f an attack; or else, that whatever
explorations might be afoot were being conducted by land.

At length everything was done that my unaided efforts could effect; and
then, taking Ella on shore with me in the canoe, I set out for another
walk up the ravine in quest of a little more fruit, to complete our sea-
stock. I was rather anxious to take as much of this as possible to sea
with me, for I have always held the belief that the fruit which
flourishes best in any particular climate, if partaken of in moderation,
is beneficial to the health whilst breathing the air of that climate.

Ella expressed her surprise once or twice during the day, both at the
somewhat abrupt manner in which our encampment on shore was broken up,
and at Bob's sudden predilection for so unsailorlike an amusement as
mountain-climbing; but I answered her carelessly, anxious not to alarm
the dear little girl by acquainting her with the fact that we had
unexpectedly acquired such very undesirable neighbours.

Near the head of the ravine, I was fortunate enough to come upon a
banana-tree laden with exceptionally fine fruit, and I succeeded in
possessing myself of two noble bunches of bananas which had arrived at
exactly the right condition for cutting. Each bunch was as heavy as I
could well lift, and, having got them to the ground without bruising any
of the fruit, I cut a strong stake, and placed it, with a bunch at each
end, fair in the pathway which I knew Bob would take on his way to the
beach, feeling certain he would know why it was placed there, and would
bring it down with him.

We then returned, cutting a few splendid pines and gathering a little
bread-fruit and a few figs as we went, and paddled back to the cutter,
where Ella and I remained, fully occupied with each other, until it was
quite dark, when, just as the little fairy was on the point of going
below to see to the tea, I heard Bob's hail, and, jumping into the
canoe, I soon joined him on the beach.

"Well, Harry," said he, as I drew the light canoe up a foot or two on
the beach, "it seems that you haven't been noways idle whilst I've been
aloft there spying into the inimy's movements. I hardly knowed what to
make of it when I first found the tents struck and 'most everything
gone. But I'm glad in one sense that matters is so far for'ard, though
I'm sorry in another; for I'm greatly afeared you've been working hard
and have tired yourself, and there's just a chance of our ha