steersman in keeping our tiny bark exactly and constantly on its proper
course. Peterkin and I paddled in the bow, and Avatea worked untiringly
in the middle.

As the sun's lower limb dipped on the gilded edge of the sea Jack ceased
working, threw down his paddle, and called a halt.

"There," he cried, heaving a deep, long-drawn sigh, "we've put a
considerable breadth of water between us and these black rascals, so now
we'll have a hearty supper and a sound sleep."

"Hear, hear," cried Peterkin. "Nobly spoken, Jack. Hand me a drop
water, Ralph. Why, girl what's wrong with you? You look just like a
black owl blinking in the sunshine."

Avatea smiled. "I sleepy," she said; and as if to prove the truth of
this, she laid her head on the edge of the canoe and fell fast asleep.

"That's uncommon sharp practice," said Peterkin, with a broad grin.
"Don't you think we should awake her to make her eat something first? or,
perhaps," he added, with a grave, meditative look, "perhaps we might put
some food in her mouth, which is so elegantly open at the present moment,
and see if she'd swallow it while asleep. If so, Ralph, you might come
round to the front here and feed her quietly, while Jack and I are
tucking into the victuals. It would be a monstrous economy of time."

I could not help smiling at Peterkin's idea, which, indeed, when I
pondered it, seemed remarkably good in theory; nevertheless I declined to
put it in practice, being fearful of the result should the victual chance
to go down the wrong throat. But, on suggesting this to Peterkin, he
exclaimed--

"Down the wrong throat, man! why, a fellow with half an eye might see
that if it went down Avatea's throat it could not go down the wrong
throat!--unless, indeed, you have all of a sudden become inordinately
selfish, and think that all the throats in the world are wrong ones
except your own. However, don't talk so much, and hand me the pork
before Jack finishes it. I feel myself entitled to at least one minute
morsel."

"Peterkin, you're a villain. A paltry little villain," said Jack,
quietly, as he tossed the hind legs (including the tail) of a cold roast
pig to his comrade; "and I must again express my regret that unavoidable
circumstances have thrust your society upon me, and that necessity has
compelled me to cultivate your acquaintance. Were it not that you are
incapable of walking upon the water, I would order you, sir, out of the
canoe."

"T