"Then, again," resumed Max, with an oracular air, "it was a capital error to make Olla a married woman; what business I should like to know, can a married woman have in a story?--She belongs properly to the dull prosaic region of common life--not to the fairy land of romance. Now the charm of sentiment is as necessary to a perfect tale, as the interest of adventure, or the excitement of conflict, and had Olla been single, there would have been the elements of something beautifully sentimental." "Enough!" cried Browne, "if you have not `lamed me with reasons,' you have at least overwhelmed me with words--there now! I believe I am unconsciously catching the trick of your long-winded sing-song sentences--it must be contagious." "Well," said Arthur, "I give over the `materials' to Max, with full permission to work them up into a romance after his own fashion, introducing as much slaughter and sentiment as he shall judge requisite for the best effect, and when completed, it shall be inserted by way of episode in our narrative." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note. Upon consulting the charts we find an island called "Ahangatan", (of which Angatan is perhaps a contraction), laid down on some of them, about one hundred and fifty miles north of Hao. On others the same island is called Ahangatoff. The US Exploring Expedition visited Hae, and most of the neighbouring islands, but we have not been able to discover any mention of Angatan in the published records of the expedition. CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. HOUSE-BUILDING. DAWN ON THE LAGOON--THE "SEA-ATTORNEY"--THE "SHARK-EXTERMINATOR"--MAX "CARRIES THE WAR INTO AFRICA." "Another hour must pass ere day grows bright, And ere the little birds begin discourse In quick low voices, ere the streaming light Pours on their nests, just sprung from day's fresh source." After the late hours we had kept on the last evening, most of us would willingly have prolonged our slumbers beyond the time previously fixed for setting out upon our return to Castle-hill. But before it was fairly light, Arthur was up, with an unseasonable and provoking alacrity, calling loudly upon us to bestir ourselves. In vain Browne apostrophised him in moving strains as "the rude disturber of his pillow," remonstrated against such unmerciful punctuality, and petitioned for another nap; in vain Max protested that we were not New York shop-boys, obliged to rise at daylight to make fires, and open and sweep out stores, but free and independent desert islanders, who had escaped from the bondage of civilised life, and the shackles of slavish routine, and who need not get up until noon, unless of our own good pleasure. Arthur was inexorable, and finding that further sleep was out of the question, we yielded at last to his despotic pertinacity, and groped our way into the boat, yawning desperately, and not more than half awake.