ly, he said: "What makes this worth so much
more than the other, and why are they worth anything?"

"Because there is so much metal,--so much copper, in each."

"But copper is of no use. I cannot eat it, and it will not clothe me."

"No, but if you have this money then you can get the clothes, and the
size of them will tell just how much clothing you can get."

"I do not understand it. Where can I go and get clothing with these
round pieces!"

"You must go where the clothing is, or the goods must be brought to
you."

"Well, if we are here, at a place where there should be no clothing, or
no food, this _money_, as you call it, would not enable me to clothe or
feed myself?"

"Assuredly not."

"Then it has no value?"

"No; it merely measures the value of something which I can eat or wear,
or use."

"Then why not use a taro root, or a fowl, or wisps of fibre?"

"That would be all right, if we could have a common understanding
between us of how much a taro bulb was worth by the side of a bundle of
fibre, and how large the bundle should be to exchange fairly with an
armful of Amarylla tubers."

On the third day the boys, together with John, a party of the boys, and
three natives under the lead of Calmo, started for the northern end of
the island. John had now learned that the island was entirely unlike the
Wonder Island formation.

The latter was fairly circular in form, whereas the one they were now
about to explore was narrow and long. That part of the southern portion
which they had carefully examined, in order to learn its agricultural
possibilities, was rolling, and in many places had level plateaus, not
anywhere at a greater altitude than three or four hundred feet above sea
level.

There was higher ground to the north, where the climate was uninviting,
so Beralsee said, and it was for that reason they made it a convict
colony.

John was anxious to see the people who were exiled from their homes on
account of their crimes. Furthermore, he was impressed with the idea
that the upper end showed volcanic upheavals, which would be likely to
expose mineral formations.

Gruesome tales were current of the ferocity of the convicts. It was no
wonder that the poor victims, whom George had prevented from being
expelled several days before, regarded their deliverance as such a great
blessing.

No one, once condemned, was ever permitted to come back. The
condemnation was for all time. Furthermore, it was part