rse, there was none; but this was of little moment, for they
knew that so long as they continued to ascend every step took them so
much nearer to the summit; and they were agreeably surprised to find
that the bush and undergrowth that, at a distance, had appeared to be
absolutely impenetrable, was not nearly so dense as it had looked. They
were consequently enabled, by adopting a somewhat serpentine route, to
make very fair upward progress, although they occasionally encountered
spots where a passage had to be forced, and where Flora's dainty white
costume suffered somewhat.

They had not gone very far upon their way before Leslie discovered, to
his great relief and satisfaction, that they certainly need have no fear
of starvation, even in the event of their being doomed to remain where
they were for the rest of their lives. For, as they went, fruit-bearing
trees of many kinds were found in great profusion, growing luxuriantly,
and many of them loaded with most luscious fruit. Mangoes, bananas,
plantains, limes, custard-apples, and bread-fruit were among the
varieties that Leslie recognised; and there were many others with which
he was unfamiliar, and which he therefore regarded with more or less
suspicion. They saw no signs of animals of any kind; but the forest
seemed to be alive with birds, the extraordinary tameness--or rather
fearlessness--of which seemed to argue an unfamiliarity with man.

Two hours of arduous climbing brought the adventurers to a most romantic
spot, where a small stream of deliciously pure and cold fresh water
gushed out from under a huge overhanging moss-grown rock, the banks of
the rivulet being clothed with ferns of the most lovely and delicate
varieties, while the surrounding sward was gay with flowers of strange
forms and most exquisitely delicate and beautiful combinations of
colouring. A huge tree, bearing large blossoms of vivid scarlet instead
of leaves--which Leslie identified as the "bois-immortelle"--overhung
the spot; and as the pair were by this time feeling somewhat tired and
hungry, they seated themselves upon the yielding sward, and Leslie
surrendering the lunch-basket to Flora, the latter spread the cloth on
the grass and set out as dainty and enticing a luncheon as, supplemented
by the fruit with which Leslie had filled his pockets, two hungry people
need ever desire to find before them.

A narrow vista through the trees afforded the travellers a glimpse of
the sea stre