"A wild hog, a deer, and a share in a snake-fight," whispered Frank to himself, as he dropped off to sleep. "Wonder what Miss Effie and Mary will say to that? I declare I haven't written home since we left Java; but then there hasn't been time, and besides we've had no chance to send letters. I must ask the Doctor in the morning when there is a mail for America, and how it goes."
A moment later he was in the land of dreams.
The question relative to the postal facilities of the Philippines was duly propounded in the morning, and received the following answer:
"There is a steamer once a fortnight each way between Manilla and Hong-Kong; the distance is 650 miles, and the voyage usually occupies about three days. It is nearly the same distance to Singapore; in the busy season there is a semi-monthly steamer to Singapore, but it is not generally maintained through the whole year. For letters to America the quickest route is via Hong-Kong, whence there is a mail twice a month to Yokohama and San Francisco. The last mail for Hong-Kong left Manilla a day before your arrival, and so you have plenty of time to get your letters ready for the next.
"At the time of year when the crops have been harvested, and the product is going forward to the European market, there are many irregular steamers from Manilla to Singapore, and also to Hong-Kong. There are also sailing-ships bound for European and American ports, though not as many as from one of the great ports of China or Japan. We shall have no difficulty in getting away from the islands, as we had no difficulty in getting here; though we may possibly be compelled to wait a few days after we are ready to start."
At this moment a servant came to call our friends to breakfast, and the conversation came to an end. During breakfast it was announced that an excursion would be made on the lake that day, and would start in half an hour.
FRANK'S PRIZE—A BUTTERFLY.
At the appointed time the boys were at the boat, and with the rest of the party. Just before they embarked, Frank saw a handsome butterfly on a stalk near by, and managed to capture it. The Doctor pronounced it a fine specimen, and it was immediately stowed away in the box kept for prizes of this sort.