Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/520

 us were strolling up and down upon the beach enjoying the cool sea breeze. We watched the lads as they completed their work. They loaded and ran out their guns, and, paddling off with an empty tub in the cajack, placed it out to sea as a mark for practice. They returned and fired, and the barrel flew in pieces, and then, with a shout of triumph, they cleaned the guns and ran them in.

Scarcely had they done so when, as though in answer to their shots, came the sound of three guns booming across the water from the westward.

We stopped, speechless. Was it fancy? Had we really heard guns from a strange ship? Or had the boys again fired? No! there were the lads leaping into their canoe and paddling in hot haste towards us. They, too, had heard the sound.

A tumult of feelings rushed over us—anxiety, joy, hope, doubt, each in turn took possession of our minds. Was it a European vessel close upon our shores, and were we about to be linked once more to civilized life? Or did those sounds proceed from a Malay pirate, who would rob and murder us? What was to be the result of meeting with our fellow beings; were they to be friends who would help us, enemies who would attack us, or would they prove unfortunate creatures in need of our assistance? Who could tell?

Before we could express these thoughts in words the cajack had touched the shore, and Jack and Franz were among us.

“Did you hear them? Did you hear them?” they gasped. “What shall we do? Where shall we go?”

“Oh, Fritz,” continued my youngest son, “it must be a European ship. We shall find her. We shall see our Fatherland once more,” and, in an emotion of joy, he grasped his brother's hands.

Till then I knew not what a craving for civilized life had been aroused in the two young men by the appearance of their European sister.