Jack at Sea Part 46

"Yes, sir," cried the mate. Then the oars dropped into the dark water and they rowed away, the lesser boat about a length behind.

They seemed to Jack to have started too early, for it was very dark, and the lanterns they carried in the bows shed a strange light across the smooth water. There was the black forest on their left, and the ghostly-looking reef with its billows on their right, with the dull thunderous roar sounding strangely awe-inspiring, and the boy could not help feeling a sensation of nervousness as he thought of what the consequences would be if they rowed on in the dark to a part of the lagoon where the protecting coral bank came to an end.

"You're very quiet," said the doctor suddenly, from his seat in the stern sheets. "What are you thinking about?"

The boy told him.

"Shouldn't have much chance then, my lad," said the doctor. "But no fear, we should have ample warning long before we came to such a spot.

The water of the lagoon would not be like this. Perhaps, though, there is not another opening, for though the waves are always breaking on the outside, the little coral insects are always building on the in. But only think; we must be pa.s.sing over the most wonderful specimens here, and we can't see a thing. How long is it going to be before the light comes?"

"It's coming now," said Jack, pointing up to his left at a bright golden speck that seemed almost over their heads, and once more they witnessed all the glories of a tropic sunrise, the change from darkness to light being wonderfully quick, and soon after their eyes were aching with the beauties of coast and lagoon.

"Oh, this is tiresome," cried the doctor; "fancy wasting our time hunting for danger when there are such chances for collecting. Look at those birds flying into that grove."

"Yes, and this glorious garden under us. It's so clear that the bottom seems close enough to touch with the hand."

"Look at those fish too. Did you ever see such colours in the sunshine?" cried the doctor.

"There goes a snake," said Jack, "quite a big one; and what's that long shadowy-looking creature?"

"Small shark," said the doctor. "Take notice. Water's tempting for bathing, but it won't do here. There's a sh.e.l.l! Why, Jack, that great oyster must weigh a couple of hundred-weight!"

"What's that?" cried Jack. "Father's pointing to the sh.o.r.e. I see: a lizard. No, it's too big; it must be a crocodile."

"Couldn't be in a bit of an island like this. It is, though. Ah, I see, there's a little river runs up into the land. Look, it's one of the valleys. I wonder the water's so clear. Comes over rocks, I suppose."

"There he goes," cried Jack, for just then the great heavy saurian, which had crawled out at daybreak to have a nap in the warm sun, divined danger, shut its jaws with a loud snap, and rushed clumsily into the water, giving its tail a flourish as it disappeared in a heavy swirl.

"I should have liked his head," said the doctor, "but he may keep it for the present. We'll remember this place and come and look him up another time."

"Is it true that their h.o.r.n.y skulls can't be penetrated by a bullet?"

asked Jack.

"I should be sorry to trust to it if a man was taking aim at me with a rifle, Jack. Oh no: I dare say if you shot at one and it hit the beast at a very sharp angle it might glance off, but a fair straight shot would go right through one of them. Look at that b.u.t.terfly--or moth."

"There's something drinking--two somethings--four or five. What are they?"

"Legs and loins of pork, all alive oh!" said the doctor merrily. "Dear me! and we must not fire at them. What a pity! Look at that little fellow. He's just the size for the larder."

"You mustn't speak so loud, doctor," cried Jack, laughing; "the pigs hear what you are plotting against them."

"Seems like it. My word, how they can run!"

"And swim," cried Jack. "I did not see that fellow in the water."

For one had suddenly appeared from behind a rock about a dozen yards from the sandy sh.o.r.e. It was swimming as easily as a dog, in spite of what old proverbs say about pigs and the water, and it was evidently making eager efforts to reach the sands and rush after its companions, which had probably been making a breakfast off sh.e.l.l-fish, and were now disappearing among the trees.

"Ah! look at that," cried the doctor.

For suddenly the pig threw up its head, screaming dismally, and pawing at the air.

"Stupid thing! it could have reached the sands in another half-minute."

"It won't now," said the doctor, reaching back to pick up his double gun.

"Let's row and try and save it from drowning," cried Jack eagerly.

"It isn't drowning," said the doctor quietly. "Look! there it goes."

Still squealing horribly, the unfortunate little animal suddenly seemed to make a dart backward several yards farther from the sh.o.r.e, but with its head getting lower, till the water rose above its ears, and as it still glided farther, less and less was visible, till only its wail-producing snout was above the surface.

"Poor wretch! it must be in a terrible current," cried Jack. "Row, row, row."

The men pulled hard, but the doctor shook his head and laid down his gun, for the pig's snout disappeared with a horrible last gurgling wail.

"Yes, it's in a terrible current," said the doctor, "going down something's throat."

"What!" cried Jack, upon whom the truth now flashed.

"Yes, crocodile or shark has got him, my lad. Another warning not to try and bathe."

"Yes, and to try and kill all the crocodiles and sharks we can."

"Which comes natural to all men," said the doctor.

"See that, Jack?" came from the other boat.

"Yes, father. Horrible."

A soft wind began to fan them as they rounded a well-wooded point, and the men stepped small masts and ran up a couple of lug-sails which carried the boats swiftly gliding along over the hardly rippled water.

But the lovely garden below was now blurred and almost invisible, so the attention of all was taken up by the sh.o.r.e along which they coasted, and for hours now they went on past cocoa-nut groves, park-like flat, lovely ravines running upward, and down which tiny rills of water came cascading; past three huge black b.u.t.tresses of lava, the ends that had cooled in the water of as many streams of fluent stone; and above all, grey, strange, dotted with ma.s.ses of rock, seamed, scored, and wrinkled, rose from out of the dense forest, which rail up its flanks, the great truncated cone, above whose summit floated a faint grey cloud of smoke or steam--which they could not tell.

But when mid-day arrived they had seen neither hut nor canoe, and in accordance with the captain's instructions they rowed into the mouth of a little river and landed in a lovely shady ravine, whose waters at a couple of hundred yards from the lagoon were completely shaded by the boughs of ancient trees.

Their halting-place was a pool, at whose head the advance of such salt tide as ran up was checked by a huge wall of volcanic rock, down which trickled the bright clear waters of one stream, while another took a clear plunge only a few yards away right into the pool.

"What a place for a lunch!" said Sir John, as the occupants of the two boats now met on sh.o.r.e, and Mr Bartlett placed one of the two keepers from each boat in good places for observation of sea and land, so as to guard against surprise.

Edward was now in his element, and while men went with buckets to get water from the springs by climbing up the side of the huge lava wall, he spread a cloth for the gentlemen's lunch and emptied a flat basket.

The sailors soon selected their spot a dozen yards away, and their preparations were very simple.

"Hold hard a minute," cried Edward to the men as they returned with the buckets filled. "I want one of those. Let's see which is the coldest.

Here, Mr Jack, sir, just you come and try this," he cried the next minute, and on the boy approaching eager enough, the man plunged a gla.s.s into the first bucket and dipped it full of the most brilliantly clear water possible, and handed it very seriously to his young master.

"Oh, this won't do, Ned," cried the boy; "it isn't cold--why it's hot."

"Hot it is, sir, but just you taste it. I did."