e woods was very
perplexing, as, although the stars shone with great beauty and
brilliancy, they could not pierce through the thick umbrageous boughs
that interlaced above our heads.

But, to return: After having told all we could to Peterkin about the
Diamond Cave under Spouting Cliff, as we named the locality, we were
wending our way rapidly homewards, when a grunt and a squeal were borne
down by the land breeze to our ears.

"That's the ticket!" was Peterkin's remarkable exclamation, as he started
convulsively, and levelled his spear.

"Hist!" cried Jack; "these are your friends, Peterkin. They must have
come over expressly to pay you a friendly visit, for it is the first time
we have seen them on this side the island."

"Come along!" cried Peterkin, hurrying towards the wood, while Jack and I
followed, smiling at his impatience.

Another grunt and half a dozen squeals, much louder than before, came
down the valley. At this time we were just opposite the small vale which
lay between the Valley of the Wreck and Spouting Cliff.

"I say, Peterkin," cried Jack, in a hoarse whisper.

"Well, what is't?"

"Stay a bit, man. These grunters are just up there on the hill side. If
you go and stand with Ralph in the lee of yon cliff, I'll cut round
behind and drive them through the gorge, so that you'll have a better
chance of picking out a good one. Now, mind you pitch into a fat young
pig, Peterkin," added Jack, as he sprang into the bushes.

"Won't I, just!" said Peterkin, licking his lips, as we took our station
beside the cliff. "I feel quite a tender affection for young pigs in my
heart. Perhaps it would be more correct to say in my s--."

"There they come!" cried I, as a terrific yell from Jack sent the whole
herd screaming down the hill. Now, Peterkin, being unable to hold back,
crept a short way up a very steep grassy mound, in order to get a better
view of the hogs before they came up; and just as he raised his head
above its summit, two little pigs, which had outrun their companions,
rushed over the top with the utmost precipitation. One of these brushed
close past Peterkin's ear; the other, unable to arrest its headlong
flight, went, as Peterkin himself afterwards expressed it, "bash" into
his arms with a sudden squeal, which was caused more by the force of the
blow than the will of the animal, and both of them rolled violently down
to the foot of the mound. No sooner was this reached than the lit