ar that would have done credit to a South African lion.

As neither of the ladies understood the meaning of "Musha," they
listened to the roar with a thrill of unutterable horror. Miss Pritty,
as if fascinated, leant forward, the better to observe her foe.
Suddenly, like the lightning-flash, and without even a shriek of
warning, she lost her balance and dived head-foremost into the bosom of
Rooney Machowl!

Well was it for the bold Irishman that Miss Pritty was a light weight,
else had he that day ended his career in the jungles of Borneo. As it
was he went down like a shock of corn before the scythe, grasped Miss
Pritty in an embrace such as she had never before even imagined, and
proceeded to punch her poor head.

Then, indeed, she made herself known by a powerful scream that caused
the horrified man to loose his hold and spring up with a torrent of
apologies and self-abuse.

"Och! it's not possible. Baste that I am! Oh ma cushla astore, forgive
me! It's a gorilla I thought ye was, sure, for I hadn't time to look,
d'ee see. It's wishin' you had staved in my timbers intirely I am."

Rooney's exclamations were here cut short, and turned on another theme
by the sudden appearance of Aileen Hazlit, who soon found that her
friend was more alarmed than hurt.

"I _am_ so glad you have found us, and so surprised," said Aileen, who
had met Rooney in England during one of her visits to Joe Baldwin's
abode, "for we have quite lost ourselves."

Rooney looked a little awkwardly at the fair girl.

"Sure, it's glad I am myself that I've found you," he said, "but faix,
I'm lost too! I do belave, howiver, that somebody's goin' to find us."

He turned his head aside and listened intently. Presently a cry was
heard at no great distance. It was replied to by another.

"Pirates," said Rooney, in a hoarse whisper, drawing a cutlass from his
belt.

As he spoke another cry was heard in an opposite direction.

"Friends!" exclaimed Rooney. "Sure we're surrounded by friends and
foes! Come, git into the tree, ladies. I'll give a hail, an' if the
varmin should come up first, I'll kape them in play. Don't show yer
purty faces dears, an' be as aisy as ye can."

So saying, Rooney gave vent to a true British cheer, while the ladies
ascended once more into the tree.

The cheer was instantly replied to by counter-cheers and howls. A
minute more and two half-naked Malays, armed with spears and long
shields, bounded into the