With Russ and Paul in the lead the little party made their way to the
palm leaf hut. It was ingeniously made--a glance showed that. A palm tree
had been taken for the centre pole, and about this had been tied layer
after layer of palm leaves, so laid as to shed the rain.

The hut was circular, and at the outer edge of the roof poles had been
driven into the ground to support it. There was a small opening, which
necessitated stooping to enter, and this doorway, if such it could be
called, was covered by a sort of curtain of palm leaves, made in layers
and fastened together with withes and wild leaves, laced in and out.

"Quite a piece of work!" commented Paul. "Now I wonder how one is to
knock at a palm leaf door?"

"Don't knock--call," suggested Russ, and, raising his voice, he fairly
shouted:

"Is anyone here?"

There was no answer.

"I wonder if it would be impolite to open the door, or the curtain, and
look in?" suggested Alice.

"Under the circumstances--I think not," answered Mrs. Maguire. "We need
help, and this is the first sign we have seen of it."

Russ stepped forward, and, after a moment of hesitation lifted the
curtain of palm leaves. The interior of the hut was rather dark, and,