“And I was just getting off to sleep so beautifully!” expostulated Tempest, who, however, did not allow any grass to grow under his feet. He and Dave made a dead heat of it up to the flagpole, Jim lumbering up in the rear. “Where away?” asked Tempest, while Dave put a light to the dry twigs. “Right over there, in a line with my finger. Use the glasses, or else you can’t see it.” The boy’s finger shook a trifle as he pointed. “Thunder! You’re right, laddie!” Tempest said after a moment. “More brushwood, quick. Jim, you scalawag, I’ll skin you alive if you don’t get busy. The fourth of July isn’t in it with this for a bonfire. Get an ax, you Kanaka. Bushes――trees――whole forests if you can find ’em!” Already the flames were licking their way above the pile of brushwood, and Dave and Tempest were wildly tearing at the branches near by. Soon the Kanaka, with gleaming eyes and mighty strokes, was tearing off more fuel, which was quickly flung to the top of the bonfire. “That’s the style!” Tempest shouted as the fire threw their figures up in its glare. “If she’s going straight by there, we may only have a little while to attract her attention. Jiminy! We ought to have a fire they could see in Australia!” Regardless of scratches and cuts, they toiled on, while the flames rose higher and higher, Tempest pausing only now and again to take a squint through the binoculars. At that distance it was very difficult to see whether the vessel was putting about. After about half an hour of this strenuous labor he leaned, breathless, against the pole to steady the glasses. “I can’t see a blessed thing of her now,” he said. “Here, Dave, you have a try.” The boy looked long and carefully. “I don’t see the green,” he said, “but if I’m not mistaken there’s a white light in about the same place.” “More trees――more forests, Jim, or I’ll tear your ears off. That’s the mast head light. She’s put about. Say good-bye to the little pigs on this island, Dave, because I’m a Dutchman if you’ll get the chance to do it soon. We’ll be bound for furrin parts before you know where you are.” Another half-hour showed unmistakably that the ship was heading direct for the beacon. The trio still kept the flames leaping until the vessel was about a mile off, and then they went down to the beach, where the steady thump of her propeller was distinctly audible. Soon the rattle of an anchor-chain came over the water, and the dark form of a dory came creeping over the lagoon. Dave was wildly elated. Tempest, now that the suspense was over, almost seemed to be losing interest. It was beginning to dawn on him that he had been as happy on the island as he ever was anywhere. The Kanaka squatted on the sand with expressionless face, not even giving a grunt of satisfaction when the dory ran on the sand. “Hello, there!” said a voice. “Anybody at home?” CHAPTER XVI ADVENTURES AHEAD