ter a delightfully refreshing sleep,
was awakened by the captain.

"Rouse up, Mr Gerrard. We're underway, and I want to know the
programme."

"How far to Cape Keerweer?"

"Four days' sail in such light weather as this."

"That will suit me. I'll be able to begin to enjoy myself by then, and
I want to see those big lagoons near the Cape. Tommy says that they are
alive with game, and you and I can put in a day or two there."

"Just the thing. I've a couple of good guns on board," then he turned to
the man at the tiller.

"Keep her south, my lad. For'ard there, set the squaresail. Now, Mr
Gerrard, you'll see what the little _Fanny Sabina_ can do even in a
light wind like this," and Lowry looked with an air of pride at his
dainty little craft.

CHAPTER XXXII

On the evening of the eleventh day, after leaving the Coen, the cutter
let go her anchor at a spot about a mile from the wreck of the old Dutch
ship, and Gerrard prepared to go on shore, for he meant to walk to the
station that night. He had now so completely recovered from both the
bullet wound and the slash inflicted by Aulain's whip, that Lowry
declared he looked all the better for what he had gone through.

"Well, I should not grumble, I suppose, Lowry," said his passenger, as
he surveyed his features in the cabin mirror over the captain's table,
"but it is enough to make any one swear. Just as I was getting rid of
the alligator beauty marks on one side of my face, I get a thundering
slash on the other, which will take another three months to get tanned
up to the rich, soiled leather hue of the rest of my hide."

As he was speaking, Tommy put his black face down through the open
skylight, and said that he could see a camp fire on shore--just above
the landing-place.

"It must be some one from the station, Lowry," cried Gerrard, as he and
the captain came on deck, and as he spoke, there came a _coo-e-e!_ from
the shore. It was Jim's voice. He answered at once.

Bidding the mate hang a riding light on the forestay, Lowry got his
night glasses, and turned them upon the fire.

"There are four people, Mr Gerrard, with six or seven horses. Ah, they
are rigging a tent. I suppose it is a party from the station. They must
have seen us before dark, and have come to meet you. Well, the boat is
all ready for you, sir."

In a few minutes Gerrard and Tommy were being paddled swiftly to the
shore, and as they drew nearer the fire, they were able to make ou