r, after speaking to him
twice without eliciting an answer.

"Of the men stealing our boat. It was so cruel."

"Don't you fret about it, Mr Rob! They'll soon get their doo of
punishment for it. Worst day's work they ever did in their lives.
You'd think that chaps like they would have known better, but they're
just like children. They see something pretty, and they'll do anything
to get hold of it, and when they've got it they find it's of no use to
'em and are tired of it in an hour. I'll be bound to say they're
wishing they hadn't gone and were back along of us."

"Then they may repent and come?" said Brazier.

Shaddy uttered a low chuckling sound.

"And I shall save my collection after all."

"Don't you think it, sir!" said Shaddy seriously. "They couldn't get
back, as I said; and if they could they daren't, on account of you and
me. They've got a wholesome kind of respect for an Englishman, and no
more dare face us now than fly."

Brazier sighed.

"Oh, never mind, sir!" said Shaddy cheerily. "Things might be worse
than they are. We're alive, and can find means to live. We don't know
but what we may get away all right after all. If I might give you my
advice--"

"Give it, by all means," said Brazier.

"Well then, sir, seeing that you came out to collect your flowers and
plants, I should say, `Go on collecting just as you did before, and wait
in hopes of a boat coming along.'"

"But it might be years first."

"Very well, sir; wait years for it. You'd have made a fine collection
by that time."

Brazier smiled sadly as he thought of his dried-up specimens.

"Me and Mr Rob here will find plenty of some sort or another for the
kitchen, so as you needn't trouble about that. What do you say?"

"That you teach good philosophy, and I'll take your advice. Not much
virtue in it, Rob," he said, smiling, "for we cannot help ourselves.
There, I will do as you suggest as soon as we have made a few more
arrangements for our stay."

"You leave them to us, sir," said Shaddy. "Mr Rob and I are quite
strong enough crew for the job, and I saw some wonderful fine plants
right at the edge of the forest yonder. I'd go and try for 'em now,
sir."

"Shaddy's afraid that some one will come along and pick them first,"
cried Rob, laughing.

"No fear, sir, unless it's some big, saucy monkey doing it out of
imitation and mischief. What do you say?"

"I say yes," replied Brazier. "It would be wrong to despa