Part 12 (1/2)

Just as I was at last sinking into unconsciousness, Johnny, sitting up among the leaves in which he was half buried, inquired softly, ”Max, are you awake!” I spoke to him, to let him know that he was not alone. ”I can't get asleep,” said he, ”every thing looks so beautiful and so strange. It seems to me I never saw the moon and the stars so big and so bright.”

”You must keep your eyes shut, and not look at the moon, if you want to get asleep.”

”But the trees keep rustling so; just as if they were whispering softly to one another; and then the sound of the waves on the reef is so sad and mournful, that it sets me to thinking all sorts of strange things.

I wonder whether there are any wild animals on the island!” I a.s.sured him that it was quite improbable, and that no dangerous animals of any kind were ever found on the islands of the Pacific. This, however, did not seem to satisfy him entirely, and I began to suspect that his mind was running on the jackalls, tiger-cats, and hyenas of the Swiss Family Robinson. A question or two which he presently asked, showed that I had guessed correctly, and I hastened to meet the difficulty, by reminding him that ”their island, (if indeed it was an island at all, and not a part of the mainland), was situated near the coast of New Holland, from which animals might pa.s.s over to it by swimming.”

”Why, I thought,” said Johnny, ”that there were no wild animals in New Holland, except kangaroos and opossums: my book of beasts, birds, and fishes, says so.”

This was a fact in Natural History which I was not prepared to gainsay; especially when backed by so redoubtable an authority as ”the book of beasts, birds, and fishes.” For a moment I was taken all aback; but being loathe to give up my little companion a prey to imaginary jackalls, tiger-cats, and hyenas, I rallied again, resolved upon one more desperate effort for his deliverance.

”Well,” said I, ”the fact is, we don't know exactly where the Swiss Family Robinson's island really was--it is altogether uncertain. It may have been near Java, or Ceylon, or the coast of India, in which case, all those Asiatic beasts could easily have got there--that is, if the two places were close enough together. Now we know that we are somewhere in the middle of the Pacific, a vast distance from any continent, or any of the great Indian islands, so that large animals here are out of the question, unless they have taken a swim of a thousand miles or so.”

This seemed to be pretty decisive; and I think it settled the jackalls, tiger-cats, and hyenas, effectually, for Johnny said no more on the subject, except to remark, that, even if they _could_ swim that distance, they would stand a bad chance with the sharks and other sea-monsters; to which I added, as a final clincher, that in any event they would be sure to starve on the voyage, unless they should bring a large supply of provisions along. ”Well,” said he, after a minute's silence, ”I'm not afraid of anything; but somehow or other I feel very wide awake to-night, and not in the least sleepy.”

”Shut your eyes,” said I, ”and think of a great wheel, whirling round and round, with a regular and even motion, and never stopping, until you have counted it go round a hundred times.”

Johnny laughed softly to himself, as though pleased with this device, and was quite still for a minute or two; then he spoke again.

”It has gone round a hundred times, but towards the end it got a-going dreadfully fast; it _would_ go fast in spite of all I could do.”

”Never mind the wheel, then,” said I, ”but think of the huge lazy swells in a calm, rising and falling, rising and falling, as they did when we lay rocking in the boat, all those long days and nights, out on the sea.”

”Well, I'll try--but I don't believe it will be of any use.”

”Don't look at the moon, and don't speak to me again--unless for something very particular--and now good night.”

”Good night!” and he nestled down among his leaves again. In a very few minutes the deep and regular breathing of the little patient, proved the efficacy of my sleeping prescription, and announced that his troubles for that night were over.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

DOMESTIC EMBARRa.s.sMENTS.

A DESERT ISLAND BREAKFAST--PERSUASIVE REASONING--ROMANCE AND REALITY-- THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS.

”Now my co-mates, and brothers in exile, Hath not long custom made this life more sweet Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods More free from peril than the envious court?

Here feel we but the penalty of Adam, The seasons' difference; as the icy fang And churlish chiding of the winter's wind.”

The next morning ”the Islanders,” or some of them, at least, were stirring early; and the first thing that attracted my attention, on opening my eyes, was a busy group, consisting of Max, Eiulo, and Johnny, gathered round a fire at a little distance, and engaged in some apparently very interesting operation. A savoury smell at the same time saluted my olfactory organs, and on approaching the scene of action, to investigate the matter more closely, I found my finny prize of the preceding evening undergoing a somewhat primitive style of cookery, of which Max appeared to be the chief director and superintendent. A number of large oysters were also roasting in the embers; and from these last proceeded the grateful and appetising odour referred to.

”Good morning!” cried Max; ”you see we have breakfast nearly ready; and a breakfast, too, that will be a positive luxury, after so long a course of cocoa-nut diet; how Browne will exult at the sight of it; how his eyes will open--to say nothing of his mouth! And don't we deserve a vote of thanks for our early labours for the general good?”

Morton and Browne at this moment emerged from their respective heaps of leaves, and, after rather more than the usual amount of yawning and stretching of limbs, came towards the fire.

”Fee, faw, fo, fum!” cried Morton, snuffing the agreeable smell of the cookery in progress, ”I trust we're not too late for breakfast, and that there is something more than the savour of good victuals left.”

”You are in good time,” said Johnny, bustling about the fire with an air of official dignity, ”the first bell hasn't rung yet.”

”But why has Shakespeare such a long face?” said Max; ”has camping out caused a reminiscence of rheumatism!”