There was nothing else but a few small fossils like coiled snakes turned to stone. Next they poled across to the islet off the extremity of Serendib, where Pan had made such a noise. To get there they had to go some distance round, as it was so shallow. They poled the raft in among the reed-mace or bamboos, which rose above their heads out of the water besides that part of the stalk under the surface. The reed-mace is like a bulrush, but three times as tall, and larger. They cut a number of these as spoils, and then landed. Pan showed a little more activity here, but not much. He sniffed round the water’s edge, but soon returned and stretched himself on the raft. “He can’t smell anything here to-day,” said Bevis. “There’s a halcyon.” A kingfisher went by, straight for New Formosa. The marks of moorhens’ feet were numerous on the shore and just under water, showing how calm it had been lately, for waves would have washed up the bottom and covered them. The islet was very small, merely the ridge of a bank, so they pushed off again. Passing the bamboos, they paused and looked at them--the tall stalks rose up around as if they were really in a thicket of bamboo. “Hark!” They spoke together. It was the stern and solemn note of a bell tolling. It startled them in the silence of the New Sea. The sound came from the hills, and they knew at once it was the bell at the church big Jack went to. The chimes, thin perhaps and weak, had been lost in the hills, but the continuous toll of the five minutes bell penetrated through miles of air. So in the bush men call each other by constantly repeating the same hollow note, “Cooing,” and in that way the human voice can be heard at an extraordinary distance. Each wave of sound drives on its predecessor, and is driven by the wave that follows, till the widening circle strikes the shore of the distant ear. “Ship’s bell,” said Bevis presently, as they listened. “In these latitudes the air is so clear you hear ships’ bells a hundred miles.” “Pirates?” “No; pirates would not make a noise.” “Frigate?” “Most likely.” “Any chance of our being taken off and rescued?” “Not the least,” said Bevis. “These islands are not down on any chart. She’ll be two hundred miles away by tea-time. Bound for Kerguelen, perhaps.” “We shall never be found,” said Mark. “No hope for us.” “No hope at all,” said Bevis. They poled towards Serendib, intending to circumnavigate that island. By the time they had gone half-way, the bell ceased. “Now listen,” said Mark. “Isn’t it still?”