Rigonda did not
wait for its reawakening. One of his own ships was on the point of
sailing that very day. He went on board--after cleaning himself--got
Brooks to wind up their business relations in the cabin, and left for
England with a fair wind.

And well was it for the bald little old gentleman that he did so, for, a
few days later, strange sounds and appearances were in the air and on
the sea. Fine ashes filled the sky, so that noon became like midnight,
and everything betokened that something unusually violent must have
occurred in the land which they had left. Nothing more serious,
however, befell our voyager. In due course he reached England, hastened
home, and, without warning, burst in upon his wife while that dear
little old lady was in the act of remarking to the middle-aged cat, in a
very dolorous tone, that she feared something must have happened to the
ship, for her darlings could never have been so long of writing if all
had gone well.

It was while the cat gazed contemplatively at the everlasting socks, as
if meditating a reply, that old Rigonda burst in.

Starting up with amazing activity and a cry of joy, the old lady swept
her feline friend from the table--inadvertently, of course--and rushed
into her husband's arms, while the outraged animal sought refuge on top
of the bookcase, whence it glared at the happy meeting with feelings
that may be more easily understood than described. Of course the old
man's joy was turned into grief and anxiety when he heard of the
departure of his children and was told of their prolonged silence; but
with that we have nothing to do at present.

We return to Silver Bay, where a sense of insecurity had been aroused in
the community, ever since the tremors of the earth, to which we have
just referred.

With the slumbering of the Javanese mountains, however, these tremors
and the consequent fears subsided, and were almost forgotten in another
source of anxiety.

One morning, while Teddy Malone was walking on the beach of Silver Bay,
he observed a small object running and stumbling towards him, as if in
great haste or fear. Hurrying forward to meet this object he soon
perceived that it was little Brown-eyes, of whom he was very fond.

"What's wrong, me darlint?" he asked, catching the child up and kissing
her.

"Oh, such funny tings me sawd--oder side de rocks," replied Brown-eyes,
panting; "come wid me an' see dem. Come kik!"

"Funny things, eh, mavourn