There were biscuits, salt meat, tea, and other things enough to supply their wants for perhaps a week longer, provided the three sailors did not return, but the supply of water, although they were very economical of it, must give out in a day or two.

"But," thought the captain, "Rynders may be back before that, and, on the other hand, a family of jaguars might scent us out to-night." "You are right, my boy," said he, speaking to Ralph.

"Here is a suite of rooms, and we will occupy them just as you have said.

They are dry and airy, and it will be far better for us to sleep here than out of doors." As they returned, Ralph was full of talk about the grand find.

But the captain made no answers to his remarks--his mind was busy contriving some means of barricading the narrow entrance at night.
When breakfast was over, and the entrance to the rocks had been made cleaner and easier by the efforts of Maka and Ralph, the ladies were conducted to the suite of rooms which Ralph had described in such glowing terms.