was time to do something.
They had found strange fruits like strawberries growing, and also some
sort of roots that tasted like nuts; but unless they could get some fish
poor Flossy would die.

So Tom started off all alone on a voyage of discovery. Frank stayed in
the cave with the girls, and they promised to be very good.

The morning was very calm, and so still that Tom could hear Pansy calling
to him "not to be long" when he was quite a mile up the mountain-side.
Why he took this course he could never tell, but, when he crossed the
top, marvellous indeed was the view that lay before his eyes.

Uncle Staysail used to tell him that the natives of the north say there
is an open sea somewhere near the Pole, with many islands in it, and
trees, and flowers, and birds.

And now, behold! such a sea lay right down in the round valley yonder at
his feet. It was not really a sea, but a lovely round lake, and right in
the middle was a large green island.

Tom rubbed his eyes and gazed and gazed, and then rubbed his eyes and
gazed again.

"Was it all a dream?" he wondered.

No, there was no dream about it. It took Tom some hours to explore this
lake. He walked round it and found that at the far side a ridge of rocks,
very narrow, led right out to the island. He crossed this natural bridge
and found himself in a perfect paradise. Flowers and fruit everywhere,
and beautiful wild birds the like of which he had never seen before.
There were rabbits, too, and very tame they were, for they followed him
about, and seemed to wonder what he was and where on earth he came from.

Tom knocked one on the head, though he was not cruel, and with this slung
over his shoulder, and his pockets full of nuts, he started to walk back.

But I suppose that walking round in a circle had confused him. Anyhow he
walked miles out of his way, and lost himself. He sat down on a big stone
at last, and wondered what he should do. He was tired and hungry, so he
ate a handful of nuts. And then he began to nod.

"I'll just have five minutes of a nap," he said, "and then get on again."

So down he lay. But his five minutes lasted for an hour, and still the
lad lay fast asleep.

A large gray fox stole up and smelt the rabbit.

"That'll just suit me," said he to himself. "I'll go and call my brothers
and sisters, and we'll kill this two-legged creature and steal his
rabbit."

"Yap-yap-yap!" barked the fox, and soon he had a whole pack round him.
But