send his arrow to that distance,
steadying himself as well as he could, he bent his bow. The arrow flew
from the string, but though it struck the hog with a force which made
the creature squeak, it glanced off from its thick hide, and both the
animals, looking round, scampered away at a rate which made it hopeless
to attempt overtaking them. Lord Reginald, however, getting ready
another arrow, shot it, but it missed both hogs, who escaped, whisking
their tails. He followed to pick up the arrows. Neither of them was
broken. He next tried his skill at a cockatoo, but the arrow glanced
against a bough, and the bird flew away with a scream of derision,--so
poor Lord Reginald thought it. He was equally unsuccessful when aiming
at some green pigeons. He had lost five of the arrows, and was almost
in despair, when he caught sight of a monkey. He fixed the last arrow
to the string and took as he thought a steady aim, but the monkey gave a
nimble skip, and went chattering away to a distance, as if fully aware
of the evil intended him, while the bow, as it sprang back again, gave a
crack, and to Lord Reginald's dismay he found that it was broken. He
dashed it down to the ground.

"Unfortunate being that I am!" he exclaimed. "Surrounded by plenty, I
am doomed to starve." The agitation of his feelings almost overcame
him. "I must depend in future for subsistence on the shell-fish, the
_very_ taste of which I abhor."

With difficulty he staggered towards the cave; that would at all events
afford him shelter at night. On the way he stopped to drink at the
spring, and fill a large clam-shell which he had previously carried
there with water. He could scarcely, however, carry it along without
spilling the contents. He at last reached his cave. On looking around
he discovered that Neptune was not with him. "The dog has gone off to
that fellow Hargrave, for food. I'll take care that he doesn't go
again. He ought to be satisfied with what I can get," he exclaimed.

Putting down his shell he crawled towards the rocks, and cut off a few
clam-shells, sufficient for his supper. He guessed that Nep would not
require any. He then made up his fire with the few sticks he had
remaining. He was about to throw his bow, which had caused him so much
labour, on the top of it, when it occurred to him that by binding it
tightly round with string, he might make it stronger than before.

He wisely determined to do this. He had just