the dark. There are but few places that I have visited in the
neighbourhood where boats could come ashore without risk, and they would
scarcely find them out, unless with daylight."

This remark somewhat comforted the Frau, and we had supper before Tanda
and Tarbox started. Mr Hooker and the mate had much recovered. The
former was in much better spirits than he had been since he landed.
Altogether we had a very pleasant meal, and no one would have supposed,
seeing us seated round the table, that a piratical fleet was in the
neighbourhood, likely to attack us.

After Tarbox and Tanda had set off, however, the spirits of the party
began to flag. No one cared to go to bed, as we did not know at what
moment we might be roused up. As the night drew on we became more and
more anxious. It was indeed a trying time, for even should they not
land at night, it was too probable that they would be down upon us
before daybreak. Still we could not help anxiously waiting for that
time. The hours appeared very long. Now and then I fell off to sleep,
and was awoke either by the noises of the animals in my uncle's
menagerie, or by some strange sounds from the neighbouring forests--the
voices of night-birds or beasts of prey. At last the two men who had
taken the first watch came back, reporting that they had seen nothing;
then Potto Jumbo, who had been lying down snoring loudly, started up,
and with Roger Trew went down to the shore. The second part of the
night appeared even longer than the first. Still I knew that it would
have an end. At length the streaks of early dawn appeared in the
eastern sky. The usual sounds of returning day came up from the forest.
The birds began to sing their cheerful notes, and ere long the sunbeams
lighted up the topmost branches of the lofty trees above our abode.
Just then the black and Roger Trew returned. "Hurrah, hurrah!" sung out
the black, "dey all sail away, and no come here!" Roger corroborated
his companion's statement; and Oliver and I, running down to the shore,
caught a glimpse of the pirates' sails, if pirates they were, just
sinking below the horizon. It was some time, however, before Frau
Ursula's mind could be tranquillised. She insisted that if they were in
the neighbourhood they would very likely return.

"Why do you think they will come here, good Frau?" said Mr Hooker.
"They are not likely to be aware that anybody is on this island, and
their object is to attack we