glass.

"Ay, but he means dirty water, sir."

"What do you want to see dirty water for?"

"Muddy, then, sir, showing as there's a river coming out there. I say,
sir, wouldn't t'other young gent like to come up and have a squint?"

"Oh, of course. I forgot. Below there! Morny! Come on up and have a
look."

The lad sprang to the main shrouds and began to hurry up, while Joe
Cross, who had finished the task to achieve which he had been sent,
began to lower himself down, leaving space for the young Frenchman, to
whom the glass was handed in turn, ready for him to declare that he
could make out the distant land.

"Ah," he panted, as he handed back the glass, "how I have longed to see
that! Now, Rodd, we shall soon get the brig careened over and the leaks
repaired, and then--"

"Well," said Rodd, "what then?"

"Be off to sea again," cried Morny excitedly.

"Well, you seem in a precious hurry," grumbled Rodd.

"Wouldn't you be if your schooner was like our brig?"

"No. Uncle and I are reckoning upon making a lot of discoveries ashore.
If you are on a scientific expedition, wouldn't that do as well for
you?"

"No," replied the French lad shortly. "We must follow out our
researches by sea."

"Then what is it you are looking for? I thought you were going to tell
me the other day."

"Yes, my father," cried Morny, answering a hail from below. "I am
coming down."

When the two lads descended it was to find that the Count had been
speaking to the skipper, who had given orders for the schooner's boat to
be lowered so that the two visitors could return at once to the brig,
with the understanding that both vessels were to send up studding sails
and use every possible speed now to get within touch of the shore,
before making south and keeping a bright look-out for some estuary or
river mouth.

"You will follow me, sir," said the skipper; "but do you know what this
coast line will be like?"

"I cannot say I do," replied the Count. "Cliff and hill, with mountains
farther in?"

"Nay, sir; all muddy shore, covered with dark green mangrove forest. I
don't suppose we shall be long before I send you up a signal; and then
we can sail right in. There will be nothing to mind in the way of
rocks, for where I lead it will be all mud."

Very shortly afterwards the lads parted, and as Rodd stood looking after
the boat that was bearing their two visitors to the brig, Uncle Paul
came up close behind him.

"Pity