seemed nonsense to have come, but the loud cry of one of the birds we
+sought, sounded loudly just then and silenced my doubts.  I raised my
+gun ready for a shot, but could see nothing.
+
+Just then my uncle whispered with his lips to my ear: "Don't make a
+sound, and don't fire till you have a good chance.  Look out."
+
+The loud quok, quok, quok, was answered from a distance, repeated above
+our heads, and then there was the whistle of wings plainly heard in the
+solemn silence of the forest, and all this repeated again overhead till
+it seemed as if we were just beneath a tree where the birds of paradise
+met for discussion, like the rooks at home in the elms.  But no matter
+how I strained my eyes I could not distinguish a single bird.
+
+The minutes went by, and I longed for the light, for though I knew it
+would betray our presence, still I might catch sight of one bird and
+bring it down.  But the light did not come, and as my arms ached with
+holding up my gun I lowered it, and patiently waited with my heart
+beating heavily, as I listened to the cries that were on the increase.
+
+All at once I felt an arm glide over my shoulder, and I could just make
+out that Ebo was pointing upward with his black finger steadily in one
+direction.
+
+I tried to follow it but could see nothing, and I was thinking how much
+better a savage's sight was than ours, when from out of the darkness
+there came the hoarse "_Hawk, hawk, hawk; quok, quok, quok_," and as the
+cry seemed to direct my eye, I fancied that I could see something moving
+slightly at a very great height, bowing and strutting like a pigeon.  I
+looked and looked again and could not see it; then a star that was
+peeping through the leaves seemed to be suddenly hidden, and there was
+the movement again.
+
+I forgot all about my uncle's orders about not firing until I had a good
+chance, and taking a steady aim at the dimly seen spot just as the
+hoarse cry arose once more, I drew the trigger.
+
+The flash from my gun seemed to cut the blackness, and the report went
+echoing away amongst the trees; then there was a sharp rustling noise,
+and a dull, quick thud, and I was about to spring forward and seek for
+what I had shot, but Ebo's arms closed round me and held me fast.
+
+I understood what he meant, and contented myself with reloading my gun,
+the click of the lock sounding very loud in the silence that had ensued,
+for the report of my gun had caused a complete cessation of all cries,
+and I felt that we should get no more shots for some time; but all the
+same I had heard no rush of wings as of a flock of birds taking flight,
+and I wondered whether any of them were still in the dense top of the
+tree.
+
+Five or ten minutes must have elapsed, and then once more Ebo's arm
+glided over my shoulder and rested there, while I laid my cheek against
+it, and gazed in quite another direction now till I fancied I saw what
+he was pointing at, but which looked like nothing but a dark spot high
+up amongst the twigs; in fact, when I did make it out I felt sure that
+it was a nest.
+
+But I recalled how accurate Ebo had been before, and once more taking
+aim, making it the more careful by leaning my gun barrel against the
+trunk of the tree, I fired; there was a quick rustle of leaves and
+twigs, and another dull thud, but no one moved.
+
+After a few minutes' waiting Ebo pointed out another, whatever it was,
+for I was still in doubt as to whether these were birds of paradise that
+I had shot, for the silence had not been broken since I fired first.
+
+I took a quicker aim this time and drew the trigger, and once more there
+was a heavy fall through the branches, and then as if by magic it seemed
+to be daylight, and I saw several big birds dotted about the tree.
+
+Uncle Dick and I fired together, and then came a rush of wings as
+another bird fell, the loud cries being repeated from a distance; while
+Ebo, evidently considering that it was of no more use to wait, ran out
+to pick up the birds.
+
+Only one bird had fallen when my uncle and I fired together, for I
+believe I missed; but as Ebo and I picked up the result of our
+expedition here the sun rose, and in the bright light that came between
+the trees we stood gazing in ecstasy at the lovely creatures.
+
+"Oh, uncle!"
+
+That was all I could say for some time.
+
+"I think it ought to be `Oh, Nat!'" he replied laughing.  "Why, you
+young dog, what eyes you have! you got all the luck."
+
+"Oh no, uncle," I said laughing; "I shot with Ebo's eyes."
+
+"Then next time I'll do the same," he said.
+
+"But let's go and shoot some more," I said excitedly.
+
+"No, Nat, we shall get no more of these to-day.  I suppose it will only
+be by hiding in the darkness beneath the trees they frequent that we
+shall have any success.  They are wonderfully shy, and no wonder when
+they have such plumage to protect."
+
+I suppose most people have seen specimens of the great bird of paradise,
+but they can have no conception of the beauty of a freshly shot specimen
+such as were two of those which I brought down.  I felt as if I could
+never tire of gazing at the wonderful tinting of the bird, here of a
+pale straw yellow with the feathers short and stiff like velvet, there
+of a rich chocolate with the neck covered with scales of metallic green.
+Their tails seemed to have, in place of centre feathers, a couple of
+long beautiful curving wires nearly a yard long; but the chief beauty of
+the birds was the great tuft of plumage which seemed to come out from
+beneath the wings, light and soft, quite two feet long, and all of a
+rich golden orange.
+
+It seems to me impossible to conceive a more lovely bird, and we took
+them in triumph to our hut, where we breakfasted, my uncle afterwards
+carefully making skins of all four.
+
+The other two were evidently younger birds, and had not their full
+plumage, but they were very beautiful and formed a splendid addition to
+the collection.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.
+
+BEAUTIES IN PLUME.
+
+Our work done, my uncle decided that we should stay here for a couple of
+days at least, even if we did not afterwards come round to this side of
+the island, for our good fortune was not yet at an end.  In taking a
+look round, towards mid-day we heard a harsh cry, and by means of a
+little stalking Uncle Dick got within shot and brought down a bird that
+was almost as beautiful as those we shot before daylight.
+
+This had shorter plumes of a rich red, but it had two long double curved
+wires in its tail, and its upper plumage was more plush-like and richer
+in its colours.  The metallic green was more vivid, the golden yellow a
+colour which was most bright upon its neck and shoulders.
+
+Almost directly after I shot a big dull brown bird which gave me no
+satisfaction at all; but Uncle Dick was delighted, saying that it was
+the female bird of the kind we had shot, and we decided that it was the
+red bird of paradise.
+
+Even then we had not come to the end of our good fortune, for after
+passing over hundreds of sun-birds, pittas, and trogons, such as we
+should have been only too glad to meet a short time back, my uncle
+suddenly raised his gun and fired at what seemed to be, from where I
+stood, a couple of sturdy-looking starlings.
+
+One fell, and Uncle Dick shouted to me as the second bird came in my
+direction.
+
+I made a quick shot at it just as it was darting among some bushes, and
+brought it down, and on running to pick it up I found that I had shot
+something entirely fresh to me.
+
+"Well done, Nat!" cried my uncle.  "Mine is only the hen bird.  What a
+lovely little creature, to be sure!  It is a gem."
+
+"What is it, uncle?"  I said.
+
+"Evidently a paradise bird, my boy."
+
+It was a curious little short-tailed fellow, but wonderful in its
+colours; while from the centre of the dumpy tail sprang two wires of
+about six inches long, which formed two flat spiral curls at the end,
+and of a most intense green.  Instead of the long plumes of the birds we
+shot before--birds three times the size of this--it had under each wing
+a little tuft of grey, tipped with green, which the bird could set up
+like tiny tans.  The whole of the upper surface was of a rich red, and
+the under part of a glistening floss-silky or glass-thready white, but
+relieved here and there with bands and patches of metallic green.  There
+were shades of orange crimson here, and when I add that the bird's legs
+were of a delicious blue, and its beak of orange yellow like a
+blackbird's, you can realise how beautiful a creature I had shot.
+
+"There, Nat," said my uncle, "we will do no more, only carefully
+preserve the treasures we have got."
+
+But hardly had he spoken before he fired again and brought down another
+bird, which was again a wonder.  It seemed about the size of the last,
+but was entirely different, though sufficiently similar to mark it as a
+paradise bird.  It had nearly as short a tail, with the two central
+wires crossed, but instead of forming the beautiful curves of the other
+with the flat disc at the end, these wires ended in a point and curled
+round so as to form a circle.  The prevailing colours were orange, buff,
+and yellow, but its great peculiarity was a couple of ruffs or capes of
+feathers hanging from the back of its neck, the upper one of a pale
+yellow, the lower of a reddish-brown.
+
+Uncle Dick was in as great a state of delight as I, and our pleasure
+seemed to be reflected upon Ebo, who showed his satisfaction at having
+brought us to the place, by shouldering his spear and striding up and
+down with one hand upon his hip, as if proud of his position as
+companion of the white man.
+
+The time glided by very fast during our stay at the island, where we
+found plenty of fruit, as many fish as we liked to catch, and abundance
+of large pigeons and other birds to help our larder.  The climate was
+hot, but the breezes that came from the sea always seemed to modify the
+heat and make it bearable.  Several storms occurred, during which the
+trees bent before the fury of the blast, and the waves piled the sands
+high with weeds and shells.  The lightning was terrific and the thunder
+deafening.  At times it was awful, and a curious scared feeling used at
+first to come over me.  But I soon grew used to the storms, and as they
+were soon over, took but little notice of them, except to enjoy the
+delicious freshness of the air that seemed afterwards to make everything
+ten times more beautiful than it was before.
+
+It would become wearisome if I kept on writing of the beauty of the
+different varieties of the birds of paradise we found, and the lovely
+tinting and arrangement of their plumes; let it be sufficient when I
+tell you that scarcely a day passed without Ebo finding some fresh
+specimen for us to shoot, and then dancing round with the delight of a
+boy as we skinned and preserved the new treasure.  Sometimes we had a
+beetle day, sometimes a butterfly day, collecting the loveliest
+specimens; but birds formed our principal pursuit, and our cases began
+to present a goodly aspect as we packed in carefully the well-dried
+aromatic skins.
+
+I had had one or two more slight touches of fever, and my uncle was
+poorly once, but he so skilfully treated us both that the disease was
+soon mastered, and the trouble passed over.  Taken altogether, though,
+we found the island, in spite of the heat, a most delightful place of
+residence, and it was with feelings of real regret that I sat in our
+swift boat one day with the big sail set, skimming over the smooth sea,
+all our stores on board, and Uncle Dick at the helm steering due north,
+for we had bidden the beautiful island farewell, and its shores were
+beginning to grow distant to our eyes.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
+
+EBO DOES NOT APPROVE OF NEW GUINEA FOR REASONS THAT APPEAR.
+
+It did not seem to matter to Ebo where we went so long as he was with
+us.  He must have been a man of five-and-thirty, and he was brave as a
+lion--as the lion is said to be in the story, for in reality he is a
+great sneak--but Ebo seemed to have the heart of a boy.  He was ready to
+laugh when I did, and sit by me when I was ill or tired, his face full
+of sympathy, and no sooner was I better than it was the signal for a
+triumphal dance.
+
+Ebo was as happy now as could be.  It did not matter to him where we
+were going, and he laughed and chattered and pointed out the fish to me
+as we skimmed over the shallow water of the coral reefs, sometimes
+approaching islands whose names we did not know, and which were
+apparently too small to be down in the chart; but whatever temptations
+they might hold out my uncle steered right on due north, and on the
+evening of the second day there was land stretching east and west as far
+as we could see.
+
+"Now, Nat," he cried, "where is your geography? what place is that?"
+
+"I should say it must be New Guinea, uncle," I said.
+
+"Quite right, my boy.  Hallo! what's the matter with Ebo?"
+
+That gentleman had been lying down in the bottom of the boat fast asleep
+for the past three hours, as he was to sit up and bear me company
+through a part of the night; but having woke up and caught sight of the
+land he seemed to have become furious.
+
+Having been with us now so long, he had picked up a good many words,
+just as we had picked up a good many of his, so that by their help and
+signs we got along pretty well.  But now it was quite startling to see
+his excitement.  He seemed so agitated that he could only recollect the
+word _no_, and this he kept on repeating as he dashed at me and then
+left me, to run to my uncle, seizing the tiller and trying to drag it
+round so as to alter the direction of the boat.
+
+"No, no, no, no, no!" he cried.  Then pointing to the land he came at
+me, caught up his spear, and I thought he was going to kill me, for he
+made a savage thrust at me which went right past my arm; dropped the
+spear, caught up his club, forced back my head over the gunwale of the
+boat, raised his club and made believe to beat me to death, hammering
+the boat side with all his might.  After this he made a sham attack upon
+my uncle, who, however, took it coolly, and only laughed after seeing
+the attack upon me, though I had noticed one hand go to his gun when Ebo
+made at me with the spear.
+
+After the black had worked himself up into a perspiration, instead of,
+as I expected, bursting out laughing, he kept on pointing to the land,
+crying, "No, no, no!" and then, "Kill bird, kill man, Nat, mi boy, kill
+Ung-kul Dit; kill Ebo.  No, no, no!"
+
+"You mean that the savages will kill us if we land?"  I said.
+
+"Kill, kill," he cried, nodding his head excitedly, and banging the side
+of the boat with his club; "kill, kill, kill.  Kill Ebo, kill Nat, mi
+boy, kill Ung-kul Dit, kill boat, kill, kill.  No, no, no!"
+
+"Well done, Ebo!" cried my uncle laughing.  "Your English is splendid.
+Good boy."
+
+"Ebo, good boy," cried the black.  "No, no, no.  Kill, kill."
+
+"They sha'n't kill us, Ebo," said my uncle, taking up his gun and
+pointing it at the shore; while, to make his meaning clearer, I did the
+same.  "Shoot--kill man."
+
+"Shoot! kill!" cried Ebo, who evidently understood, for he picked up his
+spear, and thrust with it fiercely towards the shore.  "Yes, shoot; kill
+man," he continued, nodding his head; but he seemed very much
+dissatisfied and gazed intently towards the distant land.
+
+"He seems to know the character of the New Guinea savages, Nat," said
+Uncle Dick.  "I have always heard that they are a fierce and cruel set,
+but we shall soon see whether it is safe to land."
+
+We sailed gently on, for it turned out a glorious moonlight night, and
+altering our course a little we were at sunrise within a couple of miles
+of what seemed to be a very beautiful country, wooded to the shore, and
+rising up inland to towering mountains.  Great trees seemed to prevail
+everywhere, but we saw no sign of human being.
+
+"The place looks very tempting, Nat," said uncle, "and if we can hit
+upon an uninhabited part I expect that we should find some capital
+specimens for our cases.  Let us see what the place is like."
+
+Ebo tried in his fashion to dissuade us from going farther, and it was
+evident that the poor fellow was terrible uneasy as the boat was run in
+close to the shore, when all at once about a dozen nude black savages
+came running down to the water's edge, making signs to us to land, and
+holding up bunches of bright feathers and rough skins of birds.
+
+"They look friendly, Nat," said my uncle.
+
+"Look here; I will land and take them a few presents in beads and brass
+wire; we shall soon see if they mean mischief."
+
+"I'll come with you, uncle," I said.
+
+"No; you stop with the boat and keep her afloat.  Here are the guns all
+ready loaded.  I don't suppose there will be any danger; but if there
+is, you must pepper the enemy with small shot to keep them back--that
+is, of course, if you see them attack me."
+
+"Hadn't I better come, uncle?"
+
+"No; I shall take Ebo.  They may be as simple-hearted and friendly as
+the others we have met, and this country must be so grand a collecting
+ground that I cannot afford to be scared away by what may be false
+reports raised by people who have behaved ill to the natives."
+
+He took out a few strings of brightly coloured beads and a little roll
+of brass wire, and waved them in the air, when the savages shouted and
+kept on making signs to us to land.
+
+We were only about twenty yards from the sandy shore now, and we could
+see every expression of face of the New Guinea men, as my uncle threw
+one leg over the side and then stood up to his knees in the clear water.
+
+"Kill Ung-kul Dit," said Ebo, clinging to his arm.
+
+"No, no!  Come," replied my uncle.
+
+Ebo's club was already in his _lingouti_, and picking up his spear he
+too leaped into the water, while I sat down in the boat with the barrel
+of my gun resting on the gunwale as the sail flapped and the boat rocked
+softly to and fro.
+
+The people seemed to be delighted as my uncle waded in; but I noted that
+they carefully avoided wetting their own feet, keeping on the dry sand
+talking eagerly among themselves; and though I looked attentively I
+could see no sign of arms.
+
+So peaceful and good-tempered did they all look that I was completely
+thrown off my guard, and wondered how Ebo could be so cowardly as to
+keep about a yard behind my uncle, who walked up to them fearlessly, and
+held out his hand with a string of beads.
+
+The New Guinea men chattered and seemed delighted, holding out their
+hands and catching eagerly at the beads, snatching them from the giver's
+hands, and asking apparently for more.
+
+I saw Uncle Dick sign to them that he wanted some of their birds in
+exchange.
+
+They understood him, for they held out two or three skins, and he
+advanced a step to take them; but they were snatched back directly, and,
+as if by magic, the savages thrust their hands behind them, and in an
+instant each man was flourishing a war-club.
+
+It all seemed to happen in a moment, and my heart seemed to stand still
+as I saw one treacherous savage, over six feet high, strike my uncle
+over the head with his club, my poor uncle falling as if he had been
+killed.
+
+It was now that I saw why Ebo had held back behind my uncle, and it was
+fortunate that the faithful fellow had followed the guidance of his own
+reason.  For as, in the midst of a tremendous shouting and yelling, the
+tall savage bent forward to again strike my uncle I saw Ebo's lance
+point strike him in the throat, and he went down.
+
+This checked the savages for an instant, long enough to enable the black
+to stoop down and get a good grip of Uncle Dick's collar with his left
+hand, while with his right he kept making darts with his spear at the
+yelling savages who kept striking at him with their clubs.
+
+So tremendous and so true were Ebo's thrusts that I saw another great
+black go down, and a couple more run yelling back towards the dense
+cover from which they had come; but Ebo was in a very critical position.
+My uncle was heavy, and the black had hard work to drag him over the
+sand towards the boat, and keep his enemies at bay.
+
+It was now that I saw what a brave warrior and chief our follower must
+be; but I also saw how his enemies had formed a half circle and were
+trying to get behind him and cut him off from the boat.
+
+For the first few moments I had felt helpless; then I had determined to
+leap over and go to their help; then I saw that I was best where I was,
+and took aim, ready to fire at the first chance, for I could do nothing
+at first for fear of injuring my friends.  And besides, a horrible
+feeling of compunction had come upon me at the thought of having to fire
+at men--fellow creatures--and I shrank from drawing trigger.
+
+At last, though, I saw that further hesitation would be fatal.  Ebo was
+making a brave defence, and had wounded several of his assailants as he
+dragged my uncle to the water's edge.  Another step and he could have
+waded, easily dragging my uncle over the water, but his enemies had made
+a savage dash, and one of the boldest had got hold of his spear.
+
+Another moment and he would have been struck down, when, hesitating no
+longer, I took quick aim and fired right into the thick of the black
+group as far on one side of my uncle as I could.
+
+As the report rang out, and the stinging shot hissed and scattered,
+injuring several, they uttered fierce yells and separated for a moment,
+giving me a better chance to fire again, and I did with such effect that
+the savage who was dragging at Ebo's spear loosed his hold, turned, and
+ran for his life.
+
+It was a golden moment for our black friend, who made a couple of darts
+with his freed weapon, and then backing rapidly drew my uncle through
+the water towards the boat.
+
+The savages were staggered by the shot from my gun.  Many were wounded,
+but they were trifling small shot-wounds, which only infuriated them as
+they saw their prey escaping, and with a rush they came tearing through
+the water, whirling their clubs above their heads and yelling furiously.
+
+My blood was up now, and in those brief moments I saw our fate, that of
+being massacred by these treacherous ruthless wretches, to whom we had
+made offerings of peace and good-will.  I seemed to see our battered
+boat, and then friends at home waiting for news of those who had sailed
+out here on a peaceful expedition, news that would never come; and a
+curious pang came over me as I felt that I must save Uncle Dick and his
+brave defender if I could.
+
+I had already picked up my uncle's loaded double gun, and there were two
+rifles also loaded ready to my hand, so, taking careful aim now at the
+foremost of the savage crew just as they were pressing Ebo hard, I
+fired.
+
+I could not see for a moment for the smoke, but as it parted I saw that
+the men were close enough now for the shot to have much more serious
+effect.  Two had fallen, but after a moment's hesitation the others made
+a fresh rush, which I met with another shot, which checked them again;
+but though another man fell, and half a dozen more were streaming with
+blood, they only seemed the more infuriate and again came on.
+
+I did not even then like to use the fatal rifles, but found time to cram
+in a couple more cartridges, and by this time Ebo had dragged my uncle
+to the boat, stooped, lifted him in, and then with one hand upon the
+gunwale kept shoving her off, backing and wading, and thrusting with his
+spear at the fierce wretches who came on more savagely than ever.
+
+The boat moved slowly, but I was hot with excitement now, and I fired
+once at a savage who was striking at Ebo, then at a group, and then
+there was a dull heavy thud as a war-club that had been thrown with
+clever aim struck me full in the forehead, and I fell senseless in the
+bottom of the boat.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
+
+EBO'S SONG OF TRIUMPH.
+
+When I came to, it was with a terrible pain in my head, and a misty
+feeling of having been taken by the savages, who had laid me down and
+were having a war-dance of triumph around me.
+
+"Hi, yi, yi--Hi, yi, yi--Hi, yi, yi!"
+
+Then it kept on in a shrill tone till it seemed, as my head ached so
+badly, almost maddening.
+
+At last I raised my heavy eyelids and saw that instead of lying on the
+sand surrounded by savages, I was some distance from the shore and in
+the boat.  I could dimly see, as through a mist, the savages on the
+beach, and they were shouting, yelling, and threatening us with their
+war-clubs; but it was Ebo who was apparently about to dance the bottom
+out of the boat, and keeping up that abominable "Hi, yi, yi!" his song
+of triumph for the victory he had won.
+
+"Hi, yi, yi--Hi, yi, yi--Hi, yi, yi! _hey_!"
+
+The _Hey_! was accompanied by a tremendous jump, and a flourish of the
+spear at the savages on shore, whom the defiance seemed to madden as
+they rushed about furiously waving their clubs and yelling with all
+their might.  Sometimes they dashed into the water right to their
+chests, some swam out with their war-clubs in their teeth, and some went
+through a pantomime in which we were all supposed to be beaten down and
+being pounded into jelly upon the shore.
+
+All this delighted Ebo, who varied his war-song by making derisive
+gestures, showing his utter contempt for his cowardly enemies, all of
+which seemed to sting them to fury, and I began to wonder how we should
+get on if they had canoes.
+
+For our boat was floating gently along about sixty yards from the shore
+with the sail flapping about, the current driving her away, but the
+rollers carrying her in.
+
+At first I could do nothing but sit there and gaze, sometimes at Ebo,
+and sometimes at the savages.  Then in a sleepy stupid way I looked at
+my uncle, who was lying in the bottom of the boat with his eyes closed
+and perfectly motionless.
+
+Somehow my state then did not trouble me much, only that I wished my
+head would not ache quite so badly.  I was quite aware that we were in
+danger, but that seemed to be quite natural; and at last I began to
+wonder why I did not begin doing something, and why my uncle did not get
+up.
+
+At last it seemed to occur to Ebo that it was time for him to finish
+shouting, and he laid his spear down, came to me, and lifted me, so that
+my head was over the side of the boat, and he then scooped up the cool
+water and bathed my face, with such satisfactory effect that I was able
+to think clearly; and thanking him, I was about to perform a similar
+duty for my uncle, when, to my horror, I saw a crowd of savages running
+a couple of canoes over the sands, evidently to launch them, and finish
+the treacherous work that they had begun.
+
+For a few moments I felt paralysed, but recovering myself I made a sign
+to Ebo, hoisted the great sail to its fullest height, and as the boat
+careened over I hurried aft to the tiller and the sail began slowly to
+fill, and our boat to move gently through the water.
+
+But never had it moved so slowly before, for the breeze was very light,
+and it seemed as if the savages must get their canoes launched, and have
+paddled out to us before we could get up any speed.
+
+They saw this, and kept on shouting and working with all their might,
+moving first one canoe and then the other to the edge of the water,
+launching them, springing in, and the next moment the air was black with
+paddles.
+
+Again an instant and the sea was foaming with their vigorous strokes.
+
+But for the fact that the canoes were very large and heavy and took time
+to get well in motion, we must have been overtaken, for the wind seemed
+to be playing with our sail, one moment filling it out, the next letting
+it flap idly as the boat rose and fell upon the waves.
+
+Seeing that I could do no more I fastened the tiller with a piece of
+cord and rapidly reloaded the guns, Ebo picking up his spear, and, to my
+horror, beginning to shout at and deride the savages.
+
+It would have made little difference, I suppose, for the blacks would
+have killed us without mercy had they overhauled us, and that they
+seemed certain to do, for they were paddling steadily and well, their
+blades being plunged into the water with the greatest regularity, making
+it foam and sparkle as they swept along.
+
+So fast did they seem to come, uttering in chorus a sort of war-cry at
+each plunge of the paddles, that I wondered why they did not overhaul
+us, so slowly did we seem to move, and at last, as they got their canoes
+in full swing, they came on hand over hand, getting so near that the men
+in the bows made ready their spears to hurl, and I raised my gun,
+meaning to make as brave an end as I could.
+
+I was too much excited to feel frightened now.  I suppose there was not
+time, all my thoughts being turned upon the acts of the savages, one of
+whom now threw a spear, which fell short.
+
+I took aim at him, but did not fire, thinking that I would reserve the
+shot till we were in greater danger, and hoping that a couple of
+well-directed charges might have the effect of deterring them from
+further pursuit.  But still on they came just abreast, and it was
+evident that they meant to attack on each side of our poor little boat,
+which looked so small beside the long war-canoes, each of which
+contained about forty men.
+
+They uttered a loud yell now, for the boat seemed to stand still and the
+sail began to flap, and, somehow, just then, as I felt what dreadful
+danger we were in, I began thinking about Clapham Common, and running
+there in the sunshine, while Uncle Joe looked blandly on, evidently
+enjoying my pursuits.
+
+Just then half a dozen spears were thrown, and I nearly fell overboard,
+only saving myself by making a snatch at one of the stays.
+
+It was not that I was struck by a spear, but that the boat had given a
+leap and bent down till it seemed as if she would capsize.  In fact she
+would have gone down with her sail flat upon the water if I had not
+eased off the sheet as she went slipping through the waves at a
+tremendous rate.
+
+It was a work of moments, and then when I turned my head it was to see
+that the canoes were double the distance behind, with the savages
+paddling furiously; but I saw that if the wind held, their case was like
+that of a pet spaniel running after a greyhound, for our boat kept
+careening over and literally racing through the sea.
+
+In five minutes I found that the canoes were so far behind that we had
+no more cause for fear, and, altering our course so as to sail gently on
+about a mile from the shore, I gave Ebo the sheet to hold, knelt down,
+bathed Uncle Dick's face, and bound up a great cut that had laid open
+his head.
+
+My work had its reward, for, partly from the freshness of the water,
+partly from the pain I must have caused him, my uncle revived, stared
+wildly about him for a few minutes, and then, as he realised our
+position, he muttered a little to himself, and ended by shaking hands
+with me and Ebo, holding the black palm of the latter in his own for
+some moments, as he looked our follower in the face.
+
+"I was much to blame, Nat," he said at last.
+
+"I ought to have been more guarded; but I could not think that these
+people were so treacherous."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FORTY.
+
+WE SECURE FRESH TREASURES.
+
+Our injuries soon grew better, but though we kept on sailing for days
+and days past the most tempting-looking spots, we never dared to land,
+for always as soon as we neared some gloriously-wooded track, all hill,
+dale, and mountain, and amidst whose trees the glasses showed us plenty
+of birds, the inhabitants began to cluster on the shore, and when once
+or twice my uncle said that we would go in nearer and see, the same
+custom was invariably observed: the people came shouting and dancing
+about the beach holding out birds and bunches of feathers and shells,
+making signs for us to land.
+
+There was no need for Ebo to grow excited and cry, "No--no! man-kill!
+man-kill!" for my uncle laughed and shook his head.
+
+"They must try another way of baiting their traps, Nat," he would cry
+laughing.  "My head is too sore with blows and memories to be caught
+again."
+
+It was always the same.  No sooner did the treacherous savages find that
+we would not land than they rushed to their canoes, and began to pursue
+us howling and yelling; but the swift-sailed boat was always ready to
+leave them far behind, and we were only too glad to find that the
+pleasant brisk breezes stood our friends.
+
+"I would not loiter here, Nat," he said, "amidst such a treacherous,
+bloodthirsty set, but the great island is so tempting that I long for a
+ramble amongst its forests.  I know that there are plenty of wonderful
+specimens to be obtained here.  New kinds of paradise birds,
+butterflies, and beetles, and other attractions that it would be a sin
+not to obtain."
+
+"Perhaps we shall find a place by and bye where there are no
+inhabitants, uncle," I said.
+
+"That is what I have been hoping for days," he replied; and not long
+after we sailed round a headland into a beautiful bay with the whitest
+of sand, trees clustering amidst the lovely yellow stone cliffs, and a
+bright stream of water flowing through a gorge and tumbling over two or
+three little barriers of rocks before losing itself in the calm waters
+of the bay.
+
+Some six or seven miles back was a high ridge of mountains, which seemed
+to touch the sea to east and west, cutting off as it were a narrow strip
+from the mainland, and this strip, some fifteen miles long and six wide
+at its greatest, was fertile in the extreme.
+
+"Why, Nat," cried my uncle, "this should be as grand a place as our
+island.  If it is free of savages it is the beau ideal of a naturalist's
+station.  Look! what's that?"
+
+"A deer come out of the wood to drink in the stream," I said.
+
+"Poor deer," laughed my uncle, "I'm afraid it will have to come into our
+larder, for a bit of venison is the very thing we want."
+
+As he spoke he cautiously took up a rifle, rested it upon the edge of
+the boat, waited a few moments, and then fired at fully five hundred
+yards' distance, and I saw the deer make one great bound and fall dead.
+
+"Good!  Eatum," said Ebo approvingly; but instead of indulging in a
+frantic dance he shaded his eyes and gazed about in every direction,
+carefully sweeping the shore, and paying no heed to us as the boat was
+sailed close in.
+
+As the keel was checked by the sand Ebo leaped out, and I thought he was
+about to rush at the deer to skin it for food, but he ran off rapidly in
+one direction right along the shore, coming back at the end of a quarter
+of an hour, during which, after dragging our prize on board, we
+remained, gun in hand, upon the watch.
+
+Ebo started again and went in the other direction, being away longer
+this time, but returning triumphant to indulge in a dance, and help drag
+the boat into a place of safety before proceeding to light a fire.
+
+Venison steaks followed, and after another exploration we found that we
+were in so thoroughly uninhabited a part of the island that we built a
+hut and slept ashore perfectly undisturbed.
+
+The next morning we had another exploration, to find that, as my uncle
+had supposed, the ridge of mountains cut us off from the rest of the
+island, and finding nothing to fear we once more set to work.
+
+Parrots were in profusion, and so were the great crowned pigeons; these
+latter becoming our poultry for the table.  There was an abundance,
+though, of birds of large size, whose skins we did not care to preserve,
+but which, being fruit-eaters, were delicious roasted.  Then we had
+another deer or two; caught fish in the bay; and literally revelled in
+the bounteous supply of fruit.
+
+Meanwhile we were working industriously over our specimens, finding
+paroquets that were quite new to us, splendid cockatoos, and some that
+were as ugly as they were curious.
+
+Sun-birds, pittas, lovely starlings, kingfishers, and beautifully-tinted
+pigeons were in abundance.  Bright little manakins of a vivid green were
+there, so feathered that they put me in mind of the rich orange
+cock-of-the-rocks that Uncle Dick had brought over from Central America.
+
+Sometimes we were shooting beside the lovely trickling stream where it
+gathered itself into pools to form tiny waterfalls, places where some
+birds seemed to love to come.  At others, beneath some great
+flower-draped tree, where the sun-birds hovered and darted.  But the
+great objects of our search, the birds of paradise, haunted the nut and
+berry bearing trees.  Some were always to be found by a kind of palm
+that attracted the pigeons as well, these latter swallowing fruit that
+looked as big as their heads.
+
+Here, to our intense delight, we shot the paradise oriole, a magnificent
+orange, yellow, and black bird, its head looking as if it was covered
+with a lovely orange plush.
+
+One day we had made a longer excursion than usual, and had been so
+successful that we were about to turn back, having a long afternoon's
+work before us to preserve our specimens.  We had penetrated right to
+the mountainous ridge, and finding the ground rise very rapidly we came
+to a standstill, when a peculiar cry up amongst the tree-shadowed rocks
+above us made us forget our fatigue, especially as Ebo was making signs.
+
+The cry was so different to any that we had before heard that we felt
+that it must be some new bird, and full of eagerness set to work to
+stalk it.
+
+All at once what seemed a flash of dark blue darted from a tree, and
+before gun could reach shoulder it was gone.
+
+But Ebo had been on the watch, and away he crept amongst the rocks and
+trees, following what we now took to be a prize, till we saw him a
+quarter of a mile away holding up his spear as a signal.
+
+We followed cautiously, and with a look of intelligence in his eyes he
+signed to my uncle to go one way towards a clump of tall palms, and to
+me to go in the other direction.
+
+"Fire upwards," whispered my uncle, and we parted.
+
+I knew from Ebo's ways that the bird must be in one of these trees, and
+with my eyes sweeping the great leaves in all directions I tried to make
+out the bird, but in vain, and I had advanced so near that I gave up all
+hope of seeing it, when suddenly from the other side there was a shot,
+then another, and feeling satisfied that my uncle had secured the prize
+I was completely taken off my guard, and stared with astonishment as a
+large bird, with tail quite a couple of feet long, swept by me towards
+the dense undergrowth of the lower ground, where it would have been in
+vain to hunt for it.
+
+Just, however, as the bird was darting between the trees I raised my gun
+and made a quick snapshot at quite sixty yards' distance, and then
+called myself a stupid for not being more ready and for wasting a charge
+of powder and shot.
+
+My uncle hailed me now.
+
+"Any luck, Nat?" he cried, as he came up.
+
+"No, uncle," I replied.  "I made a flying shot, but it was too far-off."
+
+"So were mine, Nat, but I fired on the chance of getting the bird.  It
+was a bird of paradise different to any I have seen.  We must come
+again.  I never had a chance at it."
+
+"But I did, uncle," I said dolefully, "and missed it."
+
+"Where was it when you fired?"
+
+"Down among those trees, uncle.  I let it go too far."
+
+"Why, you hit it, Nat!  There's Ebo."
+
+I looked, and to my intense delight there was our black companion
+holding up the bird in triumph.  He had seen it fall when I shot, marked
+it down, and found it amongst the dense undergrowth, placing it before
+us with hardly a feather disarranged.
+
+It was a splendid bird, the last we shot in New Guinea, and over three
+feet long, its tail being two and of a lovely bluish tint.  If looked at
+from one side it was bronze, from the other green, just as the light
+fell, while from its sides sprung magnificent plumes of rich blue and
+green.  They were not long, filmy plumes like those of the great bird of
+paradise, but short, each widening towards the end, and standing up like
+a couple of fans above the wings.
+
+It was a feast to gaze upon so lovely an object of creation, and I felt
+more proud of having secured that specimen than of any bird I had shot
+before.
+
+"Well, Nat the Naturalist," cried my uncle, when he had carefully hung
+the bird by its beak from a stick, "I think I did right in bringing you
+with me."
+
+"I am glad you think so, uncle," I said.
+
+"I mean it, my boy, for you have been invaluable to me.  It was worth
+all the risk of coming to this savage place to get such a bird as that."
+
+"There must be plenty more wonderful birds here, uncle," I said, "if we
+could stop in safety."
+
+"I am sure there are, Nat, and there is nothing I should like better
+than to stay here.  It is a regular naturalist's hunting-ground and full
+of treasures, if we dared thoroughly explore it."
+
+"Just now, uncle," I said, "I feel as if I want to do nothing else but
+sit down and rest by a good dinner.  Oh!  I am so fagged!"
+
+"Come along, then," he said smiling, "and we will make straight for
+camp, and I dare say we can manage a good repast for your lordship.
+Home, Ebo.  Eat--drink--sleep."
+
+"Eat--drink--sleep," said Ebo nodding, for he knew what those three
+words meant, and carefully carrying the treasures we had shot, tied at
+regular distances along a stick, he trudged on in advance towards our
+hut upon the shore.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FORTY ONE.
+
+OUR TERRIBLE LOSSES.
+
+We had only about three miles to go if we could have flown like birds;
+but the way lay in and out of rocks, with quite a little precipice to
+descend at times, so that the journey must have been double that length.
+The hope of a good meal, however, made us trudge on, and after a few
+stops to rest I saw that we must now be nearing the shore, for the
+ground was much more level.
+
+So different did it appear, though, that I hardly recognised some of it,
+and had it not been for Ebo I am sure we should have gone astray; but,
+savage like, he seemed to have an unerring instinct for finding his way
+back over ground he had been over before, and we had only to look back
+at him if we were in front for him to point out the way with the
+greatest of confidence.
+
+We were trudging on in front, talking in a low tone about making another
+expedition into the mountainous part, in the hope of finding it, the
+higher we climbed, more free from risk of meeting natives, and we were
+now getting so near the shore that we could hear the beat of the waves
+upon a reef that lay off our hut, and sheltered the boat from being
+washed about, when all of a sudden, as we were traversing some low,
+scrubby bushes which were more thorny than was pleasant, Ebo suddenly
+struck us both on the shoulder, forcing us down amongst the leaves and
+twigs, and on looking sharply round we saw that he had dropped our
+splendid specimens, and, wild-eyed and excited, he was crouching too.
+
+"Why, Ebo," began my uncle; but the black clapped his hand upon his
+mouth, and then pointed to the shore in front.
+
+I felt my blood turn cold; for there, not fifty yards away, and dimly
+seen through the shade of leaves, was a party of about fifty New Guinea
+men, with a couple of dozen more in three canoes that were lying just
+outside the reef.  They were a fierce-looking lot, armed with spears,
+axes, and clubs, and they were gesticulating and chattering fiercely
+about our boat.
+
+I heard my uncle utter a groan, for it seemed as if the labours of all
+these months upon months of collecting were wasted, and that specimens,
+stores, arms, everything of value, would fall into the hands of these
+savages.  He was perfectly calm directly after, and crouched there with
+his gun ready for a chance, should there be any necessity for its use;
+but he knew that it was useless to attempt to fight, all we could do was
+to save our lives.
+
+After about half an hour's talk the savages embarked, taking our boat in
+tow behind one of their canoes, and we saw the bright water flash as the
+paddles beat regularly, and the men sent their craft along till they
+swept round the headland west of the bay and were gone.
+
+"Oh, uncle!"  I cried, as soon as we were safe.
+
+"It is very hard, Nat, my boy," he said sadly; "but it might have been
+worse.  We have our lives and a little ammunition; but the scoundrels
+have wrecked my expedition."
+
+"And we have no boat, uncle."
+
+"Nor anything else, Nat," he said cheerfully.  "But we have plenty of
+pluck, my boy, and Ebo will help us to make a canoe to take us to the
+Moluccas, where I dare say I can get some merchant to fit us out again.
+Well, Ebo," he cried, "all gone!"
+
+"Man--kill--gone," repeated Ebo, shaking his spear angrily, and then he
+kept repeating the word Owe--boat, as we went down to the shore.
+
+"Let's see if they have left anything in the hut, Nat," said my uncle.
+"We must have food even if we are stripped."
+
+We turned through the bushes and made our way into the little
+arbour-like spot beside the stream where Ebo had built our hut beneath a
+splendid tree, when, to our utter astonishment, we found that the
+savages had not seen our little home, but had caught sight of the boat,
+landed and carried it off, without attempting to look for its owners.
+No one had been there since we left, that was evident; and pleased as we
+were, our delight was more than equalled by Ebo's, for laying down our
+specimens, this time more carefully, he refreshed himself with a dance
+before lighting a fire, where a capital meal was prepared, which we
+thankfully enjoyed as we thought of the benefits we received by having
+the forethought to carry everything out of the boat and placing it under
+cover for fear of rain.
+
+The savages then had taken nothing but our boat, and the next thing was
+to set to work to construct another, for my uncle said he should not
+feel satisfied to stay where we were longer, without some means of
+retreat being ready for an emergency.
+
+Before lying down we managed to ask Ebo what he thought of our being
+able to build a canoe that would carry us and our luxuries.  For reply
+he laughed, pointed to our axes and to the trees, as if to say, What a
+foolish question when we have all the material here!
+
+I was so wearied, and slept so heavily, that I had to be awakened by my
+uncle long after the sun was up.
+
+"Come, Nat," he said, "I want you to make a fire.  Ebo has gone off
+somewhere."
+
+I made the fire, after which we had a hasty breakfast, and then worked
+hard at skin making--preserving all our specimens.
+
+The day glided by, but Ebo did not come, and feeling no disposition to
+collect more, in fact not caring now to fire, we had a look round to see
+which would be the most likely place to cut down a tree and begin
+building a boat.
+
+"It is lucky for us, Nat," said my uncle, "that Ebo belongs to a nation
+of boat-builders.  Perhaps he has gone to search for a suitable place
+and the kind of wood he thinks best; but I wish he would come."
+
+Night fell and no Ebo.  The next morning he was not there; and as day
+after day glided by we set ourselves to work to search for him, feeling
+sure that the poor fellow must have fallen from some precipice and be
+lying helpless in the forest.  But we had no success, and began to think
+then of wild beasts, though we had seen nothing large enough to be
+dangerous, except that worst wild beast of all, savage man.
+
+Still we searched until we were beginning to conclude that he must have
+been seen by a passing canoe whose occupants had landed and carried him
+off.
+
+"I don't think they would, uncle," I said, though; "he is too sharp and
+cunning.  Why, it would be like seeking to catch a wild bird to try and
+get hold of Ebo, if he was out in the woods."
+
+"Perhaps you are right, Nat," said my uncle.  "There is one way, though,
+that we have never tried, I mean over the mountain beyond where you shot
+that last bird.  To-morrow we will go across there and see if there are
+any signs of the poor fellow.  If we see none then we must set to work
+ourselves to build a canoe or hollow one out of a tree, and I tremble,
+Nat, for the result."
+
+"Shall we be able to make one big enough to carry our chests, uncle?"
+
+"No, Nat, I don't expect it.  If we can contrive one that will carry us
+to some port we must be satisfied.  There I can buy a boat, and we must
+come back for our stores."
+
+We devoted the next two days to a long expedition, merely using our guns
+to procure food, and reluctantly allowing several splendid birds to
+escape.
+
+But our expedition only produced weariness; and footsore and worn out we
+returned to our hut, fully determined to spend our time in trying what
+we could contrive in the shape of a boat, falling fast asleep, sad at
+heart indeed, for in Ebo we felt that we had lost a faithful friend.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FORTY TWO.
+
+AN EXPERIMENT IN BOAT-BUILDING.
+
+"It is of no use to be down-hearted, Nat," said my uncle the next
+morning.  "Cheer up, my lad, and let's look our difficulties in the
+face.  That's the way to overcome them, I think."
+
+"I feel better this morning, uncle," I said.
+
+"Nothing like a good night's rest, Nat, for raising the spirits.  This
+loss of the boat and then of our follower, if he is lost, are two great
+misfortunes, but we must bear in mind that before all this hardly
+anything but success attended us."
+
+"Except with the savages, uncle," I said.
+
+"Right, Nat: except with the savages.  Now let's go down to the shore
+and have a good look out to sea."
+
+We walked down close to the water, and having satisfied ourselves that
+no canoes were in sight, we made a fire, at which our coffee was soon
+getting hot, while I roasted a big pigeon, of which food we never seemed
+to tire, the supply being so abundant that it seemed a matter of course
+to shoot two or three when we wanted meat.
+
+"I'd give something, Nat," said my uncle, as we sat there in the soft,
+delicious sea air, with the sunshine coming down like silver rays
+through the glorious foliage above our heads--"I'd give something, Nat,
+if boat-building had formed part of my education."
+
+"Or you had gone and learned it, like Peter the Great, uncle."
+
+"Exactly, my boy.  But it did not, so we must set to work at once and
+see what we can do.  Now what do you say?  How are we to make a boat?"
+
+"I've been thinking about it a great deal, uncle," I said, "and I was
+wondering whether we could not make a bark canoe like the Indians."
+
+"A bark canoe, eh, Nat?"
+
+"Yes, uncle.  I've seen a model of one, and it looks so easy."
+
+"Yes, my boy, these things do look easy; but the men who make them,
+savages though they be, work on the experience of many generations.  It
+took hundreds of years to make a good bark canoe, Nat, and I'm afraid
+the first manufacturers of that useful little vessel were drowned.  No,
+Nat, we could not make a canoe of that kind."
+
+"Then we must cut down a big tree and hollow it out, uncle, only it will
+take a long time."
+
+"Yes, Nat, but suppose we try the medium way.  I propose that we cut
+down a moderately-sized tree, and hollow it out for the lower part of
+our boat, drive pegs all along the edge for a support, and weave in that
+a basket-work of cane for the sides as high as we want it."
+
+"But how could we make the sides watertight, uncle?"  I said; "there
+seem to be no pine-trees here to get pitch or turpentine."
+
+"No, Nat, but there is a gum to be found in large quantities in the
+earth, if we can discover any.  The Malays called it _dammar_, and use
+it largely for torches.  It strikes me that we could turn it into a
+splendid varnish, seeing what a hard resinous substance it is.  Ebo
+would have found some very soon, I have no doubt."
+
+"Then I must find some without him, uncle," I said.  "I shall go hunting
+for it whenever I am not busy boat-building."
+
+He smiled at my enthusiasm, and after examining the skins to see that
+they were all dry and free from attacks of ants, we each took a hatchet
+and our guns, and proceeded along by the side of the shore in search of
+a stout straight tree that should combine the qualities of being light,
+strong, easy to work, and growing near the sea.
+
+We quite came to the conclusion that we should have a great deal of
+labour, and only learn by experience which kind of tree would be
+suitable, perhaps having to cut down several before we found one that
+would do.
+
+"And that will be bad, uncle," I said.
+
+"It will cause us a great deal of labour, Nat," he replied smiling; "but
+it will make us handy with our hatchets."
+
+"I did not mean that, uncle," I replied; "I was thinking of savages
+coming in this direction and seeing the chips and cut-down trees."
+
+"To be sure, Nat, you are right.  That will be bad; but as we are cut
+off so from the rest of the island, we must be hopeful that we may get
+our work done before they come."
+
+We spent four days hunting about before we found a tree that possessed
+all the qualities we required.  We found dozens that would have done,
+only they were far away from the shore, where it would have been very
+difficult to move our boat afterwards to the water's edge.
+
+But the tree we selected offered us a thick straight stem twenty feet
+long, and it was so placed that the land sloped easily towards the sea,
+and it was sufficiently removed from the beach for us to go on with our
+work unseen.
+
+We set to at once to cut it down, finding to our great delight as soon
+as we were through the bark that the wood was firm and fibrous, and yet
+easy to cut, so that after six hours' steady chopping we had made a big
+gap in the side, when we were obliged to leave off because it was dark.
+
+We worked the next day and the next, and then my uncle leaned against it
+while I gave a few more cuts, and down it went with a crash amongst the
+other trees, to be ready for working up into the shape we required.
+
+Next morning as soon as it was light we began again to cut off the top
+at the length we intended to have our boat, a task this which saved the
+labour of chopping off the branches.  I worked hard, and the labour was
+made lighter by Uncle Dick's pleasant conversation.  For he chatted
+about savage and civilised man, and laughingly pointed out how the
+latter had gone on improving.
+
+"You see what slow laborious work this chipping with our axes is, Nat,"
+he said one day, as we kept industriously on, "when by means of
+cross-cut saws and a circular saw worked by steam this tree could be
+soon reduced to thin boards ready for building our boat."
+
+Birds came and perched near us, and some were very rare in kind, but we
+felt that we must leave them alone so as to secure those we had
+obtained, and we worked patiently on till at the end of a week the tree
+began to wear outside somewhat the shape of a boat, and it was just
+about the length we required.
+
+It was terribly hard work, but we did not shrink, and at last, after
+congratulating ourselves upon having got so far without being interfered
+with by the savages, we had shouldered our guns and were walking back to
+the hut one evening when we caught sight of a black figure running
+across an opening, and we knew that our time of safety was at an end.
+
+"It is what I have always feared, Nat," said my uncle quickly.  "Quick;
+put big-shot cartridges in your gun.  We will not spill blood if we can
+help it, but it is their lives or ours, and we must get safely back
+home."
+
+"What shall we do now?"  I said huskily.
+
+"Wait and see what the enemy mean to do, and--"
+
+"Hi, yi, yi--Hi, yi, yi--Hi, yi, yi.  Hey.  Nat, mi boy.  Ung-kul!" came
+shrilly through the trees.
+
+"Hooray!"  I shrieked, leaping out of my hiding-place.  "Ebo!  Ebo!  Hi,
+yi, yi--Hi, yi, yi.  Hooray!"
+
+We ran to meet him, and he bounded towards us, leaping, dancing, rolling
+on the ground, hugging us, and seeming half mad with delight as he
+dragged us down to the sea-side, where a new surprise awaited us.
+
+For there upon shore, with her anchor fixed in the sands, lay our boat
+apparently quite uninjured.
+
+As Ebo danced about and patted the boat and then himself, it was plain
+enough to read the cause of his disappearance.  He had gone off along
+the shore following the savages to their village, and then watched his
+opportunity to sail off.  And this he had of course done, placing the
+boat safely in its old moorings.
+
+He made signs for something to eat, and then I noticed that he looked
+very thin; and it was evident that the poor fellow had suffered terrible
+privations in getting back our treasure, and proving himself so good a
+friend.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FORTY THREE.
+
+FAREWELL TO A FRIEND.
+
+"Don't you feel disappointed, Nat?" said my uncle smiling.  "We shall
+not be able to finish our boat."
+
+"I shall get over it, uncle," I said.  "Hallo! what's the matter with
+Ebo?"
+
+For before he had half finished eating he jumped up and made signs to us
+which we did not understand, and then began to drag one of the chests
+down towards the boat.
+
+"I see, Nat; he means it is not safe to stay," said my uncle; and
+setting to work we got all our treasures safely on board, with such food
+and fruit as we had ready, filled the water barrel, and then paused.
+
+But Ebo was not satisfied; he chattered excitedly and signed to us to
+launch the boat.
+
+"I'll take his advice," said my uncle.  "He means that the savages may
+be in pursuit."
+
+So, pushing off, the sail was hoisted, and in the bright starlight of
+the glorious night we sailed away, carefully avoiding the reef, where
+the rollers were breaking heavily, and before we were half a mile from
+the shore Ebo pressed my arm and pointed.
+
+"Only just in time, Nat," said my uncle.
+
+"What an escape!"
+
+For there, stealing cautiously along between us and the white sandy
+shore, we counted five large canoes, whose occupants were paddling
+softly so as to make no noise, and but for Ebo's sharp eyes they would
+have passed us unseen.
+
+We had no doubt that they were going after our boat, and had they been
+half an hour sooner our fate would have been sealed.  As it was they did
+not see the tall sail that swept us swiftly along, and by the time the
+sun rose brightly over the sea we were far enough away from danger to
+look upon it as another trouble passed.
+
+We ran in two or three times where we found that there were no
+inhabitants and obtained a few birds and some fruit; but this was so
+dangerous a task that we afterwards contented ourselves with fish, which
+we cooked upon some sandy spot or reef where the coast was clear, and we
+could have seen the savages at a great distance, so as to leave plenty
+of time for escape.
+
+My uncle turned the boat's head south very reluctantly at last, for
+there was a mystery and temptation about the vast isle of New Guinea
+that was very attractive.  The birds and insects we had collected there
+were, some of them, quite new to science, and he used to say that if he
+could have stayed there long enough our specimens would have been
+invaluable.
+
+Still it was impossible, for the danger was too great, and besides, as
+he said, we should have been nearly three years away from home by the
+time we reached England, and it would be our wisest course to make sure
+of what we had obtained.
+
+In due time we sailed to Ebo's island, where we found that the captain
+of the prahu on board which we had come, had been, and sailed once more,
+so that it would be months before we could see him again.
+
+Under these circumstances, and to Ebo's great delight, we left our
+chests of specimens sealed up in a hut, where we felt that they would be
+quite safe, and then, with Ebo for guide, we sailed to Ceram, a large
+island, where we were able to purchase stores, and from there to the
+Moluccas, where we did better.
+
+At both of these places we made many expeditions, collecting both birds
+and insects, some of them being very lovely; but there was a want of
+novelty about them, my uncle said, the ground having been so often
+visited before.  And at last we sailed south again to Ebo's island,
+finding all our stores and specimens quite safe and sound, and spending
+a few days in sunning and repacking them.
+
+By that time the captain of the prahu had arrived, ready to welcome us
+warmly, for he had been afraid that ill had befallen us.
+
+He could not stay long, so our chests were placed on board, and at last
+there was nothing to do but to take farewell of Ebo, the true-hearted
+fellow, whose dejected look went to my heart.
+
+He cheered up a little as my uncle gave him four new axes, as many
+pocket-knives, the residue of our beads and brass wire, and the
+remaining odds and ends that we had bought to barter; but above all, the
+gift that sent him off into a fit of dancing was that of the boat, all
+complete as it was.
+
+At first he seemed to think that he was to give us something in
+exchange, and consequently he began to fetch all sorts of treasures, as
+he considered them.  When at last, though, he knew it was a present, his
+delight knew no bounds, and he danced and sang for joy.
+
+The next morning we said good-bye, and the last I saw of poor Ebo was as
+he stood in his boat watching us and waving his spear, and I'm not
+ashamed to say that the tears stood in my eyes as I wondered whether I
+should ever see that true, generous fellow again.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.
+
+HOME AGAIN.
+
+It was on a bright sunny day in July that my uncle and I jumped into a
+cab and bade the man drive us to the old house, where I had passed so
+many happy as well as unhappy days.
+
+"We will not stop to go and see barbers or to dress, Nat, but go and
+take them by surprise," said my uncle; and for the first time I began to
+wonder whether I had altered.
+
+"Am I very much more sunburnt than I used to be?"  I said suddenly, as
+we drew near the door.
+
+"Well, you are not quite black," he said laughing, "but you have
+altered, Nat, since they saw you last."
+
+How my heart beat as we walked up to the front door, where the maid, a
+stranger, stared at us, and said that her mistress was out, and looked
+suspiciously at us, evidently, as she afterwards owned, taking us for
+sailor fellows with parrots and silk things for sale.
+
+"Where's Uncle Joseph?"  I said sharply.
+
+"Oh, please, sir, are you Master Nathaniel, who's far away at sea?" she
+cried.
+
+"I am Nathaniel," I said laughing, "but I'm not far away at sea.
+Where's Uncle Joe?"
+
+"He's down the garden, sir, smoking his pipe in the tool-house," said
+the girl smiling; and I dashed through the drawing-room, jumped down the
+steps, and ran to the well-remembered spot, to find dear old Uncle Joe
+sitting there with all my treasures carefully dusted but otherwise
+untouched; and as I stood behind him and clapped my hands over his eyes,
+there was he with poor old Humpty Dumpty before him.
+
+"Who--who's that?" he cried.
+
+"Guess!"  I shouted.
+
+"I--I can't guess," he said.  "I don't know you.  Let go or I shall call
+for help."
+
+"Why, Uncle Joe!"  I cried, taking away my hands and clasping his.
+
+He stared at me from top to toe, and at last said in a trembling voice:
+
+"You're not my boy Nat?"
+
+"But indeed I am, uncle," I cried.
+
+"My boy Nat _was a boy_," he said nervously, "not a big six-foot fellow
+with a gruff voice, and--my dear Dick.  Why, then, it is Nat after all."
+
+The old man hugged me in his arms, and was ready to shed weak tears, for
+Uncle Dick had followed me and was looking on.
+
+"Why, why, why--what have you been doing to him, Dick?" cried Uncle Joe
+excitedly.  "Here, he can't be our Nat, and he has got a man's voice,
+and he is bigger than me, and he is nearly black.  Why, here's Sophy--
+Sophy, dear, who's this?"
+
+I caught her in my arms and kissed her, and she too stared at me in
+surprise, for I suppose I had altered wonderfully, though in my busy
+life of travel I had taken little note of the change.
+
+It was very pleasant to settle down once more in quiet and sort our
+specimens, or tell Uncle Joe of all our dangers by land and sea; but
+after a time, although Aunt Sophia was now very kind and different to
+what she had been of old, there came a strong feeling upon me at times
+that I should once more like to be wandering amidst the beautiful
+islands of the Eastern Seas, watching the wondrous beauties of the world
+beneath the shallow waters, or the glorious greens of the trees upon the
+tropic shores.  The boy who loves nature goes on loving nature to the
+end, for I may say that Uncle Dick spoke the truth when he said that I
+ought to be called Nat the Naturalist, for I feel that I am Nat the
+Naturalist still.
+
+"Uncle Dick," I said one day, "shall we ever have another trip together
+collecting birds?"
+
+"Time proves all things, my boy," he said; "wait and see."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Nat the Naturalist, by G. Manville Fenn
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