ncers said, with shoulders four feet
broad, a chest like a sugar-hogshead, and a countenance resembling a
compound of orang-utan and tiger.

Of course our hero knew nothing of these rumours, and as Moses declined
to give any information regarding his master beyond that already given,
he was left to the full play of his imagination.

Moses was quite candid about it. He made no pretence to shroud things in
mystery.

"You mus' know, Massa Nadgel," he said, as they slowly drew near to the
island, "I's 'fraid ob 'im dough I lub 'im."

"But why do you love him, Moses?"

"'Cause he sabe my life an' set me free."

"Indeed? well, that is good reason. And why do you fear him?"

"Da's what I don' know, massa," replied the negro with a puzzled look.

"Is he harsh, then?"

"No."

"Passionate?"

"No. Gentle as a lamb."

"Strong?"

"Yes--oh! mighty strong an' big."

"Surely you're not afraid of his giving you a licking, Moses?"

"Oh no," returned the negro, with a smile of expansive benignity; "I's
not 'fraid ob dat. I's bin a slabe once, got used to lickin's. Don't
care nuffin' at all for a lickin'!"

"Then it must be that you're afraid of hurting his feelings, Moses, for
I know of no other kind of fear."

"Pr'aps da's it!" said the negro with a bright look, "now I wouldn't
wonder if you's right, Massa Nadgel. It neber come into my head in dat
light before. I used to be t'ink, t'inkin' ob nights--when I's tired ob
countin' my fingers an' toes--But I couldn't make nuffin' ob it. _Now_ I
knows! It's 'fraid I am ob hurtin' his feelin's."

In the excess of his satisfaction at the solution of this long-standing
puzzle, Moses threw back his head, shut his eyes, opened his enormous
mouth and chuckled.

By the time he had reversed this process they were sufficiently near to
Krakatoa to distinguish all its features clearly, and the negro began to
point out to Nigel its various localities. There were three prominent
peaks on it, he said, named respectively, Perboewatan about 400 feet
high, at the northern end of the island; Danan, near the centre, 1500
feet; and Rakata, at the southern end, over 2600 feet. It was high up on
the sides of the last cone that the residence of the hermit was
situated.

"And you won't tell me your master's name?" said Nigel.

Moses shook his woolly head. "No, sar, no. I's 'fraid ob him--he! he!
'fraid ob hurtin' his feelin's!"

"Well, never mind; I'll find it out from himself soon. By t