Part 71 (1/2)

”Uncle Josiah used to say that people soon got tired of having holidays”

”Your Uncle Josiah soon got tired o' giving holidays, Mas' Don I never, as you knoanted many, but he always looked rat-traps at me if I asked for a day Here you can have as many as you like”

”Well, let's take one to-day, Je to eat, take a couple of bags, and we'll go right away into the forest, and bring back as much fruit as we can”

”I'll be all ready in no time,” said Jem, cheerily; and at the end of three ether, to find Ngati half lying on the sands in coave the pair a friendly s look at the trouble they seeirls could have done the task just as well

”They are about the idlest set of chaps I ever did see, Mas' Don,” said Jeh the ferny woodlands, where traces of volcanic action onderfully plentiful

”But they hen there's any need for it, I daresay,” said Don ”See how vigorously they can row, and how energetic they are when they go through the war-dance”

”Oh! Any stoopid could jump about and make faces,” replied Jeht if there was a row?”

”They look as if they could, Je, Mas' Don Well, anyhow, they're big and strong enough Look! What a pity we haven't got a gun Might have shot a pig and had soood-sized pigs, which had scurried across the path they followed, and then disappeared a, it always sees

There must be, farther in the woods Mind that hole,patch of hotould be the consequences of a step in, he went on, in and out, as

cockatoos whistled overhead, and parrots shrieked, while every now and then they ca resembled hair more than feathers, as it cocked its curved bill towards thest the dense loth

”Look at that!” said Jem ”Ostrich?”

”Ostrich!” cried Don conteh”

”Not when he's young,” said Jem ”That's a little one Shouldn't wonder if there's soht, Jem, but I don't think there are ostriches here”

”Well, I like that,” said Jem, ”e've just seen one I knew it directly There used to be a picture of one in ed on for so 'bout, Mas' Don?”

”Home,” said Don, quietly

”Oh! I say, don't think about home, Mas' Don, because if you do, I shall too; it do make me so unked”

”I can't help it, Jeo on week after week I get askingit for”

”To catch fish, and find fruit and keep ourselves alive Say, Mas' Don, it's under theum that they burn

Ah, there's a bit” Je the rotten pine needles a piece of pale yellowish-looking guht for us,” Don said ”Take it back”

”Going to,” said Je”