se the question as a difficulty, only I've heard you sometimes say
that a ship is not fit for sea till she is well-armed and provisioned,
so I thought that it might be the same with land expeditions."

Before the skipper could reply, Paul drew attention to an opening in the
woods not far from them, where an animal of some kind was seen to emerge
into an open space, gaze for a moment around it, and then trot quietly
away.

"Some of our provisions--uncooked as yet," remarked Oliver.

"More of them," returned his father, pointing to a covey of birds
resembling grouse, which flashed past them at the moment on whirring
wings. "How we are to get hold of 'em, however, remains, of course, to
be seen."

"There are many ways of getting hold of them, and with some of these I
am familiar," said Paul. "For instance, I can use the long-bow with
some skill--at least I could do so when at school. And I have no doubt,
captain, that you know how to use the cross-bow?"

"That I do," returned Trench, with a broad grin.

"I was noted at school as bein' out o' sight the worst shot in the
neighbourhood where I lived. Indeed, I've bin known to miss a barn-door
at twenty yards!"

"Well, well, you must learn to shoot, that's all," said Paul, "and you
may, perchance, turn out better with the sling. That weapon did great
execution, as no doubt you know, in the hands of King David."

"But where are we to get long-bows and cross-bows and slings?" asked
Oliver eagerly.

"Why, Olly, my boy, excitement seems to have confused your brain, or the
air of Newfoundland disagrees with you," said Paul. "We shall make
them, of course. But come," he added, in a more serious tone, "we have
reached a point--I may say a crisis--in our lives, for we must now
decide definitely what we shall do, and I pray God to direct us so that
we may do only that which is right and wise. Are you prepared, captain,
to give up all hope of returning to our shipmates?"

"Of course I am," returned Trench firmly, while a slight frown gathered
on his brow. "The few who are on our side could not make the rest
friendly. They may now fight it out amongst themselves as best they
can, for all that I care. We did not forsake _them_. They sent _us_
away. Besides, we could not return, if we wished it ever so much. No;
a grand new country has been opened up to us, and I mean to have a
cruise of exploration. What say _you_, Olly?"

"I'm with 'ee, father!" answered the b