unced that it was not fish that morning,
but fried bacon, and soon after the pleasant aromatic scent of the
coffee was rising in the morning air as they took their seats in the
shade of a great fig-like tree whose boughs seemed to be full of
twittering and whistling love-birds gathered in a huge flock to feed
upon the saccharine embedded seeds of the little fruit.

"Hullo!" said the doctor suddenly, turning to Rodd. "Where's the Don?"

"Having another cigarette somewhere, I suppose, uncle," said Rodd,
laughing. "I thought he was along with you."

"No, my boy," replied Uncle Paul. "I thought he went with you this
morning when you made the men row a little farther along the stream."

"That was only to take a last look upward and see what it was like
farther on before we turned back; and it is so beautiful up there--
better than anything we have seen. I say, uncle, let's have another
day."

"No, no, Rodd," cried Morny, catching him by the arm. "I couldn't bear
it. We must go back now."

"Quite right, Morny, my boy," said the doctor quietly. "Yes, we have
come to the end of our tether. Let's get back to the Count and Captain
Chubb."

"Well, all right," said Rodd. "Never mind what I said, Morny, old chap.
I always was a pig when I was getting anything I liked. Let's have
breakfast, and then--

"Huzza! We're homeward bound--ound--ound!
Huzza! We're homeward bound!"

he trolled out merrily; and then, clapping his hands to his lips,
"_Espanol_ ahoy!" he shouted.

"Ahoy!" came back from the bank of trees across the little river.

"_Espanol_ ahoy!" shouted the boy again, and there was the answering
echo.

"Well, I hear you!" cried Rodd merrily. "But how did you get there
without the boat?"

There was no answer to this.

"Coffee and fried ham!" roared Rodd.

"'Am!" came back.

"Yes, but it's only bacon!" shouted Rodd.

"'Acon!"

"Well, why don't you come?"

"Don't be stupid, Rodney," cried the doctor shortly. "Here, Cross--
cook--any of you; have you seen the Spanish skipper?"

"No, sir!" came in chorus.

"Dear me," said the doctor thoughtfully; "now I come to think of it I
don't remember seeing him this morning."

"No, uncle; nor I neither. Did you see him, Morny?"

"No, not this morning. I saw him talking with you last night, sir."

"Yes; that was when I was saying that we should start back for certain,
and he went and lay down in his usual place, close to the side of the
ten