he shore,
for the most part in the shade of the cocoanut grove, a couple of the
nuts being cleverly knocked down by throws with the hatchet, used
boomerang fashion, fortunately for the throwers without its displaying
any of that weapon's returning qualities.

They strolled on as far as the mouth of the river, where it glided as a
shallow stream into the sea, not without result--a satisfactory one to
Carey, who was well in advance, threading his way amongst the masses of
bleached coral which here encumbered the shore.

Bostock was about to close up with the lad, but the doctor checked him.

"Let him have the satisfaction of saying that he was the first to
discover the mouth of the river," he said; but the words were hardly out
of his lips when they saw the boy begin to stalk something, for he
stopped and crept behind a mass of rock, and then after peering
cautiously round it he crept to another and another till he was hidden
from the lookers-on.

But directly after he re-appeared about a couple of hundred yards away,
and signed to them to approach cautiously.

"Look to your gun, sir," whispered Bostock, cocking the one he carried.
"He's seen a canoe."

"Think so?" said the doctor, rather excitedly, following the old
sailor's example.

"I just do, sir, for there's nothing else he's likely to see. There
aren't no wild beasts and things in an island like this. Better look
out."

Following out Carey's tactics, they crept from rock to rock till they
reached the mass which sheltered Carey, who waited till they were close
up, and then whispered, "Quick! look round that side drawn out on the
sands by the water."

"Then it is," said the doctor to himself, and troubles with a canoe-load
of blacks rose before his eyes as he advanced to the rock, peered round
one side, while Bostock as cautiously peered round the other, each
occupying some time, Carey anxiously eager to follow their example, but
unable to do so without being seen.

Quite a couple of minutes had elapsed before the pair drew back, looked
at each other, and then turned to Carey.

"Well," he whispered, impatiently, "can't you see it?"

"See what?" whispered back the doctor. "Is that a canoe full of
blacks?"

"No!" cried Carey, in a voice full of disgust; "an enormous crocodile,
sleeping in the sun."

Both looked round the side of the sheltering rock again, and Bostock's
head popped back.

"There!" said Carey, eagerly.

"Where?" said Bostock. "