s time to
return to the ships.

"Now," said Roger, when Leigh had disappeared, "where are we to go,
Harry?"

"Do you remember that ledge of rocks that we saw this morning?" asked
Harry! "Well, we noticed quite a number of caves among them; what say
you to going and having a look at them?"

"Agreed, my friend!" said Roger. "But can we get to them, I wonder,
from here, without going back to the beach and walking all the way
round?"

"Oh, yes! I think so," answered Harry. "I believe I remember how they
lie, and in what direction; and if we bear away to the left here it will
bring us to them, no doubt."

So the two turned off, and presently found another opening in the brush,
through which they went.

"It appears to me," said Roger presently, "as though someone had been
along this way before us. See, some of the small branches are broken,
and the growth beneath our feet seems to have been recently trodden. I
expect we shall find that some of our men have been here before us,
perhaps to look at those same caves themselves. If so, we can warn them
to return immediately; and if they are in front of us it will give us a
little longer, as it will take them some considerable time to get back
to the boats from here."

Thus reassured in their own minds--for there was always the danger of
savages to consider,--they pressed on, but saw no further signs of the
men whom they imagined to be in front of them.

"It is possible," said Harry, his thoughts still dwelling upon the
matter, "that if they have gone this way they are still at the caves.
Or they may have gone back along the beach; for that, I suppose, is the
nearest way of return. And if so, we shall not meet any of them coming
this way; but we may overtake them."

They had gone but a little distance farther when Roger looked up
suddenly.

"Harry, I heard something whistle past my head a moment ago," said he.

"Nonsense!" responded Harry. "What you heard was one of those small
creatures they call `humming-birds' flying past your ear."

"I am certain it was not," retorted Roger. "If it had been, I should
have seen as well as heard him, and--why, there it is again!"

"Yes, you are right, Roger; I heard it myself that time. I wonder what
it can be?" exclaimed Harry.

"I don't know," said Roger, "but it sounds very queer. Let us push on,
or we shall have no time to explore those caves."

They pushed forward for some little distance, and again heard, mor