Out of the Primitive

run out many miles into the offing and laid-to during the hours of darkness. The vicinity of the

lating in the blue-black sky to port, told him that the steamer was headed in for the coast. The black surface of the quiet sea crinkled with lines of phosphorescent light under t

dge. As he neared the foot of the ladder, his resilient step and the snowy whiten

er called down in a bluff but resp

rdship, mounting the steps with youthful

with the first glimmer of daylight," explained the skipper. "We're now barely under hea

young earl. "D'you still think to-day is a

r all the probabilities, we should to-day cover the spot where the Impala mus

said that was

teering gear or in the engine room. I've recharted her probable course and that of the cyclone. It was as well for us to begin our search at the Zambezi, as I told your lordship. But if to-day we fail to

Mr. Leslie chartered by cable-a good week the start of us, and still beating the coverts down there along Sofala! Wasting time! If only I'd not g

hadn't lost all her boats before she struck, there'

rything must have been done to save them. While Tom-he'd be sure to make the shore, if that was within the bounds of possibility. Yet even if they were cast up alive-six

McPhee is keeping up a full head of s

s above the watery horizon. Swiftly the faint glow brightened and became tinged with pink. The day was approaching with the suddenness of the tropical sunrise. In quick succ

mes had turned his back to the sun. He was staring at the bank of white mist that, less than two miles to westward

remarked. "We're none too

face creased with impatience and anxiety. "D'you fancy we're

ambique Channel currents are so strong, and shift so wi

hs and wisps of vapor he could see the winged habitants of the swamps-flamingoes, cranes, pelicans, ibises, storks, geese, all the countless tropical waterfowl-swimming and wading about the reedy lagoons or circling up to fly to other feeding

gn! Rotten luc

coast around to the north-northeast. Sudden

"Off there to the

headland," confi

If they were cast up here, they'd not have lingered in

wung around, and the little steamer was soon scuttling upcoast towards

could discern with quickly increasing distinctness the seabirds that soared about the cliff crest and nested in its

dge of the reefs, close in under the seaward face of the headland,

they've been here, they've either gone inland

of the headland may be inaccessible, m'lor

ses at a second headland that was swinging

ried. "Smoke!

mes, hastily bringing h

e outer end, could plainly be seen with the naked eye. But a sunlit cloud beyond necessitated the full magnifying

glowed with hope. Here was evidence that not all a

must be their signal-it is their signal! But which of th

Meggs. "I take it, he's som

st resourceful man I ever knew. He must have won ashore with the others.

gs. "They'd have lost most their

stretch here between the headlands is not swamp. It's dry plain-and black. Been burnt over. The

he northern headland. "No watch above; no sign of any one or any camp below. Must all be aro

ord James, slowly sweeping the cliffs from foot to

t its foot was a grove of trees whose bright green foliage seemed to indicate an abundance of water. Above, a giganti

could discern a slight haze of smoke rising out of the cleft beneath the baobab. But if there was a camp in the cleft bottom, it was hidden from view by the trees and cliff wal

ut the folds of the tattered white flag. Meggs had been watching it through his binoculars. He lowered the glasse

east one of the

o the bamboo? It was knotted on by a landsman. We'll

speed of the vessel fell off to less than a knot. Slowly the old steamer swung her bows around towards the shore and began

e turn had opened up the view around the north corner of the headland. From the flank of the cliff ridge a wedge of brush-dotted plain extended a quarter-mile or so to a dense high jungle borderin

ken flight. He turned his glasses upon them and saw that they were antelope. This was not encouraging. That the timid animals had been feeding in the vicinity of a human h

used Lord James from his momentary pause. He faced the s

imed. "There's no camp in sight.

in the doorway, to step out on the bridge, the tramp's siren shrilled a blast loud enough to carry for miles.

i, on the bar out beyond the mangroves of the river mouth, fixed his gaze. But a moment afterwards one of the

ink of the precipice, near the outer end of the headland

leap to within a few feet-so near that Lord James could see the heaving of his broad chest under the tatte

y of the castaway. Neither the wild whirling of the sun-blackened arms nor the bristly stubble of

ed. "Hullo! hullo,

d him to see his friend with such wonderful distinctness, the deep shouts that the other was uttering were hardly audible above the

en ledges, to stand on the cliff edge close beside the man. Lord James stared wonderingly at her dainty girlish form, clad in a barbaric costume of leopard skin. Her

and took the jewels with him! She's safe-both of 'em safe! Hey! what's that? Signalling towar

ll command the boat. Men are not to land. D'you take me? There's at least one of the lad

glishwoman, stood at the head of the companionway, gazing towards the cliff top. At his order, she followed him below. After several minutes he reappeare

still water, and headed shorewards on a slant for the south corner of the headland. Urged on by their impatient passenger, the

st to the coral reefs. This compelled them to put about and follow the ledge until they could round its outer end. As t

d appeared on the cliff top were running towards t

rged Lord James. "At least l