terior. If
they find no traces of us they will, likely enough, set sail before
night."

There was no difficulty in finding a place in which they could
sleep; for the cord-like climbers from bough to bough formed
natural cradles, in which they lay as securely as if in a hammock,
on board a ship. In the morning they were woke, at daybreak, by the
cries of the many birds which throng the forests of the Eastern
Archipelago. No one approached them during the day, and they
doubted not that the Malays were all hard at work, on the shore.

That night there was no reflection of a fire on the beach. In the
morning they descended from their perches and made their way
carefully, and as noiselessly as possible, through the wood; to a
point upon the shore, a mile distant from the point where they
landed. Going to the edge of the trees, they were enabled to take a
view along the shore. It was deserted. The Malay prahu was gone.

Confident that none of their enemies would have remained behind,
they walked boldly along the shore to the spot where the Malays had
landed. Every box and barrel had been broken open, and the contents
carried away. Planks and beams had been split asunder, to obtain
the copper bolts and fastenings. The framework of the boat had been
destroyed, and every portion of canvas and rope carried away. The
lads sat down on the shore.

"What shall we do next, Hans?"

Hans shook his head.

"Perhaps some of the others may have got away, and may join us
here, today or tomorrow. If any are alive, they would be certain to
come back here, when they thought the Malays had left."

Hans grunted an assent.

"Anyhow, the first thing to do," Will went on, "is to gather up the
pieces of biscuits. They have wasted lots, in breaking open the
barrels, and I am famishing."

Hans rose with alacrity, and they soon were at work collecting
pieces of biscuits.

"Let us gather up all the pieces, carefully. There are a good lot,
altogether; and we may want them, badly, before we have done."

In half an hour they had collected about 30 pounds of biscuits and,
having gone to the stream and taken a drink, they made for the spot
where their tent had stood. As they expected, they found the canvas
was gone. They set to work with their knives and, cutting a number
of boughs, erected a shelter sufficient to shield them from the
night air.

All day they hoped, but in vain, that some of their comrades would
return, and listened eagerly