n perpendicularly down to the sandy bottom. The place struck them as
being an excellent situation for fishing from if only they possessed
hooks and lines, for, peering down into the water--which was clear as
crystal,--they saw all manner of many-hued and beautiful fish disporting
themselves below. They gazed admiringly and somewhat longingly at them
for a few minutes, determining to return later and attempt to catch
some, and then resumed their explorations. They had not gone very far,
and were walking side by side, when Roger stumbled over an inequality in
the surface of the sand. He passed on, taking no notice of the
circumstance, thinking it to be only a stone or piece of rock covered up
by the sand; but Bevan, who had noticed the occurrence, stepped back,
and, dropping on his knees, began to clear away the sand with his
fingers, presently revealing to Roger's wondering eyes a number of eggs.

"Whatever are those?" exclaimed the lad, hardly able to believe his
senses. "I suppose they are eggs; they look like eggs; but I have never
before heard of eggs being buried in sand."

"These, Master Trevose," responded the man, smiling at Roger's
astonishment, "are turtles' eggs, and they are excellent eating, I can
assure you. They will be a grand change of food for us, as will the
fish when we can catch them. Moreover, having laid these eggs here, the
turtle may very possibly come back to this spot to lay more. We will
look out for her, and if she returns we must turn her over on her back
and then go back and fetch Jake, who will help us to carry her to the
hut. We need not worry about fresh meat now, Master Trevose. If we can
catch turtle we shall have meat enough to last us for some time."

"I am rejoiced to hear you say so," returned Roger. "But why turn the
turtle on her back, should she make her appearance?"

"Well, sir," replied the man, "the way of it is this. By turnin' a
turtle over on its back you can always make certain that, if you're
obliged to go away and leave it, you'll find it in the same place when
you come back; because if a turtle's laid on its back it can't turn over
again by itself, and so is perfectly helpless and unable to move."

There were fourteen eggs in the "nest" in the sand; so Roger took off
his coat, and, tying the arms together, made a sort of bag of it, into
which he carefully put a few of the eggs. Then, carrying his parcel
very carefully, they resumed their journey. They