ne of the eastern ports, where I know there is a steamboat loading up
about this time. The captain is an old friend of mine. He brought me and
my companions the greater part of the way here. If I find him I will ask
him to carry my canoe on his return voyage through Sunda Straits, and
leave it with another friend of mine at Telok Betong on the south coast
of Sumatra--not far, as you know, from my home in Krakatoa. Then I will
proceed overland to the same place, so that my friend Nigel Roy may see
a little of the country."

"Ant vat if you do _not_ find your frond zee captain of zee steamer?"

"Why, then I shall have to adopt some other plan. It is the uncertainty
of my movements that makes me think you should not depend on them."

"Zat is not'ing to me, Van der Kemp; you joost go as you say. I vill
follow ant take my chance. I am use' to ooncertainties ant
difficoolties. Zey can not influence me."

After a good deal of consideration this plan was agreed to. The
professor spent part of the night in giving directions about the
preserving of his specimens, which he meant to leave at the village in
charge of a man whom he had trained to assist him, while Van der Kemp
with his companions lay down to snatch a little sleep before setting out
on their voyage, or, as the Dyak chief persisted in calling it, their
flight!

When Nigel had slept about five minutes--as he thought--he was awakened
by Moses.

"Don't make a noise, Massa Nadgel! Dere may be spies in de camp for all
we knows, so we mus' git off like mice. Canoe's ready an' massa waitin';
we gib you to de last momint."

In a few minutes our hero was sleepily following the negro through the
woods to the spot where the canoe was in waiting.

The night was very dark. This was in their favour,--at least as regarded
discovery.

"But how shall we ever see to make our way down stream?" asked Nigel of
the hermit in a whisper on reaching the place of embarkation.

"The current will guide us. Besides, I have studied the river with a
view to this flight. Be careful in getting in. Now, Moses, are you
ready?"

"All right, massa."

"Shove off, then."

There was something so eerie in the subdued tones, and stealthy
motions, and profound darkness, that Nigel could not help feeling as if
they were proceeding to commit some black and criminal deed!

Floating with the current, with as little noise as possible, and having
many a narrow escape of running against points of lan