mine business. Zee place is more of a paradise zan zee last. Ve
must remain two or tree veeks."

The hermit glanced at Nigel.

"I fear it is impossible for me to do so," said the latter. "I am
pledged to return to Batavia within a specified time, and from the
nature of the country I perceive it will take all the time at my
disposal to reach that place so as to redeem my pledge."

"Ha! Zat is a peety. Vell, nevair mind. Let us enchoy to-day. Com', ve
must not vaste more of it in zee mere gratification of our animal
natures."

Acting on this broad hint they all rose and scattered in different
groups--the professor going off ahead of his party in his eager haste,
armed only with a butterfly net.

Now, as the party of natives,--including Baso, who carried the
professor's biggest box, and Grogo, who bore his gun,--did not overtake
their leader, they concluded that he must have joined one of the other
parties, and, as it was impossible to ascertain which of them, they
calmly went hunting on their own account! Thus it came to pass that the
man of science was soon lost in the depths of that primeval forest! But
little cared the enthusiast for that--or, rather, little did he realise
it. With perspiration streaming from every pore--except where the pores
were stopped by mud--he dashed after "bootterflies" with the wisdom of
Solomon and the eagerness of a school-boy, and not until the shades of
evening began to descend did his true position flash upon him. Then,
with all the vigour of a powerful intellect and an enlightened mind, he
took it in at a glance--and came to a sudden halt.

"Vat _shall_ I do?" he asked.

Not even an echo answered, and the animal kingdom was indifferent.

"Lat me see. I have been vandering avay all dis time. Now, I have
not'ing to do but right-about-face and vander back."

Could reasoning be clearer or more conclusive? He acted on it at once,
but, after wandering back a long time, he did not arrive at any place
or object that he had recognised on the outward journey.

Meanwhile, as had been appointed, the rest of the party met a short time
before dark at the rendezvous where they had lunched.

"Where is the professor, Baso?" asked Van der Kemp as he came up.

Baso did not know, and looked at Grogo, who also professed ignorance,
but both said they thought the professor had gone with Nigel.

"I thought he was with _you_," said the latter, looking anxiously at the
hermit.

"He's goed an' los