abode. I must try
and build a hut for myself. I don't see why I shouldn't, though it
might not be so well finished as his. But there's wreck enough on the
shore for the purpose, though I shall be puzzled how to get it up. Then
about providing myself with food, I'll make a bow and arrows; I shall
then be able to shoot some birds, or perhaps a deer, and occasionally a
pig. Anything would be better than being beholden to that fellow. It
is important that I should show how independent I am of him."

Such thoughts occupied the young lord's mind as he continued his walk
along the valley, Neptune every now and then giving chase to a deer or a
hog, but the animals scampered off, soon leaving him far behind, and on
each occasion he came slinking back to his master, greatly disconcerted
at his want of success.

"I see, poor fellow, you are not more likely to catch one of those
creatures than I am," he said. "We must try what we can do in some
other way. We need not starve in the midst of abundance, that's very
certain." He looked about carefully on every side for a young sapling
or a tree of some flexible character of which he might form a bow, but
he was too ignorant of their nature to know which to select.

"I must try them first, perhaps I shall hit upon one which will answer
my purpose."

At last he came to a small straight stem. "This will do, at all
events," he thought, and he set to work with his knife to cut it down.
As the knife was blunt, he made but slow progress. Even when it was
down, he would have to pare off the lower part, so as to make it of the
same size as the upper. At length by cutting round and round, he made a
notch of sufficient depth to enable him to break off the stem.
Shouldering his prize, he walked on to the cave, which he thought would
be cooler than any other spot.

Poor Nep followed him, wondering what was going to happen. On measuring
the sapling he found that he might have cut it much higher up and saved
himself a great deal of trouble. The bow, were he to use it of its
present length, would be much too long. He had therefore to remedy this
by cutting off two feet at the bottom end. He then peeled it and began
shaping the stick by paring off the thicker end. He had shaped it very
much to his satisfaction, before it occurred to him to try and bend the
bow. What was his annoyance to find, on making the attempt, that bend
it would not. It would have formed a very good lance,