ng
over the white sands, plunged into the water. The cry awoke Jack, who
rose on his elbow with a look of grave surprise; but this was followed
by a quiet smile of intelligence on seeing Peterkin in the water. With
an energy that he only gave way to in moments of excitement, Jack
bounded to his feet, threw off his clothes, shook back his hair, and
with a lion-like spring, dashed over the sands and plunged into the sea
with such force as quite to envelop Peterkin in a shower of spray. Jack
was a remarkably good swimmer and diver, so that after his plunge we saw
no sign of him for nearly a minute, after which he suddenly emerged,
with a cry of joy, a good many yards out from the shore. My spirits
were so much raised by seeing all this that I, too, hastily threw off my
garments and endeavoured to imitate Jack's vigorous bound; but I was so
awkward that my foot caught on a stump, and I fell to the ground. Then
I slipped on a stone while running over the sand and nearly fell again,
much to the amusement of Peterkin, who laughed heartily and called me a
"slow coach;" while Jack cried out, "Come along, Ralph, and I'll help
you!" However, when I got into the water I managed very well; for I was
really a good swimmer and diver too. I could not, indeed, equal Jack,
who was superior to any Englishman I ever saw; but I infinitely
surpassed Peterkin, who could only swim a little, and could not dive at
all.

While Peterkin enjoyed himself in the shallow water and in running along
the beach, Jack and I swam out into the deep water and occasionally
dived for stones. I shall never forget my surprise and delight on first
beholding the bottom of the sea. As I have before stated, the water
within the reef was as calm as a pond; and as there was no wind, it was
quite clear from the surface to the bottom, so that we could see down
easily even at a depth of twenty or thirty yards. When Jack and I dived
into shallower water we expected to have found sand and stones, instead
of which we found ourselves in what appeared really to be an enchanted
garden. The whole of the bottom of the lagoon, as we called the calm
water within the reef, was covered with coral of every shape, size, and
hue. Some portions were formed like large mushrooms; others appeared
like the brain of a man, having stalks or necks attached to them; but
the most common kind was a species of branching coral, and some portions
were of a lovely pale-pink colour, others