t on twigs in the forest paths and
catch beetles, so there's no knowing what a bird of prey would do in a
place like this."

Just then they were close up to the tree, and Bruff set up a joyous
barking, which was answered by the chattering of the monkey.

"Why, there's Jack!" cried Mark.

"The rascal, he has got down my pigeons!" cried the major.

Just then a puff of feathers flew up in the air, and the two travellers
stepped forward and simultaneously burst into a roar of laughter.

For there, in amongst the undergrowth, sat Jack, his hairy coat, head,
arms, and legs covered with feathers, which formed quite a nest about
him, and as they came up he chattered away loudly, and went on tearing
the lavender plumage out of one of the great pigeons which lay in his
lap, and scattering the soft down far and wide.

"Why, he must have seen the birds plucked yesterday," said the major,
wiping his eyes, so comical was the monkey's seriously intent aspect, as
he kept glancing up at them sharply, and then chattering and peering
down at the half-denuded pigeon, his little black fingers nimbly
twisting out the feathers, and his whole aspect suggestive of his being
a cook in a tremendous hurry.

"There, come along," continued the major; "pick up the birds, Mark."

Easier said than done. There were three, but two, half-picked, had to
be hunted out from the heap of feathers, and Jack objected to part with
the third, holding on to it tightly till he was pressed back with the
stock of the gun, after which the miserable half-picked birds were tied
together by the legs and hung over the barrel.

They had no difficulty in finding the rest of the morning's sport, and
this done, the first being shouldered by the major, they walked as fast
as the nature of the way would allow, back to the shore, unwillingly on
Mark's part, for there was always some brilliant bird or insect flitting
across their path and inviting inspection.

But this inclination to stay was always checked by the major, who kept
on bringing his companion back to the commonplace by uttering the one
word, "Dinner!" and this sufficed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1. Attap, thatching made of the leaves of a palm--the nipah.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

HOW MARK ENCOUNTERED A SAVAGE.

"We were beginning to think you long," said the captain as they reached
the cocoa-nut grove, having found that though there were signs