At luncheon—­which they partook of on the river-bank, under a magnificently umbrageous tree—­plans for the afternoon were fixed.

“We have kept together long enough, I think,” said Van der Kemp.  “Those of us who have guns must shoot something to contribute to the national feast on our return.”

“Vell, let us divide,” assented the amiable naturalist.  Indeed he was so happy that he would have assented to anything—­except giving up the hunt.  “Von party can go von vay, anoder can go anoder vay.  I vill continue mine business.  Zee place is more of a paradise zan zee last.  Ve must remain two or tree veeks.”

The hermit glanced at Nigel.

“I fear it is impossible for me to do so,” said the latter.  “I am pledged to return to Batavia within a specified time, and from the nature of the country I perceive it will take all the time at my disposal to reach that place so as to redeem my pledge.”

“Ha!  Zat is a peety.  Vell, nevair mind.  Let us enchoy to-day.  Com’, ve must not vaste more of it in zee mere gratification of our animal natures.”

Acting on this broad hint they all rose and scattered in different groups—­the professor going off ahead of his party in his eager haste, armed only with a butterfly net.

Now, as the party of natives,—­including Baso, who carried the professor’s biggest box, and Grogo, who bore his gun,—­did not overtake their leader, they concluded that he must have joined one of the other parties, and, as it was impossible to ascertain which of them, they calmly went hunting on their own account!  Thus it came to pass that the man of science was soon lost in the depths of that primeval forest!  But little cared the enthusiast for that—­or, rather, little did he realise it.  With perspiration streaming from every pore—­except where the pores were stopped by mud—­he dashed after “bootterflies” with the wisdom of Solomon and the eagerness of a school-boy, and not until the shades of evening began to descend did his true position flash upon him.  Then, with all the vigour of a powerful intellect and an enlightened mind, he took it in at a glance—­and came to a sudden halt.

“Vat shall I do?” he asked.

Not even an echo answered, and the animal kingdom was indifferent.

“Lat me see.  I have been vandering avay all dis time.  Now, I have not’ing to do but right-about-face and vander back.”

Could reasoning be clearer or more conclusive?  He acted on it at once, but, after wandering back a long time, he did not arrive at any place or object that he had recognised on the outward journey.

Meanwhile, as had been appointed, the rest of the party met a short time before dark at the rendezvous where they had lunched.

“Where is the professor, Baso?” asked Van der Kemp as he came up.

Baso did not know, and looked at Grogo, who also professed ignorance, but both said they thought the professor had gone with Nigel.