"May I ask how many more wild adventures you undertook without my
knowledge?"

"One other, of great magnitude. I fell in love with you."

"Nonsense!" she retorted. "I knew that long before you admitted it to
yourself."

"Date, please?"

"Well, to begin at the very beginning, you thought I was nice on board
the _Sirdar_. Now, didn't you?"

And they were safely embarked on a conversation of no interest to any
other person in the wide world, but which provided them with the most
delightful topic imaginable.

Thus the time sped until the rising moon silhouetted the cliff on the
white carpet of coral-strewn sand. The black shadow-line traveled
slowly closer to the base of the cliff, and Jenks, guided also by the
stars, told Iris that midnight was at hand.

They knelt on the parapet of the ledge, alert to catch any unusual
sound, and watching for any indication of human movement. But Rainbow
Island was now still as the grave. The wounded Dyaks had seemingly been
removed from hut and beach; the dead lay where they had fallen. The sea
sang a lullaby to the reef, and the fresh breeze whispered among the
palm fronds--that was all.

"Perhaps they have gone!" murmured Iris.