e of placing them in charge of the wagon
and its remaining contents, part of which--two cases of ammunition, to
wit--he explained, consisted of terribly powerful magic, any tampering
with which by unauthorised persons must inevitably have the most
appallingly disastrous results. This suggestion, Grosvenor was
informed, would receive the most careful consideration of the
authorities; and he had the satisfaction of believing that not only
would this probably result in saving the lives of the blacks, at least
for a time, but he also perceived that his hint respecting the "magic"
had made a very distinct impression.

The preparations for the transport of the prisoners across the lake were
soon made, and in about half an hour from the moment of their arrival
upon the beach they were under way. A circumstance which at once struck
Dick as peculiar was the fact that the craft in which they were making
the passage was unprovided with sails, in consequence of which they had
to depend entirely upon the exertions of the paddlers, although, as it
happened, there was a gentle breeze blowing that was dead fair for them.
Thus the boat, being large and of somewhat clumsy model, occupied fully
two hours in her passage, of about eight miles from the mainland to the
island, notwithstanding the fact that sixty stalwart men were toiling at
the paddles.

But this matter was soon banished from the minds of the two young
Englishmen by their growing interest in the mysterious island which they
were gradually approaching. For mysterious it certainly was in several
respects. In the first place its solitary situation, right in the
centre of that unknown lake, invested it with a certain aspect of
secrecy, and secrecy always suggests mystery. Also there seemed to be
little or no traffic between the island and the mainland, for during the
two hours occupied by their crossing no other boat or craft of any kind
appeared upon any part of the lake. Then, as they gradually drew nearer
to the island, and its various details revealed themselves, the two
young Englishmen became aware that the entire island, excepting perhaps
the actual soil of it, was artificial; that is to say, every square inch
of its surface had apparently been arranged or modified by the hand of
man, for either it bore a building, was traversed by a road, or formed
part of a garden every tree and plant in which owed its existence and
its precise position to human design and arrange