to his young
master. "Thankye, sir; I know how it's done;" and chopping off the husk
and the top of the soft shell of one of the great nuts, he handed it to
Jack, the sailors quickly getting the rest of the others and serving
them the same, to hand to Sir John, the doctor, and captain, who all
partook of the deliriously cool, sub-acid pulp. Then the word was given
and the march commenced once more.

Whether Ned suffered or not he kept to himself, for he resumed his
jacket, boots, and belts, clapped on his pith hat, and stalked off with
the rest, the way seeming to grow more and more beautiful, and the
natural history specimens more attractive at every hundred yards they
left behind.

But there was no shooting, the object of the exploration being
rigorously kept in mind, and they were just rounding what seemed to be
the end of a great artificial dike that ran down from the slope on their
right, when one of the men cried--"Look out! They must be close here."
Every one stopped short, and guns and rifles were brought to the ready.

"What is it?" said the captain in a low voice. "What did you see?"

"Didn't see nothing, sir," replied the man. "I smelt 'em."

"What do you mean?"

"Must be some huts or cottages close here, where the people keeps pigs."

"Yes, look, sir," cried another man, pointing; "they've been down here
to the sea."

He pointed to where, about a dozen yards away, there were abundant
traces of a drove of pigs, and as the captain advanced, the odour which
the sailor had noticed now became plain to all.

Sir John looked inquiringly at the captain. "A good find," said the
latter, smiling. "We shall be able to shoot some fresh young porkers.
Wild pig is not bad."

"Wild?" cried the doctor.

"Yes, there is evidently a herd of wild pigs in the island, if not
several. They have been down here lately."

"But surely there would not be wild boars and sows in an island like
this?" said Sir John.

"No," said the captain, "but pigs that have run wild. You see, the old
voyagers left two or three pairs in a good many places, and they have
increased largely. This must have been one of the favoured islands."

Further proof was given a short distance farther on, for they had a
glimpse of a herd which seemed to be fifty or sixty strong, whose
leaders stood grunting and staring at the new-comers for a moment or two
before whisking round and dashing off among the trees, to be hidden
directly by the l