Rainbow Island was a wild spot after all.

Did not thorns and briers grow very close to the gates of Eden?
On the nineteenth day of their residence on the island the sailor climbed, as was his invariable habit, to the Summit Rock whilst Iris prepared breakfast.

At this early hour the horizon was clearly cut as the rim of a sapphire.

He examined the whole arc of the sea with his glasses, but not a sail was in sight.

According to his calculations, the growing anxiety as to the fate of the _Sirdar_ must long ere this have culminated in the dispatch from Hong Kong or Singapore of a special search vessel, whilst British warships in the China Sea would be warned to keep a close lookout for any traces of the steamer, to visit all islands on their route, and to question fishermen whom they encountered.