“If you have plenty of provisions on board, I should like to do that too,” said Nigel.

“Do it,” returned the hermit.  “We have plenty of food for some days, and our guns can at any time replenish the store.  I like to feed these creatures,” he added, “they give themselves over so thoroughly to the enjoyment of the moment, and seem to be grateful.  Whether they are so or not, of course, is matter of dispute.  Cynics will tell us that they only come to us and fawn upon us because of the memory of past favours and the hope of more to come.  I don’t agree with them.”

“Neither do I,” said Nigel, warmly.  “Any man who has ever had to do with dogs knows full well that gratitude is a strong element of their nature.  And it seems to me that the speaking eyes of Spinkie, to whom I have just given a bit of biscuit, tell of a similar spirit.”

As he spoke, Nigel was conveying another piece of biscuit to his own mouth, when a small brown hand flashed before him, and the morsel, in the twinkling of an eye, was transferred to the monkey’s already swollen cheek—­whereat Moses again became suddenly “’splosive” and red, as well as black in the face, for his capacious mouth was inordinately full as usual.

Clear water, from one of the casks, and poured into a tin mug, washed down their cold collation, and then, refreshed and reinvigorated, the trio resumed their paddles, which were not again laid down till the sun was descending towards the western horizon.  By that time they were not far from a small wooded islet near the coast of Java, on which Van der Kemp resolved to spend the night.

During the day they had passed at some distance many boats and praus and other native vessels, the crews of which ceased to row for a few moments, and gazed with curiosity at the strange craft which glided along so swiftly, and seemed to them little more than a long plank on the water, but these took no further notice of our voyagers.  They also passed several ships—­part of that constant stream of vessels which pass westward through those straits laden with the valuable teas and rich silks of China and Japan.  In some cases a cheer of recognition, as being an exceptional style of craft, was accorded them, to which the hermit replied with a wave of the hand—­Moses and Nigel with an answering cheer.

There is something very pleasant in the rest which follows a day of hard and healthful toil.  Our Maker has so ordained it as well as stated it, for is it not written, “The sleep of the labouring man is sweet”? and our travellers experienced the truth of the statement that night in very romantic circumstances.

The small rocky islet, not more than a few hundred yards in diameter, which they now approached had several sheltered sandy bays on its shore, which were convenient for landing.  The centre was clothed with palm-trees and underwood, so that fuel could be procured, and cocoa-nuts.