 Chapter 21 of Godfrey Morgan, A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 21, which ends with quite a surprising reflection by the Negro caravan 02. The winter season, so severe in these latitudes, had come at last. The first frost had already been felt, and there was every promise of rigorous weather. Godfrey was to be congratulated on having established his fireplace in the tree. It needs scarcely be said that the work at the palisade had been completed, and that a sufficiently solid door now assured the closure of the fence. During the six weeks which followed, that is to say until the middle of December, there had been a good many wretched days on which it was impossible to venture forth. At the outset there came terrible squalls. They shook the group of sequoias to their very roots, they strewed the ground with broken branches, and so furnished an ample reserve for the fire. Then it was that the inhabitants of Will Tree clothed themselves as warmly as they could. The woolen stuffs found in the box were used during the few excursions necessary for revictuling, until the weather became so bad that even these were forbidden. All hunting was at an end, and the snow fell in such quantity that Godfrey could have believed himself in the inhospitable latitudes of the Arctic Ocean. It is well known that Northern America, swept by the polar winds, with no obstacle to check them, is one of the coldest countries on the globe. The winter there lasts until the month of April. Exceptional precautions have to be taken against it. It was the coming of the winter as it did, which gave rise to the thought that Fina Island was situated in a higher latitude than Godfrey had supposed. Hence the necessity of making the interior of Will Tree as comfortable as possible. But the suffering from rain and cold was cruel. The reserves of provisions were unfortunately insufficient. The preserved turtle flesh gradually disappeared. Frequently there had to be sacrificed some of the sheep or goats or agoutis, whose numbers had but slightly increased since their arrival in the island. With these new trials what sad thoughts haunted Godfrey. It happened also that for a fortnight he fell into a violent fever. Without the tiny medicine chest which afforded the necessary drugs for his treatment he could never have recovered. Tartlet was ill-suited to attend to the petty cares that were necessary during the continuance of the malady. It was to care for no too that he mainly owed his return to health. But what remembrances and what regrets? Who but himself could be blamed for having got into a situation of which he could not even see the end. How many times in his delirium did he call Fina, whom he never should see again, and his uncle Will from whom he beheld himself separated forever? Ah, he had to alter his opinion of this crusoe life which his boyish imagination had made his ideal. Now he was contending with reality. He could no longer even hope to return to the domestic hearth. So passed this miserable December at the end of which Godfrey began to recover his strength. As for Tartlet, by special grace doubtless he was always well. But what incessant lamentations would endless Jeremiah's? As the grotto of Calypso, after the departure of Ulysses, Will Tree resounded no more to his song, that of his fiddle, for the cold had frozen the strings. It should be said too that one of the gravest anxieties of Godfrey was not only the reappearance of dangerous animals, but the fear of the savages returning in great numbers to Fina Island, the situation of which was known to them. Against such an invasion the palisade was but an insufficient barrier. All things considered the refuge offered by the high branches of the Sequoia appeared much safer, and the rendering of the access less difficult was taken in hand. It would always be easy to defend the narrow orifice by which the top of the trunk was reached. With the aid of caravanotu Godfrey began to cut regular ledges on each side, like the steps of a staircase, and these, connected by a long cord of vegetable fiber, permitted of rapid ascent up the interior. Well, said Godfrey, when his work was done, that gives us a townhouse below and a country house above. I had rather have a cellar, if it was in Montgomery Street, answered Tartlett. Christmas arrived. Christmas kept in such style throughout the United States of America. The New Year's Day, full of memories of childhood, rainy, snowy, cold, and gloomy, began the New Year under the most bell and calle auspices. It was six months since the survivors of the dream had remained without communication with the rest of the world. The commencement of the year was not very cheering. It made Godfrey and his companions anticipate that they would still have many trials to encounter. The snow never ceased falling until January 18. The flocks had to be let out to pasture to get what feed they could. At the close of the day a very cold, damp night enveloped the island, and the space shaded by the sequoias was plunged in profound obscurity. Tartlett and Carafonotu, stretched on their beds inside Will Tree, were trying in vain to sleep. Godfrey, by the struggling light of a torch, was turning over the pages of his Bible. About ten o'clock a distant noise, which came nearer and nearer, was heard outside away towards the north. There could be no mistake. It was the wild beasts prowling in the neighborhood and alarming to relate the howling of the tiger and of the hyena, and the roaring of the panther and the lion were this time blended in one formidable concert. Godfrey, Tartlett, and the Negro sat up, each a prey to indescribable anguish. If at this unaccountable invasion of ferocious animals Carafonotu shared the alarm of his companions, his astonishment was quite equal to his fright. During two mortal hours all three kept on the alert. The howling sounded at times close by, then they suddenly ceased as if the beasts, not knowing the country, were roaming about all over it. Perhaps then Will Tree would escape an attack? It doesn't matter if it does, thought Godfrey. If we do not destroy these animals to the very last one, there will be no safety for us in the island. A little after midnight the roaring began again full strength at a moderate distance away. Impossible now to doubt but that the howling army was approaching Will Tree. Yes, it was only too certain. But whence came these wild animals, they could not have recently landed on Fena Island, they must have been there then before Godfrey's arrival. But how was it that all of them had remained hidden during his walks and hunting excursions, as well across the center as in the most out-of-the-way parts to the south? For Godfrey had never found a trace of them. Where was the mysterious den which vomited forth lions, hyenas, panthers, tigers? Amongst all the unaccountable things up to now this was indeed the most unaccountable. Karafinotu could not believe what he heard. We have said that his astonishment was extreme. By the light of the fire which illuminated the interior of Will Tree there could be seen on his black face the strangest of grimaces. Tarlet in the corner groaned and lamented and moaned again. He would have asked Godfrey all about it but Godfrey was not in the humor to reply. He had a presentiment of a very great danger. He was seeking for a way to retreat from it. Once or twice Karafinotu and he went out to the center of the Palisade. They wished to see that the door was firmly and strongly shut. Suddenly an avalanche of animals appeared with a huge tumult along the front of Will Tree. It was only the goats and sheep and agoutis. Terrified at the howling of the wild beasts and senting their approach they had fled from their pastureage to take shelter behind the Palisade. We must open the door, exclaimed Godfrey. Karafinotu nodded his head. He did not want to know the language to understand what Godfrey meant. The door was opened and the frightened flock rushed into the enclosure. But at that instant there appeared through the opening a gleaming of eyes in the depths of the darkness which the shadow of the sequoias rendered still more profound. There was no time to close the enclosure. To jump at Godfrey, seize him in spite of himself, push him into the dwelling and slam the door, was done by Karafinotu like a flash of lightning. New roaring indicated that three or four wild beasts had just cleared the Palisade. Then these horrible roaring were mingled with quite a concert of bleeding and groanings of terror. The domestic flock were taken as in a trap and delivered over to the clutches of the assailants. Godfrey and Karafinotu, who had climbed up to the two small windows in the bark of the sequoia, endeavored to see what was passing in the gloom. Evidently the wild animals, tigers or lions, panthers or hyenas, they did not know which yet, had thrown themselves on the flock and begun their slaughter. At this moment tartlet in a paroxysm of blind terror seized one of the muskets and would have taken a chanted shot out of one of the windows. Godfrey stopped him. No, said he, in this darkness our shots will be lost and we must not waste our ammunition. Wait for the daylight. It was right. The bullets would just as likely have struck the domestic as the wild animals, more likely in fact for the former were the more numerous. To save them was now impossible. Once they were sacrificed, the wild beasts, thoroughly gorged, might quit the enclosure before sunrise. They would then see how to act to guard against a fresh invasion. It was most important too during the dark night to avoid as much as possible to bring to these animals the presence of human beings whom they might prefer to the flock. Perhaps they would thus avoid a direct attack against will-tree. As tartlet was incapable of understanding either this reasoning or any other, Godfrey contented himself with depriving him of his weapon. The professor then went and threw himself on his bed and freely anathematized all travels and travelers and maniacs directly at their own firesides. Both his companions resumed their observations at the windows. Thence they beheld without the power of interference the horrible massacre which was taking place in the gloom. The cries of the sheep and the goats gradually diminished as the slaughter of the animals was consummated, although the greater part had escaped outside where death nonetheless certain awaited them. Godfrey's loss was irreparable for the little colony, but Godfrey was not then anxious about the future. The present was disquieting enough to occupy all his thoughts. There was nothing they could do, nothing they could try to hinder this work of destruction. Godfrey and Caravanotu kept constant watch and now they seem to see new shadows coming up and passing into the palisade while a fresh sound of footsteps came through their ears. Evidently certain belated beasts attracted by the odor of the blood which impregnated the air had traced the scent up to Will Tree. They ran to and fro. They rushed round and round the tree and gave forth their horse and angry growls. Some of the shadows jumped on the ground like enormous cats. The slaughtered flock had not been sufficient to satisfy their rage. Neither Godfrey nor his companions had moved. In keeping completely motionless they might avoid a direct attack. An unlucky shot suddenly revealed their presence and exposed them to the greatest danger. Partlet, a prey to a veritable hallucination, had risen. He had seized a revolver and this time before Godfrey and Caravanotu could hinder him and not knowing himself what he did, but believing that he saw a tiger the bullet passed through the door of Will Tree. Fool exclaimed Godfrey throwing himself on tartlet while the Negro seized the weapon. It was too late. The alarm was given and growling, still more violent, resounded without. Formidable talons were heard tearing the bark of the Sequoia. Terrible blows shook the door which was too feeble to resist such an assault. Caravanotu and Caravanotu shouted Godfrey and with his gun in his hand and his cartridge pouch round his waist he took his post at one of the windows. To his great surprise Caravanotu had done the same. Yes, the black, ceasing the second musket, a weapon which he had never before handled, had filled his pockets with cartridges and taken his place at the second window. Then the reports of the guns began to echo from the embrasures. By the flashes, Godfrey on the one side and Caravanotu on the other beheld the foes they had to deal with. There, in the enclosure, roaring with rage, howling at the reports, rolling beneath the bullets which struck many of them, left of lions and tigers and hyenas and panthers at least a score. To their roaring and growling which reverberated from afar there echoed back those of other ferocious beasts running up to join them. Already the now distant roaring could be heard as they approached the environs of Will Tree. It was as though quite a menagerie of wild animals had been suddenly set free on the island. However, Godfrey and Caravanotu without troubling themselves about tartlet, who could be of no use, were keeping as cool as they could and refraining from firing unless they were certain of their aim. Wishing to waste not a shot they waited till a shadow passed from them. Then came the flash and the report and then a growl of grief told them that the animal had been hit. A quarter of an hour elapsed and then came a respite. Had the wild beasts given up the attack which had cost the lives of so many amongst them, were they waiting for the day to recommend the attempt under the more favorable conditions? Whatever might be the reason, neither Godfrey nor Caravanotu desired to leave his post. The attack had shown himself no less ready with the gun than Godfrey. If that was due only to the instinct of imitation, it must be admitted that it was indeed surprising. About two o'clock in the morning there came a new alarm, more furious than before. The danger was imminent. The position in the interior of Will Tree was becoming untenable. New growlings resounded round the foot of the Sequoia. Neither Godfrey nor Caravanotu on account of the situation of the windows, which were cut straight through, could see the assailants, nor in consequence could they fire with any chance of success. It was now the door which the beasts attacked, and it was only too evident that it would be beaten in by their weight or torn down by their claws. Godfrey and the black had descended to the ground. The door was already shaking beneath the blows from without. They could feel the heated breath moving its way in through the cracks in the bark. Godfrey and Caravanotu attempted to prop back the door with the stakes which kept up the beds, but these proved quite useless. It was obvious that in a little while it would be driven in for the beasts were mad with rage, particularly as no shots could reach them. Godfrey was powerless. If he and his companions were inside Will Tree when the assailants broke in, their weapons would be useless to protect them. Godfrey had crossed his arms. He saw the boards of the door open little by little. He could do nothing. In a moment of hesitation, he passed his hand across his forehead as if in despair. But soon recovering his self-possession, he shouted, Up we go! Up! All of us! And he pointed to the narrow passage which led up to the fork inside Will Tree. Caravanotu and he, taking their muskets and revolvers, supplied themselves with cartridgees. And now he turned to make Tartlet follow them into these heights where he had never ventured before. Tartlet was no longer there. He had started up while his companions were firing. Up! Repeated Godfrey. It was a last retreat where they would assuredly be sheltered from the wild beasts. If any tiger or panther attempted to come up into the branches of the Sequoia, it would be easy to defend the hole through which he would have to pass. Godfrey and Caravanotu had scarcely ascended thirty feet when the roaring was heard in the interior of Will Tree. A few moments more, and they would have been surprised. The door had just fallen in. They both hurried along and at last reached the upper end of the hole. A scream of terror welcomed them. It was Tartlet who imagined he saw a panther or tiger. The unfortunate professor was clasping a branch, frightened almost out of his life lest he should fall. Caravanotu went to him and compelled him to lean against an upright bow to which he firmly secured him with his belt. Then while Godfrey selected a place once he could command the opening, Caravanotu went to another spot once he could deliver a crossfire. And they waited. Under these circumstances it certainly looked as though being besieged were safe from attack. Godfrey endeavored to discover what was passing beneath them, but the night was still too dark. Then he tried to hear and the growlings which never ceased showed that the assailants had no thought of abandoning the place. Suddenly towards four o'clock in the morning a great light appeared at the foot of the tree. At once it shot out through the door and windows. At the same time a thick smoke spread forth opening and lost itself in the highest branches. What is that now? exclaimed Godfrey. It was easily explained. The wild beasts in ravaging the interior of Will Tree had scattered the remains of the fire. The fire had spread to the things in the room. The flame had caught the bark which had dried and become combustible. The gigantic sequoia was ablaze below. The position was now more terrible than it had ever been. By the light of the flames which illuminated the space beneath the grove they could see the wild beasts leaping round the foot of Will Tree. At the same instant a fearful explosion occurred. The sequoia, violently wrenched trembled from its roots to its summit. It was the reserve of gunpowder which had exploded inside Will Tree and the air violently expelled from the opening rushed forth like the gas from a discharging cannon. Godfrey and Karafonotu were almost torn from their resting places. Had Tartland not been last to the branch he would assuredly have been hurled to the ground. The wild beasts terrified at the explosion and more or less wounded had taken to flight but at the same time the conflagration fed by the sudden combustion of the powder had considerably extended. They quickly grew in dimensions as it crept up the enormous stem. Large tons of flame lapped the interior and the highest soon reached the fork and the dead wood snapped and crackled like shots from a revolver. A huge glare lighted up not only the group of giant trees but even the whole of the coast from Flag Point to the southern Cape of Dream Bay. Soon the fire had reached the lower branches of the sequoia and threatened to invade where Godfrey and his companions had taken refuge. Were they then to be devoured by the flames with which they could not battle or had they but the last resource of throwing themselves to the ground to escape being burnt alive? In either case they must die. Godfrey sought about for some means of escape. He saw none. Already the lower branches were ablaze and a dense smoke was struggling with the first gleams of dawn that were rising in the east. At this moment there was a horrible crash of rending and breaking. The sequoia burnt to the very roots cracked violently. It toppled over. It fell. But as it fell the stem met the stems of the trees which environed it. Their powerful branches were mingled with its own and so it remained obliquely cradled at an angle of about 45 degrees from the ground. At the moment that the sequoia fell Godfrey and his companions believed themselves lost. 19th of January exclaimed a voice which Godfrey in spite of his astonishment immediately recognized. It was Karafonotu. Yes. Karafonotu had just pronounced these words and in that English language which up to then he had seen unable to speak or to understand. What did you say? Ask Godfrey as he followed him along the branches. I said, Mr. Morgan answered Karafonotu that today your uncle will ought to reach us and that if he doesn't turn up we are done for. End of Chapter 21 Recording by Arnold Banner, Mount Erie, North Carolina Chapter 22 of Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 22 which concludes by explaining what up to now had appeared inexplicable. At that instant and before Godfrey could reply the report of firearms was heard not far from Will Tree. At the same time one of those rainstorms, regular cataracts in their fury, fell in a torrential shower just as the flames devouring the lower branches were threatening to seize upon the trees against which Will Tree was resting. What was Godfrey to think after this series of inexplicable events? Karafonotu speaking English like a cockney, calling him by his name announcing the early arrival of Uncle Will and then the sudden report of the firearms. He asked himself if he had gone mad, but he had no time for insoluble questions, for below him, hardly five minutes after the first sound of the guns, a body of sailors appeared hurrying through the trees. Godfrey and Karafonotu slipped down along the stem, the interior of which was still burning. But the moment that Godfrey touched the ground he heard himself spoken to, and by two voices which even in his trouble it was impossible for him not to recognize. Nephew Godfrey, I have the honor to salute you. Godfrey, dear Godfrey! Uncle Will, Fina, you exclaimed Godfrey, astounded. Three seconds afterwards he was in somebody's arms and was clasping that somebody in his own. At the same time two sailors at the order of Captain Turcott, who was in command, climbed up along the Sequoia to set Tartlett free, and with all due respect pluck him from the branch as if he were a fruit. And then the questions, the answers, the explanations which passed. Uncle Will, you. Yes, me. And how did you discover Fina Island? Fina Island answered William W. Calderup, you should say Spencer Island. Well, it wasn't very difficult. I bought it six months ago. Spencer Island? And you gave my name to it, you dear Godfrey, said the young lady. The new name is a good one and we will keep to it, answered the uncle. But for geographers this is Spencer Island, only three days journey from San Francisco on which I thought it would be a good reason for you to serve your apprenticeship to the Crusoe business. Oh, Uncle, Uncle Will, what is it you say? exclaimed Godfrey. Well, if you are in earnest I can only answer that I deserved it. But then, Uncle Will, the wreck of the dream. Sham, replied William W. Calderup, who had never seemed in such good humor before. The dream was quietly sunk by means of her water ballast according to the instructions I had given Turcott. You thought she sank for good, but when the captain saw that you and Tarlet had got safely to land, he brought her up and steamed away. Three days later he got back to San Francisco and he it is, has brought us to Spencer Island on the date we fixed. Then none of the crew perished in the wreck. None, unless it was the unhappy Chinaman who hid himself away on board and could not be found. But the canoe. Sham, the canoe was of my own make. But the savages. Sham, the savages whom luckily you did not shoot. But Caraphanotu. Sham, Caraphanotu was my faithful jump-brass who played his part of Friday marvelously well, I see. Yes, answered Godfrey, he twice saved my life, once from a bear, once from a tiger. The bear was Sham, the tiger was Sham, laughed William W. Calderup. Both of them were stuffed with straw and landed before you saw them with jump-brass in his companions. But he moved his head in pause. By means of a spring which jump-brass had fixed during the night a few hours before the meetings which were prepared for you. What, all of them? repeated Godfrey, a little ashamed of having been taken in by these artifices. Yes, things were going too smoothly in your island and we had to get up a little excitement. Then, answered Godfrey, who had begun to laugh, if you wish to make matters unpleasant for us why did you send us the box which contained everything we wanted? A box? answered William W. Calderup. What box? I never sent you a box. Perhaps by chance. And as he said so he looked towards Fina, who cast down her eyes and turned away her head. Oh, indeed! A box! But then Fina must have had an accomplice. An Uncle Will turned towards Captain Turcott, who laughingly answered, What could I do, Mr. Calderup? I can sometimes resist you. But, Miss Fina, it was too difficult. And four months ago, when you sent me to look round the island, I landed the box from my boat. Dearest Fina, said Godfrey, seizing the young lady's hand. Turcott, you promised to keep the secret, said Fina, with a blush. An Uncle William W. Calderup, shaking his bay head, tried in vain to hide that he was touched. But if Godfrey could not restrain his smiles as he listened to the explanations of Uncle Will, Professor Tarlett did not laugh in the least. He was excessively mortified at what he heard. To have been the object of such a mystification, he, a professor of dancing and deportment, and so advancing with much dignity he observed, Mr. William Calderup will hardly assert, I imagine, that the enormous crocodile of which I was nearly the unhappy victim was made of paste-board and wound up with a spring. A crocodile, replied the Uncle. Yes, Mr. Calderup, said Caraphanotu, to whom we had better return his proper name of Jep Brass. Yes, a real live crocodile which went for Mr. Tarlett and which I did not have in my collection. Godfrey then related what had happened, the sudden appearance of the wild beasts in such numbers, real lions, real tigers, real panthers, and then the invasion of the snakes, of which during four months they had not seen a single specimen in the island. William W. Calderup at this was quite disconcerted. He knew nothing about it. Spencer Island, it had been known for a long time, never had any wild beasts, did not possess even a single noxious animal that was so stated in the deeds of sale. Neither did he understand what Godfrey told him of the attempts he had made to discover the origin of the smoke which had appeared at different points on the island. And he seemed very much troubled to find that all had not passed on the island according to his instructions, and that the program had been seriously interfered with. As for Tartlett, he was not the sort of man to be humbugged. For his part he would admit nothing, neither the sham shipwreck, nor the sham savages, nor the sham animals, and above all he would never give up the glory which he had gained in shooting with the first shot from his gun the chief of the Polynesian tribe, one of the servants of the Calderup establishment who turned out to be as well as he was, all was described, all was remained, except the serious matter of the real wild beasts and the unknown smoke. Uncle Will became very thoughtful about this, but like a practical man he put off by an effort of the Will the solution of the problems, and addressing his nephew, Godfrey said he, you have always been so fond of islands that I am sure it will please you to hear that this is yours. Holy yours! I make you a present of it. You can do what you like with it. I never dreamt of bringing you away by force, and I would not take you away from it. Be then a crusoe for the rest of your life if your heart tells you to. I, answered Godfrey, I, all my life? Phena stepped forward. Godfrey, she asked, would you like to remain on your island? I would rather die, he exclaimed. But immediately he added as he took the young lady's hand. Well, yes, I will remain, but on three conditions. The first is you stay with me, dearest Phena. The second is that Uncle Will lives with us. And the third is that the chaplain of the dream marries us this very day. There is no chaplain on board the dream, Godfrey, replied Uncle Will. You know that very well. But I think there is still one left in San Francisco, and that we can find some worthy minister to perform the service. I believe I read your thoughts when I say that before tomorrow we shall put to sea again. Then Phena and Uncle Will asked Godfrey to do the honors of his island. Behold them then walking under the group of sequoias along the stream up to the little bridge. Alas, of the habitation of Will Tree nothing remained. The fire had completely devoured the dwelling in the base of the tree. Without the arrival of William W. Calderup, what with the approaching winter, the destruction of their stores and the genuine wild beasts in the island, our cruisers would have deserved to be pitied. Uncle Will, said Godfrey, if I gave the island the name of Phena, let me add that I gave our dwelling the name of Will Tree. Well, answered the Uncle, we will take away some of the seed and plant it in my garden at Frisco. During the walk they noticed some wild animals in the distance, but they dared not attack so formidable a party as the sailors of the dream. But nonetheless was their presence absolutely incomprehensible. Then they returned on board, not without tartlet, asking permission to bring off his crocodile, a permission which was granted. That evening the party were united in the saloon of the dream, and there was quite a cheerful dinner to celebrate the end of the adventures of Godfrey Morgan and his marriage with Phena Hollany. On the morrow, the 20th of January, the dream set sail under the command of Captain Turcott. At eight o'clock in the morning, Godfrey, not without emotion, saw the horizon in the west as it were a shadow, the island on which he had been to school for six months, a school of which he never forgot the lessons. The passage was rapid, the sea magnificent, the wind favorable. This time the dream went straight to her destination. There was no one to be mystified. She made no tackings without number as on the first voyage. She did not lose during the night and so on the 23rd of January, after passing at noon through the Golden Gate, she entered the vast bay of San Francisco and came alongside the wharf in Merchant Street. And what did they see then? They saw issue from the hold a man who, having swum to the dream during the night while she was anchored at Phena Island, had succeeded in stowing himself away for the second time. And who was this man? It was the Chinaman, Seng Vu, who had made the passage back as he had made the passage out. Seng Vu advanced toward William W. Kolderup. I hope Mr. Kolderup will pardon me, said he very politely, when I took my passage in the dream I thought she was going direct to Shanghai and then I should have reached my country, but I leave her now and I return to San Francisco. Everyone astounded at the apparition knew not what to answer and laughingly gazed at the intruder. But, said William W. Kolderup at last, you have not remained six months in the hold, I suppose. No, answered Seng Vu. Where have you been then? On the island. You? exclaimed Godfrey. Yes. Then the smoke? A man must have a fire. And you did not attempt to come to us, or share our living? A Chinaman likes to live alone, quietly replied Seng Vu. He is sufficient for himself and he wants no one. And there upon this eccentric individual bowed to William W. Kolderup landed and disappeared. That is the stuff they make real cruisers of, observed Uncle Will. Look at him and see if you are like him. It does not matter, the English race would do no good by absorbing fellows of that stamp. Good, said Godfrey, the smoke is explained by the presence of Seng Vu. But the beasts? And my crocodile, added Tartlett. I should like someone to explain my crocodile. William W. Kolderup seen much embarrassed and feeling in turn quite mystified passed his hand over his forehead as if to clear the clouds away. We shall know later on, he said, everything is found by him who knows how to seek. A few days afterwards there was celebrated with great pomp the wedding of the nephew and pupil of William W. Kolderup. That the young couple were made much of by all the friends of the wealthy merchant can easily be imagined. At the ceremony Tartlett was perfect in bearing, in everything, and the pupil honored to the celebrated professor of dancing and deportment. Now Tartlett had an idea. Not being able to mount his crocodile on a scarf pin and much he regretted it he resolved to have it stuffed. The animal prepared in this fashion hung from the ceiling with the jaws half open and the paws outspread would make a fine ornament for his room. The crocodile was consequently sent to a famous taxidermist and he brought it back to Tartlett a few days afterwards. Everyone came to admire the monster who had almost made a meal of Tartlett. You know Mr. Kolderup where the animal came from said the celebrated taxidermist presenting his bill. No, I do not answered Uncle Will. But it had a label underneath its carapace. A label exclaimed Godfrey. Here it is said the celebrated taxidermist. And he held out a piece of leather on which an indelible ink were written these words. From Hagenbeck Homburg to J. R. Tascunar Stockton, USA. When William W. Kolderup had read these words he burst into a shout of laughter. He understood all. It was his enemy, J. R. Tascunar, his conquered competitor, who to be avenged had bought a cargo of wild beasts, reptiles and other objectionable creatures from a well-known purveyor to the menageries of both hemispheres and had landed them at night in several voyages to Spencer Island. It had cost him a good deal no doubt to do so, but he had succeeded in infesting the property of his rival as the English did Martinique if we are to believe the legend before it was handed over to France. There was thus no more to explain of the remarkable occurrences on Fina Island. Well done, exclaimed William W. Kolderup, I could not have done better myself. But with those terrible creatures, said Fina, Spencer Island, Fina Island, interrupted Godfrey. Fina Island, continued the bride with a smile, is quite uninhabitable. Bah! answered Uncle Will. We can wait till the last lion has eaten up the last tiger. And then, dearest Fina, said Godfrey, you will not be afraid to pass a season there with me? With you, my dear husband, I fear nothing from anywhere, answered Fina, and as you have not had your voyage round the world. We will have it together, said Godfrey, will you make me a real Crusoe? You will ever have near you the most devoted of Crusoesses. The End End of Chapter 22, End of Godfrey Morgan, A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne Recording by Arnold Banner, Mount Erie, North Carolina.