My chance came early that evening.  A big tropical moon rose out of Asia and spread a silvery wash upon the ocean.  Professor Herndon and his eldest daughter were leaning over the rail, but the moment I joined them the old man informed us that he had to see to his scientific outfit so that everything would be in readiness for the landing on the following morning, and he hurried off and left us together.

The girl did not speak for a few minutes, and I made no attempt to break the silence.  Somehow I felt that her intuition had already told her that I wished to speak about the happenings of the morrow, and her opening remark proved that my surmise was correct.

“You will stay with the yacht, I suppose?” she questioned.

“I cannot say,” I replied.  “Captain Newmarch hasn’t spoken to me about the matter.  Does your father intend to go far inland?”

“Father has just told me that the actual distance is not great, but the travelling is very hard.  It seems that it is only a few miles to the spot where Mr. Leith says that father can see all the sights and obtain all the specimens he desires, but those few miles will take us four days to travel.  There are all kinds of obstacles in the way.”

“And you are not afraid?” I stammered.  “You do not dislike the idea of going?”

She lifted her head and looked me in the face, the big amber eyes shining softly in the moonlight.

“I dread it,” she said quietly.  “It is foolish to say so, but—­”

She stopped speaking and turned her face away from me.  In the little silence that followed I heard the plop plop of the waves against the side of the yacht.  A native chanted a Samoan love song in the fo’c’stle, but that and the soft whine of the pulleys were the only sounds that disturbed the night.  We seemed such a long way from civilization at that minute, and a great pity for the girl’s plight gave me sufficient courage to make a proffer of my services.

“Miss Herndon,” I spluttered, “if I could do anything to help you, please tell me.  I might help you if you wish.  Tell me what you think is best.”

“If you stay with the yacht you can do nothing,” she murmured.

“Then you want me to go?” I cried.  “You would like me to go with——­”

“Father and Barbara and me,” she said softly.  “Mr. Holman is coming, and if you could come too—­”

“I can!” I cried.  “I will go with the party if you say so.”

“But if Captain Newmarch orders you to stay with the yacht?”

“He can order away,” I spluttered.  “I am going where Leith is going, that is as long as Leith accompanies you and your father.”

Something moved on the top of the galley as I put my resolution into words, and I sprang up quickly.  The moon made every inch of the yacht as bright as day, yet I was not quick enough in my rush.  A tin pan, knocked down by the eavesdropper, rolled across the deck, but the spy had fled.