Part 25 (2/2)

”Yes, and at once,” said Mr Russell, fir black”

Mark went forward and su, to look froly

With some difficulty he was made to understand anted; and as soon as he did he called his companion, and in a very few oing below docilely enough, and the ing look round at the soft evening sky

”No trouble there,” said Mr Russell ”Now, Vandean, I propose that we divide the night I'll take the watch, and will call you for the next, unless the wind springs up, and then of course it will be all hands on deck Who will you have in your watch--Dance, or Fillot?”

”Fillot,” said Mark, pro companion, but Dance is the better seaman”

”Shall I have Dance, then, sir?”

”I would rather you did, reat, and I should lie down to rest with more confidence Not that I doubt you,” he hastened to add ”There, I'll join you at a bit of supper at once

Things seem pretty comfortable in the cabin, and, as it is our prize, we ave a sharp look round as they walked toward the cabin-hatch, to see through the hot glow the _Nautilus_ at anchor, looking trim, and with every yard squared She seemed to stand up out of the water in the transparent atmosphere, with every rope clearly seen, but there was a peculiar look seaward, as if the transparent darkness were sweeping over the ocean to shut her in He looked shoreward to faintly discern the tops of some palms, but all below these was shut in by haze which rose from the mouth of the river

”Doesn't look a healthy place, and this can't be a healthy shi+p, Vandean, but we must make the best of it, and be off to sea at the first chance”

They both stood at the head of the cabin stairs, and took another look round, to see if anything had been left undone; and just then Dance the coxswain caht, sir, as soon as it's dark?” said the man, respectfully

”No,” replied the lieutenant, decisively ”No one is likely to run us down, here Now, Vandean”

He led the way into the cabin, saying, ”We don't want to show people ashore where we are Hah! that's right This is To

He's a handy fellow”

He pointed to the preparations for a meal of no mean proportions, for the skipper of the schooner and his crew had been liberally provided for by their owners; and now, feeling hungry for the first time that day, Mark ate a hearty supper After a little chat they went on deck again, to find that the sky was now literally black, and the only thing visible as they lay there in the utter silence was a star-like light lying apparently close by--a light which Mark knew at once must be that of the _Nautilus_

”Why, she has come in closer while we've been below,” he said

”On the contrary, she has run out with the tide, and is a good two miles away Let's have a look round”

The first uard over the hatch, fro, and the man reported in a whisper that the blacks had not made another sound

The rest of the watch were next visited, and there was nothing to report

”There,” said the lieutenant, ”all's well Go and sleep, my lad I'll keep a faithful watch over you; when your turn coht, sir,” said Mark, eagerly taking the hand extended to hi weary, but unwilling to leave the deck, he crept into the skipper's co certain that he would not sleep For it was very hot down there, in spite of the open cabin ; thetheir tiresome fine-drawn hum, and he was excited by the events of the day

”It's like going to sleep on the edge of a volcano,” he thought

”Suppose the blacks do rise, and, led by our two fellows, attack us We should be taken by surprise, and it would be all over in a o on deck”