Part 21 (1/2)
”Hullo! where are you?”
They listened, but no answer caht-hued bird flew across the sand space, a lizard scuttled across the glistening sand, the reef spoke, and the wind in the tree-tops; but Mr button h the grove towards the aoa where the dinghy was ht,” he said ”Where on earth can he be?”
”I don't know,” said E of loneliness had fallen
”Let's go up the hill,” said dick; ”perhaps we'll find hih the wood, past the water-course Every now and then dick would call out, and echoes would answer--there were quaint, moist-voiced echoes aht The little waterfall gurgled and whispered, and the great banana leaves spread their shade
”Coain without receiving a reply
They found the hill-top, and the great boulder stood casting its shadow in the sun The , the reef flashi+ng, the foliage of the island waving in the wind like the fla itself across the bosoators or Gilberts had sent thisits echo here, a thousand miles away, in the deeper thunder of the reef
Nowhere else in the world could you get such a picture, such a combination of splendour and suht ofIt was the smallness of the island, perhaps, that closed the chare and flowers set in theblue
Suddenly dick, standing beside Eer to the reef near the opening
”There he is!” cried he
CHAPTER XXI
THE GARLAND OF FLOWERS
You could juston the reef near the little cask, and co lump of coral
”He's asleep,” said dick
He had not thought to look towards the reef froure before
”dicky!” said Eet over, if you said the dinghy was tied to the tree?”
”I don't know,” said dick, who had not thought of this; ”there he is, anyhow I'll tell you what, Em, we'll row across and wake hiot down froh the wood As they ca them up into one of her wreaths Some scarlet hibiscus, some bluebells, a couple of pale poppies with furry stalks and bitter perfu that for?” asked dick, who always viewed Eue disgust
”I' to put it on Mr button's head,” said Emmeline; ”so's when you say boo into his ear he'll jump up with it on”
dick chuckled with pleasure at the idea of the practical joke, and almost adht be a use for such futilities as wreaths
The dinghy wasshade of the aoa, the painter tied to one of the branches that projected over the water These dwarf aoas branch in an extraordinary way close to the ground, throwing out liood protection for the little boat, protecting it fro hands and from the sun; besides the protection of the tree Paddy had now and then scuttled the boat in shalloater It was a new boat to start with, and with precautions like these ht be expected to laston the painter so that the bow of the dinghy caot carefully in, and went aft Then dick got in, pushed off, and took to the sculls Nextwater