e the sounds of the African
cuckoos and the gentle cooing of the turtle-dove.

Stas returned from his inspection trip with joy in his soul. "The
climate," he said, "is healthy; the security is perfect, the provisions
are abundant, and the place is as beautiful as Paradise." Returning to
Nell's hut he learned to his surprise that there were larger animals on
the "island"; two, in fact, for little Nasibu had discovered in a
banana thicket while Stas was absent a goat with a kid, which the
dervishes had overlooked. The goat was a little wild, but the kid at
once became friendly with Nasibu, who was immeasurably proud of his
discovery and of the fact that through his instrumentality "bibi" would
now have excellent fresh milk daily.

"What shall we do now, Stas?" Nell asked one day, when she had settled
down for good to her housekeeping on the "island."

"There is plenty of work to do," the boy answered, after which,
spreading out the fingers of one hand, he began to count on them all
the work awaiting them.

"In the first place Kali and Mea are pagans, and Nasibu, as a native of
Zanzibar, is a Mohammedan. It is necessary to enlighten them, teach
them the faith, and baptize them. Then, it is necessary to smoke meat
for our future journey and therefore I must go hunting; thirdly, having
a good supply of rifles and cartridges, I want to teach Kali to shoot
in order that there shall be two of us to defend you; and fourthly--you
probably forgot about the kites?"

"About the kites?"

"Yes, those which you will glue, or better still, you will sew. That
shall be your work."

"I don't want to play only."

"That won't be all play, but work most useful for all. Don't think that
it will end with one kite for you must be ready for fifty or more."

"But why so many?" asked the girl, whose curiosity was aroused.

So Stas began to explain his plans and hopes. He would write on each
kite their names, how they had escaped from the hands of the dervishes,
where they were, and whither they were bound. He would also inscribe a
request for help and that a message be despatched to Port Said. After
that he would fly these kites every time the wind was blowing from the
west to the east.

"Many of them," he said, "will fall not far off; many will be stopped
by the mountains, but let only one of them fly to the coast and fall
into European hands--then we are saved."

Nell was enchanted with the idea and announced that in comparison wit