the energy of one who rejoices in his strength. "Now, Pina, we've
got a busy day before us. We must find out what our islet contains in
the way of food first, for I am ravenously hungry, and then examine its
other resources. It is very beautiful. One glance suffices to tell us
that. And isn't it pleasant to think that it is all our own?"

"`The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof,'" said his sister,
softly.

The youth's gaiety changed into a deeper and nobler feeling. He looked
earnestly at Pauline for a few seconds.

"Right, Pina, right," he said. "To tell you the truth, I was
half-ashamed of my feelings that time when I broke into involuntary
prayer and thanksgiving. I'm ashamed now of having been ashamed. Come,
sister, you shall read the Word of God from memory, and I will pray
every morning and evening as long as we shall dwell here together."

That day they wandered about their islet with more of gaiety and
light-heartedness than they would have experienced had they neglected,
first, to give honour to God, who not only gives us all things richly to
enjoy, but also the very capacity for enjoyment.

But no joy of earth is unmingled. The exploration did not result in
unmitigated satisfaction, as we shall see.

Their first great object, of course, was breakfast.

"I can't ask you what you'll have, Pina. Our only dish, at least this
morning," said Dominick, glancing upwards, "is--"

"Cocoa-nuts," put in Otto.

Otto was rather fond of "putting in" his word, or, as Dominick expressed
it, "his oar." He was somewhat pert by nature, and not at that time
greatly modified by art.

"Just so, lad," returned his brother; "and as you have a considerable
spice of the monkey in you, be good enough to climb up one of these
palms, and send down a few nuts."

To do Otto justice, he was quite as obliging as he was pert; but when he
stood at the foot of the tall palm-tree and looked up at its thick stem,
he hesitated.

"D'you know, Dom," he said, "it seems to me rather easier to talk about
than to do?"

"You are not the first who has found that out," returned his brother,
with a laugh. "Now, don't you know how the South Sea islanders get up
the palm-trees?"

"No; never heard how."

"Why, I thought your great authority Robinson Crusoe had told you that."

"Don't think he ever referred to it. Friday may have known how, but if
he did, he kept his knowledge to himself."

"I wish you two would disc