a-trees, which grew in great luxuriance in that part. Jack was
just preparing to force his way through this thicket when we were
startled and arrested by a strange pattering or rumbling sound, which
appeared to us quite different from any of the sounds we had heard
during the previous part of our walk.

"Hallo!" cried Peterkin, stopping short, and grasping his club with both
hands; "what's that?"

Neither of us replied; but Jack seized his axe in his right hand, while
with the other he pushed aside the broad leaves and endeavoured to peer
amongst them.

"I can see nothing," he said after a short pause. "I think it--"

Again the rumbling sound came, louder than before, and we all sprang
back and stood on the defensive. For myself, having forgotten my club,
and not having taken the precaution to cut another, I buttoned my
jacket, doubled my fists, and threw myself into a boxing attitude. I
must say, however, that I felt somewhat uneasy; and my companions
afterwards confessed that their thoughts at this moment had been
instantly filled with all they had ever heard or read of wild beasts and
savages, torturings at the stake, roastings alive, and such-like
horrible things. Suddenly the pattering noise increased with tenfold
violence. It was followed by a fearful crash among the bushes, which
was rapidly repeated, as if some gigantic animal were bounding towards
us. In another moment an enormous rock came crashing through the
shrubbery, followed by a cloud of dust and small stones, and flew close
past the spot where we stood, carrying bushes and young trees along with
it.

"Pooh! is that all?" exclaimed Peterkin, wiping the perspiration off his
forehead. "Why, I thought it was all the wild men and beasts in the
South Sea Islands, galloping on in one grand charge to sweep us off the
face of the earth, instead of a mere stone tumbling down the
mountain-side!"

"Nevertheless," remarked Jack, "if that same stone had hit any of us it
would have rendered the charge you speak of quite unnecessary,
Peterkin."

This was true, and I felt very thankful for our escape. On examining
the spot more narrowly, we found that it lay close to the foot of a very
rugged precipice, from which stones of various sizes were always
tumbling at intervals. Indeed, the numerous fragments lying scattered
all round might have suggested the cause of the sound had we not been
too suddenly alarmed to think of anything.

We now resumed our