ch as we used to
experience in the sea at home. When Jack reached the bottom, he grasped
the coral stems, and crept along on his hands and knees, peeping under
the sea-weed and among the rocks. I observed him also pick up one or two
large oysters, and retain them in his grasp, as if he meant to take them
up with him, so I also gathered a few. Suddenly he made a grasp at a
fish with blue and yellow stripes on its back, and actually touched its
tail, but did not catch it. At this he turned towards me and attempted
to smile; but no sooner had he done so than he sprang like an arrow to
the surface, where, on following him, I found him gasping and coughing,
and spitting water from his mouth. In a few minutes he recovered, and we
both turned to swim ashore.

"I declare, Ralph," said he, "that I actually tried to laugh under
water."

"So I saw," I replied; "and I observed that you very nearly caught that
fish by the tail. It would have done capitally for breakfast if you
had."

"Breakfast enough here," said he, holding up the oysters, as we landed
and ran up the beach. "Hallo! Peterkin, here you are, boy. Split open
these fellows while Ralph and I put on our clothes. They'll agree with
the cocoa nuts excellently, I have no doubt."

Peterkin, who was already dressed, took the oysters, and opened them with
the edge of our axe, exclaiming, "Now, that _is_ capital. There's
nothing I'm so fond of."

"Ah! that's lucky," remarked Jack. "I'll be able to keep you in good
order now, Master Peterkin. You know you can't dive any better than a
cat. So, sir, whenever you behave ill, you shall have no oysters for
breakfast."

"I'm very glad that our prospect of breakfast is so good," said I, "for
I'm very hungry."

"Here, then, stop your mouth with that, Ralph," said Peterkin, holding a
large oyster to my lips. I opened my mouth and swallowed it in silence,
and really it was remarkably good.

We now set ourselves earnestly about our preparations for spending the
day. We had no difficulty with the fire this morning, as our burning-
glass was an admirable one; and while we roasted a few oysters and ate
our cocoa nuts, we held a long, animated conversation about our plans for
the future. What those plans were, and how we carried them into effect,
the reader shall see hereafter.

CHAPTER VI.

An excursion into the interior, in which we make many valuable and
interesting discoveries--We get a dreadful fright