ming ripe, and
baked in an oven, the inside resembles the crumb of wheaten bread, and
is very palatable. It lasts in season about eight months of the year.

While the culinary operations were going on, the precocious Sally,
awaking from her slumbers, rose and staggered forth to survey the face
of the newborn day. Her little body was clothed in an admirably fitting
garment of light-brown skin, the gift of Nature. Having yawned and
rubbed her eyes, she strayed towards the fire. Mrs Christian received
her with an affable smile, and presented her with a pannikin of
cocoa-nut milk to keep her quiet. Quaffing this beverage with evident
delight, she dropped the pannikin, smacked her rosy lips, and toddled
off to seek adventures. Her first act was to stand in front of Isaac
Martin's hut, and gaze with a look not unmixed with awe at the long nose
pointing to the sky, from which sonorous sounds were issuing.

It is said that familiarity breeds contempt. It was obvious that the
awesome feeling passed from the infant's mind as she gazed. Under the
impulse of a sudden inspiration she entered the hut, went up to the
nose, and tweaked it.

"Hallo!" shouted Martin, springing up and tumbling Sally head over heels
in the act. "Oh, poor thing, I haven't hurt you, have I?"

He caught the child in his arms and kissed her; but Sally seemed to care
neither for the tumble nor the kisses. Having been released, she
sallied from the hut in search of more adventures.

Martin, meanwhile, having been thoroughly aroused, got up and went
towards the fire.

"You're bright and early, Mainmast," he said, slowly filling his pipe.

"Yes, hog takes time to cook."

"Hog is it, eh? That'll be first-rate. Got sauce for it?"

"Hog needs no sauce," said Mrs Christian, with a laugh. To say truth,
it required very little to arouse her merriment, or that of her amiable
sisterhood.

When Martin had lighted his pipe, he stood gazing at the fire
profoundly, as if absorbed in meditation. Presently he seized a
frying-pan which lay on the ground, and descended therewith by way of
the steep cliffs to the sea.

While he was gone, one and another of the party came to the fire and
began to chat or smoke, or both, according to fancy. Ere long Martin
was seen slowly ascending the cliffs, holding the frying-pan with great
care.

"What have you got there?" asked one.

"Oysters, eh?" said another, scrutinising the pan.

"More like jelly-fish," sai