Bevis Part 63

"Scorpions."

"Heaps of things on your bed and crawling on the ceiling."

"Jolly!"

"Fork up the bacon."

Mark forked it up.

"It looks queer," he said, dropping it in again. "Ought the pot to be on the ashes?"

"There's an iron rod for the kettle to swing on," said Bevis. "It's somewhere in the store-room. Is it eight bells yet?"

"I expect so," said Mark. "Rations are late. A mutton chop now, or a fowl--"

"Don't grow here," said Bevis. "You cut steaks from buffaloes while they're alive, or fry elephants, or boil turkeys. There are no fowls."

"It seems to me," said Mark, "that we ought to have the gun here.

Suppose some savages were to land from canoes and get between us and the hut? It's twenty yards to the stockade; more I should think."

"I never thought of that," said Bevis. "There may be fifty canoes full of them in the reeds, and proas flying here almost. Fetch the gun-- quick."

Mark ran and brought it.

"Load with ball," said Bevis.

The ball was rammed home. Pan set up a joyous bark.

"Kick him," said Bevis, languidly raising himself on one arm. He had been lying on his back. "He'll bring the savages, or the crocodiles."

Pan was kicked, and crouched.

Mark leaned the gun against the teak-tree, and sat down again.

"Awfully hot," he said.

"Always is in the tropics."

"Ought to have an awning," said Mark; "and hammocks."

"So we did," said Bevis, sitting up. "How stupid to forget the hammocks. Did you ever see anything like it?"

"We can make an awning," said Mark. "Hang up one of the rugs by the four corners."

"Capital. Come on."

They fastened four pieces of cord to the corners of the rug, but found that the trees did not grow close enough together, so they had to set up two poles near the teak, and tie the cords at one end of the rug to these. The others were tied to a branch of the teak. By the time this was done they had worked themselves hot again putting up the awning to get cool. There was not a breath of wind, and it was very warm even in the double shadow of the teak and the awning.

"Bacon must be done," said Bevis.

"Must," said Mark.

They could not rest more than a quarter of an hour. They forked it out, and Mark held it on the fork, while Bevis ran to the hut for a piece of board to put it on, as they had forgotten dishes. Setting the bacon on the board, they put it on the ground under the awning (Pan wanted to sniff at it), and tried a slice. It was not exactly nice, nor disagreeable, considering that they had forgotten to sc.r.a.pe it, or take the rind off. But biscuits were not so good as bread.

"We must make some dampers," said Mark; "you know, flour cakes: we can't bake, we haven't got an oven."

"Dampers are proper," said Bevis. "That's gold-mining. Very likely there are heaps of nuggets here somewhere--"

"Placers."

"And gold-dust in the river."

"No mustard. And I recollected the salt!" said Mark. "I say; is this bacon quite nice?"

"Well, no; not quite."

"I don't like it."

"No, I don't."

"Wish we could have brought some meat."

"Can't keep meat under the tropics."

"Shall we chuck it to Pan?"

"No, not all. Here, give him a slice. Pooh! He sniff's at it. Just see! He's pampered; he won't eat it. Here, take the board, Mark, and put it in the store-room."

Mark took the board with the bacon on it; and went to the hut. He came back with a mug full of ale, saying they had better drink it before it got quite stale.

"We must shoot something," said Bevis. "We can't eat much of that stuff."

"Let's go round the island," said Mark, "and see if there's anything about. Parrots, perhaps."

"Pigeon-pie," said Bevis.

"Parrot-pie; just the thing."

"Hammer Pan, or he'll run on first and spoil everything."

Volume Two, Chapter XV.

NEW FORMOSA--FIRST DAY.

Bevis lit the match, and they went quietly into the wood. Pan had to he hammered now and then to restrain him from rushing into the brambles.

They knew the way now very well, having often walked round while building the hut looking for poles, and had trampled out a rough path winding about the thorns. The shooting at the teak-tree and the noise of Pan's barking had alarmed all the parrots; and though they looked out over the water in several places, no wild-fowl were to be seen.

As they came round under the group of cedars to the other side of the island Mark remembered the great jack or pike which he had seen there, almost as big as a shark. They went very softly, and peering round a blue gum bush, saw the jack basking in the sun, but a good way from sh.o.r.e, just at the edge of some weeds. The sunshine illumined the still water, and they could see him perfectly, his long cruel jaws, his greenish back and white belly, and powerful tail.