second recital, I had to go over it again, while they
commented upon it piecemeal. They were much affected by what I told them
of the probable fate of Avatea, and Peterkin could by no means brook the
idea of the poor girl being converted into a _long pig_! As for Jack, he
clenched his teeth, and shook his fist towards the sea, saying at the
same time, that he was sorry he had not broken Tararo's head, and he only
hoped that one day he should be able to plant his knuckles on the bridge
of that chief's nose! After they had "pumped me dry," as Peterkin said,
I begged to be informed of what had happened to them during my long
absence, and particularly as to how they got out of the Diamond Cave.

"Well, you must know," began Jack, "after you had dived out of the cave,
on the day you were taken away from us, we waited very patiently for half
an hour, not expecting you to return before the end of that time. Then
we began to upbraid you for staying so long, when you knew we would be
anxious; but when an hour passed, we became alarmed, and I resolved at
all hazards to dive out, and see what had become of you, although I felt
for poor Peterkin, because, as he truly said, 'If you never come back,
I'm shut up here for life.' However, I promised not to run any risk, and
he let me go; which, to say truth, I thought very courageous of him!"

"I should just think it was!" interrupted Peterkin, looking at Jack over
the edge of a monstrous potato which he happened to be devouring at the
time.

"Well," continued Jack, "you may guess my consternation when you did not
answer to my halloo. At first I imagined that the pirates must have
killed you, and left you in the bush, or thrown you into the sea; then it
occurred to me that this would have served no end of theirs, so I came to
the conclusion that they must have carried you away with them. As this
thought struck me, I observed the pirate schooner standing away to the
nor'ard, almost hull-down on the horizon, and I sat down on the rocks to
watch her as she slowly sank from my sight. And I tell you, Ralph, my
boy, that I shed more tears that time, at losing you, than I have done, I
verify believe, all my life before--"

"Pardon me, Jack, for interrupting," said Peterkin; "surely you must be
mistaken in that; you've often told me that, when you were a baby, you
used to howl and roar from morning to--"

"Hold your tongue, Peterkin," cried Jack. "Well, after the schooner had
disa