Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/103

 a-coming in. Then I seized the empty locker at the stern of the boat, and fell a-baling like mad, till I managed to clear the craft of water. And now, come to look, the pirates had left the rudder behind, thinking, of course, ’twas useless as I had no oars. In a couple of shakes I un-shipped it, and began to use it as a paddle.”

“Oh, Ben, you were clever! But where were you going?”

“You must ask me another, Master Charlie, for that’s more than I can tell you, but I thought ’twas best to keep a-moving. By the time night fell, I was that spent that I just laid me down in the bottom of the boat and fell fast asleep. When I woke ’twas day, and lo and behold, land was in sight!”

“An island, Ben?”

“Yes, Master Charles, a desert island, and outside it a coral reef. Maybe your ma has told you all about coral insects, Master Charles?”

“Oh, yes, Ben, and they’re wonderful creatures, I know.”

“Right you are, Master Charles, Ar sea-masons they are and no mistake. Well, inside the reef was a lagoon, or kind of bay, and here the water was as clear as crystal. I could see the coral insects a-building down below, likewise rainbow-coloured fishes a-swimming about, to say nothing of the lobsters and turtles. Lovely seaweed waved to and fro, and as to the shells—well, there! I could have spent all my time a-staring at them if I hadn’t had something more important to think about. Beaching the boat, I set out to explore the country. There was a fine stretch of sand, and as I hurried over it, bent on victuals and drink, what should I see but a lot of marks all scattered up and down.”

“The mark of a foot, don’t you mean?” corrected Charlie, thinking, of course, of his favourite Crusoe.

“No, Master Charles,” replied the old sailor, “marks I said, and marks I’ll stand by, but not just ordinary marks! The sight brought me up with a round turn, I can tell you; then with my heart in my mouth I nipped along. It was a palm tree I was a-making for, with big cocoanuts growing on it more lovelier than what you get for ‘ three shies a penny.’ But ’twas easier to reach the palm than to climb it. As I was a-gazing, I clapped my eyes on a great snake up top having a snooze, with his tail hanging down a matter of a dozen feet or so. Without more ado, I laid hold of the slack of the monster’s tail, and began a-swarming up hand over hand.”

“But, Ben, wasn’t that a very dangerous thing to do?”