black, too,
produced from a chest several silver and richly-embossed plates, dishes,
and other utensils, into which having emptied a rich stew from an iron
pot, he placed them before his guests, and made them a sign to fall to.
This they were not slack to obey, for all were desperately hungry. No
one inquired of what it was composed, though a qualm came over the
feelings of Devereux, who was likely to be the most particular, as he
hooked up what certainly looked very like the body and feet of a lizard.
However, he said nothing, and minced up the remainder of his portion
before he examined it. O'Grady made some queer faces at some of the
things which caught his eye in the pot, but he said nothing, as he was
too hungry to be particular.

When the whole party were satisfied, the good-natured black pointed to
the couches, and signified that they might rest on them--a permission of
which they did not fail immediately to avail themselves, and in a few
minutes all were fast asleep. The black, meantime, in spite of the
warmth of the weather, sat down by the side of the fire at which he had
been cooking, and gave himself up to contemplation. How completely at
that moment were all his guests in his power! Who could tell what
injuries he had to avenge on the white men? Whatever were his feelings,
he gave them no cause for suspicion.

Having waited till they were so sound asleep that a great gun fired
close to their ears would scarcely have awakened them, he took his
crutches and stumped out of the hut. Some hours passed away. Paul was
the first to open his eyes; no one besides his friends were in the hut.
He did not like to rouse them up, though, in a short time, hunger--the
same cause which had awoke him--made them also awake. They had consumed
all the food the negro had given them in the morning, and they could
find nothing more to eat in the hut. O'Grady proposed that they should
climb the trees, and get some cocoanuts.

It was, however, more easy to propose than to execute the achievement.
He himself first tried to get up a tree, and then Paul made the
experiment; but, sailors as they were, they could not manage to grasp
the stem with sufficient firmness to ascend. Paul, being the lightest,
helped by his companions, had got up some way, when a gruff shout made
them turn round, and old Charcoal, as they called the black, was seen
shambling along on his crutches towards them. He beckoned Paul to come
down from the