Round the World in Seven Days

le on the ship's deck he had noticed that the easterly breeze was very light, so that even with the slight additional wei

y started, and comparing it with the sched

r hours lat

ddy, you're always telling me I'm late. If you

r gri

ed. "Tout va bien, mademoiselle?" he said,

Rodier came to the conclusion that Captain Bunce's opin

r way out to the Australian station, and he knew that the most suitable place for alighting was a large open space, clear of vegetation and buildings, about a mile from the port. In a few minutes the aeroplane was flying over the sleepin

eerfully, as he stepped out. "I hope

aid the girl. "I sha

my friend Mr. Daventry. He is in the administration here, and I am sure Mrs. Daventry will be glad to do anything she can for you. You see, I can find m

hatever you

aeroplane, the other two

send help to Fath

e all right, but I'm afraid I look far from Sundayish. Still, no

hat? Aren't y

in the manoeuvres. We get

when you're in su

had a bad accident. The want of a decent meal is the worst of it. We haven't had one since

backed out if I had really had the chance. I'm very glad Father insisted on my comi

t; what I mean is that I shall be very glad to take you a daylight trip one of these days if you care to come-when we ge

mustn't pay too much attention to Father. He's a dear o

have a cu

t sugar-if you

f these days you will find

ieces, then, for our street isn

ave sung a little song-just to please your father, of course-we will walk to where my man is waiting with the ae

face, for the tone expressed utter disbelief. He wanted to assure her that he meant what h

, and I shan't have another leave for I don't know how long, so we won't fix a date.

with a smile at the native servant sleeping on a mat at the door, and laughed to see him jump when awakened by Smith's vigorous rapping. At a word from

Daventry?"

e you? What'

y to disturb you at this

e of-! All right

they saw framed in the doorway a ta

. "Why, what the-! Here, I

was quite unembarrassed, and when she caught his eye she frankly smiled. "She's the right s

"She'll be down in a minute; come in. Didn't know you wer

y, hoping that Margaret Bun

on the lights, and looked inquiringly at his visito

d Mr. Daventry; "what have you

t is-well, it's plaguey difficult to tell it shortly-but the fact is

a burning ship in mid-ocean, and was kind

Smith, as Mr. Daventry looked fr

added to a lady in a dressing-gown who had just entered, "

ce," said the

we can make this out. If I understand aright M

ventry sympathetically, going

ouds, caught up Miss Bunce, and flew with her to the house

hauffeur. I think I had better tell

cloudy at present. Have a ci

e been at the mercy of the savages for a week or more, and probably hard pushed. Of course a gunboat was to be sent to relieve them, but as every hour was important I decided to try to get to them in my aeroplane and take them some ammunition. Last n

-I don't understand yet. How did you come to

ay morning: came by Con

ld be inclined to ask if you are sober. You have

means nearly two hundred miles. There are two things I want to do. First to arrange with the port officer to send help to C

ut it's

ve the petrol; I must start in two hours or less. A

, but surely you can

y say, and the devil in this case is Father Time. You see, I've not only got to take some rifles and ammunition to the shipwrecked party, but I must rejoin my

er him, Jack," s

stand what it means? He'll kill himse

said Smith. "Now, old fellow, wh

down to the harbour and get what he wants. I'll see about the bath and the breakfast, and I

very good of you. But I'm sure

id the girl, "and I shall c

said the hostess. "We will g

r. The port officer complained at having his beauty sleep disturbed, and when he learnt that his assistance

he grumbled. "They'll know what w

s. The port officer agreed to send a steamer in search of the Elizabeth as soon as it was light. Then, wit

ill want to know all about it, so I advise you to t

Anything t

aroused by his servants, he put his head out of his be

ll explain. It's a matter of

t? An ear

. Slip into your

d at his door in shirt and bre

ighty gallons of petrol to be held read

is quit

ant Smith, and he want

ined where the pet

It is Sunday morning. My store is clos

lands to save his father from being eaten

take oil for a motor-boat up coun

not going by motor-bo

dat to th

come by aeroplane from London, and is going on at once. Give me

at five o'clock on a Sunday morning. I vill come vid you. I must vake up some coolies to car

e we can re

fore an hour, you ma

and see about your breakfast. W

hlight, and eating sardines and bi

t we fet

hardly leave the aeroplane unattended. It's hard l

hed, he found hot coffee and eggs awaiting him. He ate and drank ravenously,

an-hour yet. You'll just lie down and rest, and have a comforta

Mrs. Daventry arranged a cushion behind his head, Miss Bunce placed a sto

r. Daventry, as he left the house; "

ressed for outdoors, wakened the sleeper by

see that all is ready for you, and Miss Bunce and I are coming to see you start. Really

immensely obliged to you. By the way, will you ask Daventry, in case

rget. Now s

lly at his employer. Smith pressed through the crowd, shaking hands with the Englishmen one after another, but declaring that he had no time for talking. He shook hands with the Daventrys and Miss Bunce last of all, thanking them very heartily for their assistance; then, calling for a clear space, he follo

ground before Rodier, raising

ste

Smith, fearing that

four hours ten

ERL

it's all u

le in hand at his post in a corner of the barricade, ad

hope for relief?"

fallen into the hands of the savages. We've come to our last t

an we d

's nothing else. The end will be the same eit

the ruddy, clean-shaven youth that had landed from the wreck twelve days

up hope at last,"

d have a sleep, old man; it's enough to give any one the blues, keepi

had. Anything would be better than this eternal k

art to keep a whole skin as long as I can. Go and

entre of the camp, and throwing himself on a ta

, to last a fortnight. From their position at the foot of rugged cliffs it was impossible to tell what sustenance the island afforded, and the evil reputation of the natives did not give promise of peaceful exploration. While not actually head hunters, like the inhabitants of the New Georgian group to the south, they were said to be treacherous and vindictive. At the southern end of the isla

almost light-hearted eagerness. At the top they found themselves at the edge of a dense and tangled forest. Underhill sent some of the crew to search for a likely camping place, while the remainder hauled up the boat's cargo. A comp

reastwork. Fortunately, a good number of tools had been brought from the vessel, and as the men came in with their loads, Rumbold, the ship's carpenter, set to work, with the assistance of two or three, to surround the enclosure with a rough fence. Underhill ordered them to avoid the use of hammers and axes, the noise of whic

present condition, prove a very formidable obstacle to a determined attack; but the day had become very

oat had rendered it impossible for the whole party to embark; but no doubt the Resident at Tulagi would have boats of some sort at his disposal, and in these the castaways could be taken off. When once at Tulagi, they would have to wait until the first vessel touched at the island. Four men, including Venables, volunteered to make the voyage, and were ready to start that ni

ad been anchored at the foot of the cliff, some one cried out that he saw brown men advancing through the woods. Underhill instantly ordered the barricade to be manned, and served o

arted forward w

n, expressed by signs, to come forth and palaver with them. It was well he refrained, for when they were within a few yards of the camp they suddenly darted forward with a wild whoop. Underhill ordered his men to fire a volley over their heads, hoping to scare them away without bloodshed; but the reports of the rifles did not make

ncrease in numbers, and every now and then they sent a flight of arrows into the camp. But the garrison kept out of sight

ammunition lasted, but when it was all spent, the savages must overpower the white men by sheer weight of numbers. Venables now wished to recall his undertaking, and remain in the fighting line; but Underhill decided that he must go in command of the other men. Accordingly, at nightfall, the four crept through a small gap made in the seaward fa

l times during the day they returned to the attack, pushing it home each time with more determination, and towards evening with a rage and frenzy that could only be due to the stimulation of strong liquor. At this last onset the defenders were almost overwhelmed, repeated volleys seeming only to inflame the fierce warriors. For some minutes there was a hand-to-hand fight as they made desperate endeavours to scale the barricade, and only when a score of their number lay dea

in the woods, and which the garrison had seen every night like little lamps among the trees. But as it came nearer he perceived that it grew larger and brighter, and moved from side to side with more regularity than was probable with an insect, and at length he saw that it was a smouldering torch held by a native, who was waving it to

this the garrison could hardly have held out for a day. In that hot climate a constant supply of water was a prime necessity. But water without solid food would not keep them alive, and as the stock of provisions diminished, and no help c

m to his father, when the lieutenant had g

of delirium in the night, and we are all get

may be sure they are not far off. I fancy they've got a camp or a village in the woods yonder. They must have food there, and I don't see why

here their camp is; they may be constantly on the watch, and could take us in the rear and occupy our camp b

ng our way back, we could light small fires at

ay us to

keep watch by night; we have seen no sign of them at night since they tried to burn us. The chief difficulty

ngerous,

ug. "I should take my pocket compass; two or thr

her, Tom. Help may yet come. Why should

m seen I can make a bolt for it; and I fancy I can pick up my heels

more than once during the day, and at last obtained his father's consent. It w

r I'd have you know I am over age. I'm going to have a try. Get the men ready to ma

the men. Their faces brightened: they threw off the lethargy of despondence whic

rough a gap in the barricade. He caught two or three light-giving insects in the bushes just beyond, an

uld find more difficulty than he had anticipated in retracing his course. The damp warm air was oppressive; now and then he struck his head against a low branch, stumbled over a stump or a fallen bough, or found his feet entangled in the meshes of some creeping plant. He was soon bathed in perspiration; every new sound

dense forest of finding what he sought? Might he not even miss the savages' camp altogether, go beyond it, leave it either on his right hand or his left, or perhaps stumble upon it suddenly, and be discovered before he had a chance to flee? But he put these questions from his mind. He had set out to find the camp; no harm had befallen him. There was a strain of doggedn

of forest beyond. Again he had to struggle through darkness and dense entanglements, then suddenly he started; far ahead he thought he discerned amid the blackness the dull glow of a fire. With infinite caution he picked his way through the thi

the circuit of the camp, he saw a man move out from one of the huts towards the fire, on which he cast some logs that lay beside it. A flame shot up. As the man returned to his hut, he put his hand into one of the cooking-pots and drew out the limb of a small animal, from which he tore the flesh with his teeth. T

watch. It was p

back through the forest. But he was not a mariner, and even a mariner would have been at fault in tracking his course by compass through dense forest. He judged his general direction accurately, but he swerved a little too far to the right, and suddenly found himself on the brink of the cliff. He dared not go back into the forest, lest he s

r lost. It was one o'clock. Underhill sternly checked a cheer

till to-morrow night?

much for famishing men. Who knew if they would have strength or sanity for the task after another sw

set off in single file, Tom leading the way, not because he had any hope of treading in hi

t such fires would have been of little use; further, they might cause an immense conflagration which, th

a part of the forest where the entanglements were more intricate and less penetrable than those he had formerly encountered. But he plodded on doggedly, speaking to no one of his anxiety when

lowly and cautiously. Then, with a suddenness that took them aback, they came to the edge of a clearing. At first Tom was not sure whether it was the same that he had seen before. He had indeed approached it from a different direction. But a glance around satisfied him on this point,

arried either some murmur of Underhill's voice, low as he had spoken, or some faint scent which the natives, as keen in their perceptions as wild animals, had