when
Bucephalus and Ben Bowline came up in great haste they did the same, all
joining in a full-voiced laughing chorus.

"Why don't you help a fellow?" wailed Billy. "There you all are, laughing
to beat the band, and I can't get down on account of this wild bull at the
foot of the tree."

"Wild bull nothing!" exclaimed Percival. "It is a three months' old calf,
and you're another, only you are a bit older than that. Can't you tell a
calf when you see one, or have you been brought up in the city where they
don't have them except in the way of veal cutlets?"

"That a calf?" asked Billy in disgust. "I thought it was a wild bull. He
makes noise enough."

"Probably calling for its mother," laughed young Smith. "I said it was a
calf right along."

"Shoo!" said Buck, advancing on the terrible wild bull, which had so
frightened Billy. "Get o't o' dat or Ah cut yo' up fo' de young ge'men's
dinnah. Shoo!"

The calf let out a tremendous bellow, and scampered off into the woods,
whereat the boys laughed harder than ever till the tears fairly ran down
their cheeks.

"That's a good one on Billy who is all the time getting off jokes on other
folks," said Percival. "That is too good to keep."

"Dick Percival," said Billy, laughing in spite of himself, "if you say a
word about it I'll cut you dead."

"I can't help it," chuckled Dick; "it's too good to keep, and I won't keep
it, no matter what are the consequences. Think of a boy who has spent the
biggest part of his life in the country not knowing the difference between
a little three months' old heifer calf and a wild bull. Billy, my boy, you
have neglected your opportunities."

Billy got down from the tree, and all hands laughed again, but Jack said
thoughtfully:

"That was not a wild calf, and the question naturally arises, what is a
domesticated calf doing on a supposedly uninhabited island? If there is a
calf there must be a cow and if a cow, then people who own and take care
of her. There must be people on the island after all, although we have
never seen them."

"We have not been all over the island," said Percival, "and it is likely
that in the very parts where we have not been we shall find the people who
own the calf."

"They are probably negroes or halfbreeds," added Jack, "and seldom visit
the shore. Suppose we keep on. We may find a village, or, at any rate, one
or two houses occupied by them. Come on, Billy, you are safer with us in
case we come across an