ent, it becomes what the
natives call tuak--a very intoxicating beverage, of which they are very
fond. The seeds grow in such large bunches, that one alone is as much
as two men can carry. The envelopes of these seeds contain a poisonous
juice, in which the natives dip their arrows.

Well, as I was saying, we manufactured a supply of this rope for our
look-out post. As soon as it was erected, Roger Trew climbed to the
top.

"Capital!" he exclaimed. "There is the sea away on two sides of us,
though as to the pirates, I can see nothing of them. Maybe they are
near the wreck, and that's too close in to be seen."

We thought that perhaps by erecting a higher post we might obtain a
better view; but when Mr Thudicumb went up, he calculated that the
trees were far too high near the shore to enable us to do this. We all
in succession went up to have a look at the blue sea; but it was then
agreed that the post might possibly be seen by our enemies, and we
therefore at once lowered it, but kept it ready to set up again in case
of need. We had been so much occupied in preparing our fort, that we
had thought little of eating or drinking.

"What we do for water?" exclaimed the Frau, bringing a large shell into
our midst. "This is the last we have got!"

"I must blame myself for my forgetfulness," exclaimed Mr Sedgwick. "We
ought to have lost no time in searching for water. If one of you will
come with a spade, we will go out at once to look for it, while the rest
continue at the work in the fort."

I volunteered to accompany my uncle. "But we may require a stronger
digger than you are, Walter," he said, and fixed on Roger Trew.

Roger, throwing his spade over his shoulder in navvy fashion, answered,
"I am ready, sir."

"Well, you can come too then," said my uncle to me. "You may bring your
gun, though, in case of necessity. We must remember not to fire if it
can be helped."

As only one iron spade could be spared, my uncle and I armed ourselves
with a couple which we had formed out of bamboo, and which might assist
Roger should we have to dig deep. We took our way down the hill, and as
we looked up we agreed that our fort presented a very satisfactory
appearance, and that, probably, should we be discovered, the enemy would
be wary before they attacked us; indeed, they would very likely suppose
from its appearance that our numbers were far greater than they were in
reality. As those people fight for plunder,