"A man must have a fire!"
"And you did not attempt to come to us, to share our living?"
"A Chinaman likes to live alone," quietly replied Seng Vou. "He is sufficient for himself, and he wants no one!"
And thereupon this eccentric individual bowed to William W. Kolderup, landed, and disappeared.
"That is the stuff they make real Crusoes 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 Vou; but the beasts?"
"And my crocodile!" added Tartlet; "I should like some one to explain my crocodile!"
William W. Kolderup seemed 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!"