“That it’s altogether nice of us.” “Rubbish--as if they would have let _us_ come.” “Still, we are not them, and we might if they would not.” “Now, don’t you be stupid,” said Mark appealingly. “Don’t _you_ go stupid.” “No,” said Bevis, laughing; “but they must come after we have done.” “O! yes, of course. See, they’re going towards the firs: there, they’re going to cross the Nile. I know, don’t you see, they’re going round the New Sea, like we did, to try and find us--” “Are they?” said Bevis. “They shan’t find us,” resentfully. The moment he thought the rest were going to try and force themselves on his plans, his mind changed. “We won’t go on the raft this afternoon.” “No,” said Mark; “nor too near the edge of the island.” “We’ll keep out of sight. Is there anything they could see?” “The raft.” “Ah! No; you think, when they get opposite so as to be where they could see the raft, then Serendib is between.” “So it is. No, there’s nothing they can see; only we will not go too near the shore.” “No.” “What shall we do this afternoon?” said Mark, as they went down to the hut. Pan was idly lying in the narrow shade of the fence. “We mustn’t shoot,” said Bevis, “and we can’t go on the raft, because the savages are prowling round, and we mustn’t play cards, nor do some chopping; let’s go round the island and explore the interior.” “First-rate,” said Mark; “just the very thing; you take your bow and arrows--you need not shoot, but just in case of savages--and I’ll take my spear in case of the tiger in the reeds, or the something that comes out of the wave.” “And a hatchet,” said Bevis, “to blaze our way. That would not be chopping.” “No, not proper chopping. Make Pan keep close. Perhaps we shall find some footmarks of the Something--spoor, you know.” “Come on. Down, sir.” Pan accordingly walked behind. First they went and looked at the raft, which was moored to an alder, taking care not to expose themselves on the shore, but looking at it from behind the boughs. They said they would finish fitting it up to-morrow morning, and then tried to think of a name for it. Bevis said there was no name in the Odyssey for Ulysses’ raft, but as Calypso gave him the tools to make it, and wove the sail for him with her loom, they agreed to call the raft the Calypso. Then they tried to find a shorter way in to the knoll, which they called Kangaroo Hill, but were stopped by the impenetrable blackthorns. As these were “wait-a-bit” thorns, Mark thought the island could not be far from Africa. Skirting the “wait-a-bits,” they found some more hazel bushes, and discovered that the nuts were ripe, and stopped and filled their pockets. After all their trouble they had to go round the old way to get to Kangaroo Hill, and as they went between the trees Bevis cut off a slice of bark from every other trunk, so that in future they could walk quickly guided by the blaze, which would show too in the dusk.