had provided their breakfast; but how about their
dinner? And after that their supper? Even should something turn up for
the next meal, they might not be so fortunate in obtaining the next
after that; and this precarious way of subsistence--living, as it were,
from hand to mouth--would be a constant exposure of their lives to the
chances of starvation.

As soon, therefore, as they had finished with the flesh of the peacock--
and while Ossaroo, who continued eating longer than any of them, was
still engaged in polishing off the "drumsticks"--the point of
replenishing the larder became the subject of their conversation; and
all agreed that to get up a stock of provisions had now become a matter
of primary importance. They resolved, therefore, to devote themselves
entirely to this business--using such means as were in their power for
capturing game, and devising other means should these prove
insufficient.

First and foremost, then, what were they to have for dinner? Was it to
be fish, flesh, or fowl? They did not think of having all three: for in
their situation they had no desire for a fashionable dinner. One course
would be sufficient for them; and they would only be too thankful to
have one course assured to them.

Whether they would choose to go fishing with Ossaroo's net, and have
fish for their dinner, or whether they would try for another peacock, or
an argus pheasant, or a brace of Brahminy geese; or whether they would
take to the woods and search for grander game, had not become a decided
point; when an incident occurred that settled the question, as to what
they were to have for dinner. Without any exertion on their part--
without the wasting of a single shot, or the spending of an arrow, they
were provided with meat; and in quantity sufficient, not only for that
day's dinner, but to ration them for a whole week, with odds and ends
falling to the share of Fritz.

They had gone out of the hut again; and were seated, as oft before, on
some large stones that lay upon the ground in front. It was a fine
bright morning; and, although cold in the shade, the sun shining down
upon them, reflected from the white snow on the mountains above, made it
warm enough to be pleasant. For that reason, and because there was some
smoke inside the hut, where they had cooked their breakfast, they had
preferred eating it in the open air; and here also they were holding
council as to their future proceedings.

While thus