m for hours."

"Did you run across any boa constrictors or anacondas?" asked he
serenely.

"Good Heavens! I never thought of snakes. There may be dreadful serpents
in that forest, Hugh." Her eyes were full of alarm.

"I merely asked your Ladyship in order to keep the cook in her
kitchen," laughed he.

"An afternoon out is not a luxury in this land, even for the most cooped
up of cooks. Snakes! Ugh!" Hugh thought she shuddered very prettily.

"Breakfast will be cold if I don't hurry," he observed. He made his way
around the rocky bend to the point where the rivulet emptied into the
cove. When he returned to the shady spot he was put to work opening
cocoanuts and pouring the milk into the shells of others. She had
cleaned the flat surface of a large rock which stood well out from the
lower edge of the cliff, and signified her intention to use it as a
dining table. He became enthusiastic and, by the exertion of all the
strength he could muster, succeeded in rolling two boulders down the
incline, placing them in position as stools beside the queer table. Then
they stood off and laughed at the remarkable set of furniture.

"I wonder what time it is?" she said as they began to eat. He pulled his
forgotten repeater from his watch pocket and opened it with considerable
apprehension. It was not running, nor did it appear as if it would ever
be of service again.

"How are we ever to know the time of day?" she cried.

"I'll try to fix it. It is only water-clogged. My little compass on the
charm is all right and it will give us our bearings, north and south, so
that I can get the time by the sun. I'll drive a little stake out there
on the level, and when the shadow is precisely north and south, then it
is noon. It's all very simple, Lady Tennyson."

"I'm only the cook, Hugh. Won't you please call me Tennys?"

"Thank you; it's such a waste of time to say Lady Tennyson. Shall I
order dinner, cook?"

"We'll have a ten-course dinner, sir, of cocoanuts and plums, sir, if
you please, sir."

"Breakfast warmed over, I see," he murmured, gazing resignedly toward
the trees. Later on he managed to get some life into his watch and
eventually it gave promise of faithful work. He set the hands at twelve
o'clock. It was broiling hot by this time, and he was thoughtful enough
to construct a poke-bonnet for her, utilizing a huge palm leaf. Proudly
he placed the green protector upon her black hair. Then, looking into
her smiling eyes,