e how they are getting on. How about water?"

"They showed me a spring about fifty yards from the beach, nearly facing
us. There is plenty of water there, and it is perfectly fresh and sweet,
for I tasted it. If they make any bother about bringing it off, a couple
of boats with well-armed parties could fetch it without difficulty as
the distance is so short."

"That is capital, Ryan. I hope our difficulties are pretty well over,
and that we shall get off without any trouble with these fellows."

"I hope so, sir. They certainly seemed friendly enough with me on
shore."

In the evening Mr. Ryan, with a crew of six men, went in the captain's
gig to see how the natives were getting on with the tree. The men had
their muskets and cutlasses laid under the thwarts in readiness for
action. The natives, however, appeared perfectly friendly. The crews of
several of the canoes near which they passed shouted some sort of
greeting, but paid no other attention to them. On rounding the point the
first officer steered straight for the tree he had chosen. A light smoke
was ascending from its foot, and half a dozen natives were gathered
there. When close to the spot he ordered the men to turn the boat round
and back her ashore.

"I am going to land, lads," he said, "and see how they are getting on. I
do not think that there is the least danger, but you had best keep in
readiness to row off the instant I jump on board."

Mr. Ryan then proceeded to the tree. He found that a circle of small
fires had been built against it. These were fed with dry wood, and were
slowly but steadily eating their way into the tree, and he saw that only
two or three feet of the base would be injured by their action. He
nodded approvingly to the natives, but muttered to himself: "It's a
mighty slow way of bringing down a tree. It is not much above three feet
and a half in diameter, even at the base, and a couple of men with axes
would bring it down in an hour, while there is no saying how long they
will be with these fires of theirs. However, I should say that they will
get through it to-night or some time to-morrow. It is a fine stick, and
runs up as straight as an arrow, and is thick enough for fifty feet for
our purpose."

He walked quietly back to the boat, took his seat, and was rowed back to
the ship, where he reported that the natives were carrying out their
promise, and that by the next day the tree would be down. On visiting
the spot again on th