about dis time."

"Well, what of that?"

"What ob dat! why, you'll write a letter to your fadder. It'll go by de
steamer to Batavia. He gits it long before we gits home, so dere's
plenty time for 'im to take haction."

"But what good will writing to my father do?" asked Nigel in a somewhat
disappointed tone. "_He_ can't help us."

"Ho yes, he can," said Moses with a self-satisfied nod. "See here, I'll
tell you what to write. You begin, 'Dear fadder--or Dearest fadder--I's
not quite sure ob de strengt' ob your affection. P'raps de safest
way--."

"Oh! get on, Moses. Never mind that."

"Ho! it's all bery well for you to say dat, but de ole gen'leman'll mind
it. Hows'ever, put it as you t'ink best--'Dear fadder, victual your
ship; up anchor; hois' de sails, an' steer for de Cocos-Keelin' Islands.
Go ashore; git hold ob de young 'ooman called Kat'leen Hobbleben--'"

"Holbein, Moses."

"What! is she Moses too?"

"No, no! get on, man."

"Well, 'Dearest fadder, git a hold ob her, whateber her name is, an'
carry her off body and soul, an' whateber else b'longs to her. Take her
to de town ob Anjer an' wait dere for furder orders.' Ob course for de
windin' up o' de letter you must appeal agin to de state ob your
affections, for, as--"

"Not a bad idea," exclaimed Nigel. "Why, Moses, you're a genius! Of
course I'll have to explain a little more fully."

"'Splain what you please," said Moses. "My business is to gib you de
bones ob de letter; yours--bein' a scholar--is to clove it wid flesh."

"I'll do it, Moses, at once."

"I should like," rejoined Moses, with a tooth-and-gum-disclosing smile,
"to see your fadder when he gits dat letter!"

The picture conjured up by his vivid imagination caused the negro to
give way to an explosive laugh that sent the eavesdropping monkey like a
brown thunderbolt into the recesses of its native jungle, while Nigel
went off to write and despatch the important letter.

Next day the party arrived at another village, where, the report of
their approach having preceded them, they were received with much
ceremony--all the more that the professor's power with the rifle had
been made known, and that the neighbourhood was infested by tigers.

There can be little doubt that at this part of the journey the
travellers must have been dogged all the way by tigers, and it was
matter for surprise that so small a party should not have been molested.
Possibly the reason was that these huge mem