good news, and heartily welcomed by the whole party, and in a
short time cooking was going on in the glowing embers of a fire, for
which there was abundant fuel close at hand, while a canvas tent,
strengthened by branches thrust deep in the sand, was cleverly contrived
by the sailors.

"I say, Morny, this is something like!" cried Rodd, as they sat together
watching the men finishing their meal, with their jovial contented faces
lit up by the glowing fire which flashed and cast shadows and sent up
golden clouds dotted with tiny spark-like embers, as it was made up from
time to time, according to the Spanish captain's suggestion that it
would keep away all wild beasts and clear off the snakes.

"Yes; my legs were beginning to feel cramped. I wonder how my father
is."

"Oh, he's happy enough," said Rodd, "and enjoying himself with the
thought that Skipper Chubb has had a good day's work getting on a new
outer skin over the hole."

"Ah, yes, I hope so," cried Morny eagerly, his friend's suggestion
seeming to brighten him up.

"And I say," cried Rodd, "shan't we sleep to-night! How I shall
stretch! I don't think I should much mind a great spotted cat coming
and sniffing round the tent. Of course it would be very horrid to be
clawed or bitten, but there's something natural about that. The idea of
being grabbed by one of those great slimy reptiles and dragged under
water, and before you have had time to squeak--"

"Rodd, don't, please!" cried Morny, with a shudder. "It makes my flesh
creep."

"Yes; I was going to say it's time you lads changed your conversation,"
said the doctor quietly, "for none of the forest creatures are likely to
disturb us to-night with a watch-fire kept up like this."

"But I say, uncle," said Rodd mischievously, later on--when the watch
had been set, with a big pile of dead firewood laid ready to replenish
the fire, and Uncle Paul was about to follow the example of the Spanish
captain and select his patch of dry sand covered with canvas, beneath
the extemporised tent.

"Well, what, my boy?" said the doctor drowsily. "Don't talk now. I am
sure every one wants to go to sleep."

"Yes, uncle; I am sure I do," said the boy, who was already fitting the
projecting bones of his back into the yielding sand; "but do you think
it's likely--"

Rodd stopped to give Morny, who was beside him, a nudge with his elbow.

"Do I think what's likely, Pickle?" replied the doctor.

"That those two b