Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/211

 took up a long time, which, however, we did not regret.

Conseil kept his eyes upon Ned. The harpooner marched in front, and as he went through the forest he collected with unerring skill the fruit we required.

“Well, now,” said Conseil, “you want nothing more, eh?”

“Hum,” replied the Canadian,

“What! not satisfied?”

“Vegetables and fruit alone do not constitute a meal,” said Ned. “They come in at the end like dessert. Where is the soup and the joint?”

“In fact,” I said, “Ned has promised us cutlets, and they appear to me doubtful.”

“Monsieur,” replied Ned, “not only has our hunting not finished, but it has not even commenced. Patience. We are sure to meet some feathered or hairy animal—if not in this spot, somewhere else.”

“And if not here to-day it will be here to-morrow,” added Conseil, “for it cannot be far off. I vote we return to the boat.”

“What, already?” exclaimed Ned.

“We ought to be back before night,” I said.

“But what time is it now?” asked Ned.

“About two o’clock,” replied Conseil.

“How quickly time passes on firm ground,” said Ned Land with a sigh.

“Let us return,” said Conseil.

We again passed through the forest, and completed our supply of provisions by making a raid upon the cabbage-palms, which we had to climb up to obtain the fruit; some small beans, which I recog-