s beyond. When the heights
were gained they looked over a beautifully wooded landscape, but it was
still, except for the birds and the small animals which looked at them
in a startled manner, and then scurried for cover.

"I doubt whether there are any people living here," remarked Harry.
"There is not a sign of living beings."

"You are quite mistaken there," said John.

The boys looked at John. "Have you seen any signs?" asked George.

"Yes; did you notice how the animals fled at our approach?"

They had noticed it, but neglected to draw any inference from it.

"That is one of the surest signs. Do you now remember how differently
the animals acted in the region around Cataract from those in the
southwest portion of Wonder Island?"

"I now remember that is so. Don't you remember, George, when we came
across the first herd of yaks, that they hardly noticed us? I am sure
that the animals out at West River didn't wait to interview us."

"Well, I remember the big bear was very anxious to make our
acquaintance," said George, and Harry smiled, as he remembered how the
big fellow took his revenge by tearing up their baggage.

John directed the men to the right, and in the direction of an elevation
which seemed to be clear of timber. From that point they searched the
intervening wooded area, and caught sight of a still higher tableland
miles beyond.

"Your glasses would be serviceable here," said John. George handed them
to John, and he gazed through them long and earnestly. "I am unable to
find any traces of human beings, and I cannot account for the light
which we saw during the night, and which must have been nearly ahead of
us."

He walked forward, the men following. They marched for more than a mile,
every object being examined. Fallen trees were particularly
investigated, and clumps of trees were searched, even the bark of trees
being minutely gone over by John.

The natives, generally so keen to discover evidences of their kind,
walked along, and shook their heads, to indicate the absence of all
signs. The land in the interior was elevated, but it was not rough or
broken, the only place where an upheaval had taken place appearing to be
the west coast.

"This seems to look bad for our purposes," said John, as he turned to
the boys.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"I don't think there are any caves in this section," he answered. "But
we might as well investigate farther to the right, and see what the