Part 9 (1/2)
”Then there is some reason why he doesn't want us there I say!”
”Well?”
”Let's go and see”
”You'd be afraid”
”No; I wouldn't if you wouldn't”
”I'll go if you will”
”Then ill But how? Boat?”
”No; I say let's have a rope and try if we can't cliood adventure, and I keep feeling more and more as if I wanted to knohat it all in whenever you are Why, we et a bad tumble”
”We'll risk that”
”Then let's set to and , and becahtful; and, as if to sharpen their ideas, each took out his knife--a long-hafted jack knife such as a sailor uses, fastened by a lanyard to his waist There was rather a rivalry between theest-bladed and sharpest knife--a point that was never decided; and the blades had rather a hard ti opened and whetted so as toexpert, these razor-like edges were not maintained, and this was partly due to the selection of the sharpener upon which they hetted The sole of a boot is no doubt suitable, but not when it contains nails, which was the case with those worn by the lads The rail of a gate is harood enough soft hone But when it coneiss, quartz crystal, or granite, the result isprone to look like a very bad imitation of ahis knife looked round for soive his knife a whet; but up there on the soft turf of a cliff slope whetstones were scarce Down below on the ashed strand boulders and pebbles were plentiful enough, and in addition there was the rock; but froood quarter of a mile to the nearest place where a descent could be safely made But the next an diligently to rub his blade; while, failing this, Vince pulled his foot across his knee, vigorously stropped his knife on the sole of his boot, and gave a finishi+ng touch to the edge by passing it to and fro upon the pal to cut, where there was for soan to shave off gently, with Mike watching him for a few moments; but the pursuit see up his forehead for a few an to score the soft turf in regular lines, as if it were a loin of pork, but with this difference, that when he hadbetween thehis blade so that he carved out the turf, leaving a series of ridges and furrows as he went on
This was on his part an ingenious enough way of using the blade, out on an island cliff on a glorious sunny day; but at the end of a minute it became as monotonous as it was purposeless, and Vince shut his knife with a snap, after carefully wiping the blade; while Mike, who had been blunting the point of his by bringing it in contact with the granite, which, where they were, only lay three or four inches beneath the velvet turf, followed suit, after seeing that his knife point would need a good grinding before he could consider it to be in a satisfactory state
”Well,” said Mike, after they had looked at each other for a fewto make our plans?”
”I dunno,” replied Vince ”Yes, I do You can't o and see what the place is like”
”No; that's wrong,” said Mike, wrinkling his forehead again ”A general always makes his plans of how he'll attack a country before he starts, and takes what is necessary with him”
”Yes, but then he has maps of the country, and knohat he ant
We have no o and see first--reconnoitre”
”Very well,” said Mike, rising slowly
”Don't seem very ready,” said Vince ”Not scared about it, are you?”
”No, I don't think so,” replied Mike thoughtfully; ”only doesn't it seee, and where you don't knohat there may be?”
”Of course it does,” said Vince frankly; ”and I am just a little like that I suppose it's what the men here all feel, and it keeps theerly