and we shall have plenty of time; for you see it is one thing to walk through a wood and mark your way, and another to go back again with the path pointed out to you. So I think we had better start at once; we will leave the spade and axe here, for it is no use taking them back again. The musket I will carry, for although it is not likely to be wanted, still we must always be prepared. First, let us go back and look at the spring, and see how the water flows, and then we will be off."

As they walked along the edge of the sandy beach, they found the sea-birds hovering close to them all of a sudden a large shoal of fish threw themselves high and dry on the sand, and they were followed by several of a larger size, which also lay flapping on the beach, while the sea-birds, darting down close to the feet of William and Ready, and seizing up the fish, flew away with them.

"How very strange," said William, surprised.

"Yes, sir; but you see how it is the small fish were chased by the larger ones, which are bonettas, and in their fright ran upon the beach. These bonettas were so anxious to catch them, that they came on shore also, and then the gannets

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RETURN TO THE COVE.

picked them all up. There's a moral in this, Master William,-when people are too eager in their pursuit they run blindly into danger.” "But the little fish were not in pursuit ?"

No; I referred to the large with the little fish it was out of the frying-pan into the fire, as the old proverb says: but let us go on to the spring."

They found the hole which Ready had dug quite full of water, and, tasting it, it proved very sweet and good. Overjoyed at this discovery, they covered up the articles they agreed to leave behind them with some boughs under the notched cocoanut trees, and, calling the dogs, set off on their journey back again to the cove.

GUIDED by the marks made on the trees, William and Ready made rapid progress in their return, and in less than two hours found themselves almost clear of the wood, which had taken them nearly eight hours to force their way through on the day before.

"I feel the wind now, Ready," observed William,

148

SYMPTOMS OF AN

"and we must be nearly through the wood; but it appears to me to be very dark."

"I was just thinking the same, sir,” replied Ready. "I should not wonder if there is a storm brewing up; and if so, the sooner we are back again the better, for your mother will be frightened."

As they proceeded, the rustling and waving of the boughs of the trees, and ever and anon a gust of wind, followed by a moaning and creaking sound, proved that such was the fact; and as they emerged from the grove, they perceived that the sky, as it became visible to them, was of one dark leaden hue, and no longer of the brilliant blue which it usually had presented to their sight.

"There is indeed a gale coming on, Master William," said Ready, as they cleared the wood: "let us go on to the huts as fast as possible, for we must see that all is as secure as we can make it."

The dogs now bounded forward; and at their appearance at the huts Mr. Seagrave and Juno came out, and seeing Ready and William advancing, made known the welcome tidings to Mrs. Seagrave, who, with the children, had remained within. In a moment more William was pressed in his mother's

arms.

APPROACHING STORM.

149

"I am glad that you are come back, Ready," said Mr. Seagrave, shaking him by the hand after he had embraced William, "for I fear that bad weather is coming on."

"I am sure of it," replied Ready, " and we must expect a blusterous night. It indeed looks threatening. This will be one of the storms which are forerunners of the rainy season. However, sir, we have good news for you, and must only take this as a warning to hasten our departure as soon as possible. We shall have fine weather after this for a month or so, although we must expect a breeze now and then. However, we must work hard, and do our best; and now, if you please, sir, you and Juno, Master William and I, will take the first precaution necessary, which is, to go down and, between us, haul up our little boat as far from the beach as we possibly can, for the waves will be high and run a long way up, and our boat will be our main dependence soon."

The four went down as soon as Ready had sawed the ends of the spars which had been cut off, into three rollers, to fix under the keel; with the help afforded by them, the boat was soon hauled up high into the brushwood, where it was considered by Ready to be perfectly safe.