t so easy to `look up' your son as you
seem to think. Just glance round at these almost impenetrable forests.
You don't know what part of the island he may be in just now; and you
might as well look for a needle in a bundle of hay as look for him
there. He is probably at the other end of Krakatoa--four or five miles
off--on the South side of Rakata, where the hermit's cave is supposed to
be, for no one seems to be quite sure as to its whereabouts. Besides,
you'll have to stick by the excursionists if you wish to return to
Batavia."

Captain Roy paused for a moment to recover breath, and looking down upon
the dense tropical forest that stretched between him and the Peak of
Rakata, he shook his head, and admitted that the merchant was right.
Turning round he addressed himself once more to the ascent of the cone,
on the sides of which the whole excursion party now straggled and
struggled, remarking, as he panted along, that hill-climbing among ashes
and cinders didn't "come easy to a sea-farin' man."

Now, nothing was more natural than that Van der Kemp and his guest
should be smitten with the same sort of desire which had brought these
excursionists from Batavia. The only thing that we do not pretend to
account for is the strange coincidence that they should have been so
smitten, and had so arranged their plans, that they arrived at
Perboewatan almost at the same time with the excursionists--only about
half an hour before them!

Their preliminary walk, however, through the tangled, almost impassable,
forest had been very slow and toilsome, and having been involved in its
shadow from daybreak, they were, of course, quite unaware of the
approach of the steamer or the landing of the excursion party.

"If the volcano seems quieting down," said Nigel to his host, "shall you
start to-morrow?"

"Yes; by daybreak. Even if the eruption does _not_ quiet down I must
set out, for my business presses."

Nigel felt much inclined to ask what his business was, but there was a
quiet something in the air of the hermit, when he did not choose to be
questioned, which effectually silenced curiosity. Falling behind a
little, till the negro came up with him, Nigel tried to obtain
information from him, for he felt that he had a sort of right to know at
least something about the expedition in which he was about to act a
part.

"Do you know, Moses, what business your master is going about?" he
asked, in a low voice.

"No more nor