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oing to lend him mine." The preparations did not take long, and soon after the little party were being rowed over the deep dark blue water toward the lonely island, whose shores were right and left of a rocky nature, save in the direction they had chosen, where a slight indentation that could hardly be called a bay offered a splendid landing-place, being a curved stretch of soft white sand. All at once the water seemed to change colour from dark blue to pale green, and on looking over the side the little party found that, instead of gazing down into the black depths, they were gliding over rocky shallows illumined by the sun, which showed them sea gardens full of growths of the most wondrous shapes, among which startled shoals of fish glided, while others, unmoved by the coming of the boat, played about, showing their armoured sides dazzling with orange and scarlet, blue and gold. Mark could have stopped for hours, content to gaze down into the lovely transparent waters, but the boat glided on and soon afterwards touched the shore. "There, my lads," said the first-mate, taking out a big india-rubber pouch of tobacco and pitching it to one of the men, "there is not a great deal of tide, but take care to keep the boat afloat. You can smoke and sleep, but take it in turns, so as to have some one on the watch." The party sprang out, and the men left in the boat looked rather glum till the major supplemented the first-mate's gift by handing his cigar-case to another of the men. "One minute," he said. "I think there are eight cigars in there, and I should like one for myself. I'll have that, and then you four men will have a cigar and three-quarters apiece, and you must divide them according to taste." As this was going on, Mark stood gazing toward the ship, and as he looked he saw a white handkerchief waved. It was too far off to be sure who waved that handkerchief, but it was either Mrs Strong, the major's wife, or Mary O'Halloran. "It doesn't matter which," thought Mark, and taking off his cap he waved it in return. "Now, gentlemen," said the first-mate, "load away, and then we had better decide where to go." "Not necessary," said the major, closing the breech of his piece and giving the stock an affectionate slap. "Not necessary?" said Morgan. "No, sir. This is an uninhabited island, where there are no roads and nature has it all her own way. We shall have to go which way we can." T
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