Part 72 (1/2)

”How did the rabbits--I mean the kangaroos--get here?” said Bevis presently. ”I don't think they could swim so far.”

”Savages might bring them,” said Mark. ”But they don't very often carry pets with them: they eat everything so.”

”Nibbling men like goats nibbling hedges,” said Bevis. ”We must take care: but how did the kangaroos get on the island?”

”It is curious,” said Mark. ”Perhaps it wasn't always an island--joined to the mainland and the river cut a way through the isthmus.”

”Or a volcano blew it up,” said Bevis. ”We will see if we can find the volcano.”

”But it will be gone out now.”

”O! yes. All those sort of things happened when there was no one to see them.”

”Before we lived.”

”Or anybody else.”

A large green dragon-fly darted to and fro now under their feet and between them and the water; now overhead, now up to the top of the oak, and now round the cliff and back again; weaving across and across a warp and weft in the air. As they sat still he came close, and they saw his wings revolving, and the sunlight reflected from the membrane. Every now and then there was a slight snap, as he seized a fly, and ate it as he flew: so eager was he that when a speck of wood-dust fell from the oak, though he was yards away, he rushed at it and intercepted it before it could reach the ground. It was rejected, and he had returned whence he started in a moment.

”The buffaloes are moving,” said Mark. ”They're going up the hill. Get ready. Here, put it on my shoulder.”

The herd had begun to ascend the green slope from the water's edge, doubtless in response to the milker's halloo which they could not hear on the island. Bevis rested the telescope on Mark's shoulder, and watched. In point of fact it was not so far but that they could have seen any one by the quarry without a gla.s.s, but the telescope was proper.

”There he is,” said Mark.

Bevis, looking through the telescope, saw Charlie come out from behind a sycamore, where he had been lying in the shadow, and standing on the edge of the quarry, wave his white handkerchief three times, with an interval between.

”It's all right. White flag,” said Bevis. ”He's looking. He can't see us, can he?”

”No, there are bushes behind us. If we stood up against the sky perhaps he might.”

”I'll crawl to the dial,” said Bevis, and he went on hands and knees to the sundial, where he could stand up without being seen, as there were brambles and the oak between him and the cliff. He drew a line with his pencil where the shadow of the gnomon fell on the circle, that was four o'clock. Mark came after, creeping too.

”We won't sit there again,” said Mark, ”when it's signal-time. He keeps staring. You can see his face through the telescope. We will keep behind the tree.”

”There ought to be a crow's nest up in it,” said Bevis. ”Suppose we make one. Lash a stout stick across two boughs, or tie cords across and half round, so as to be able to sit and watch up there nicely.”

”So we will. Then we can see if the savages are prowling round.”

”The sedges are very thick that side,” said Bevis, pointing to the eastern sh.o.r.e where they had had such a struggle through them. ”They would hide five thousand savages.”

They went down to the hut, and Bevis made the sight for the matchlock.

The short spiral of copper wire answered perfectly, and he could now take accurate aim. But after he had put the powder in, and was just going to put a bullet, he recollected the kangaroos. If he shot off much at a target with bullets at that time in the afternoon it would alarm everything on the island, for the report would be heard all over it. Kangaroos and water-fowl are generally about more in the evening than the morning, so he put off the trial with ball and loaded with shot.

It was of no use going into ambush till the shadows lengthened, so he set about getting the tea while Mark sawed off two posts, and drove them into the ground at one side of the doorway of the hut. Each post had a cross-piece at the top, and the two boards were placed on these, forming a table. Bevis made four dampers, and at Mark's suggestion buried a number of potatoes in the embers of the fire, so as to have them baked for supper, and save more cooking.

The mushrooms were saved for breakfast, and the jack, which was about two pounds' weight, would do for dinner. When he had finished the table, Mark went to the teak-tree, and fetched the two poles that had been set up there for the awning. These he erected by the table, and stretched the rug from them over the table, fastening the other two edges to the posts of the hut.

They had found the nights so warm that more than one rug was unnecessary, and the other could be spared for a permanent awning under which to sit at table. Some tea was put aside to be drunk cold, miner fas.h.i.+on, and it was then time to go shooting. Mark was to have the gun, but he would not go by himself, Bevis must accompany him.