h frightened, and ran to the barracks to tell
the story. About a week afterwards, a schooner was in Sandy Bay, on the
other side of the island, and the people seeing a very large shark under
the stern, put out a hook with a piece of pork, and caught him; they
opened him, and found inside of him, to their horror, the whole of the
body of the soldier, except the legs below the knees: the monster had
swallowed him whole, with the exception of his legs, which it had nipped
off when it closed its jaws."

"I really had no idea that they were so bold, Ready."

"It is a fact, I assure you; and therefore we cannot be too careful how
we go into the water: you saw how soon the poor pig was despatched."

"I wonder how the pigs get on, Ready," said William.

"I dare say they have littered by this time, sir; they have no want of
food."

"But can they eat the cocoa-nuts?"

"Not the old ones, but they can the young ones, which are constantly
dropping from the trees, and then there's plenty of roots for them. If
we stay long here we shall soon have good sport hunting them; but we
must be very careful; for although they were tame pigs when we brought
them on shore, they will be wild and very savage in a very short time."

"How must we hunt them?" said Mr Seagrave.

"Why, sir, with the dogs, and then shoot them. I am glad that Vixen
will have pups soon; we shall want more dogs."

"Shall we not have more mouths than we can find food for?"

"Never fear that, sir, as long as we have the sea to fish in. Dogs live
very well upon fish, even if it is raw."

"We shall have some lambs soon, Ready, shall we not?"

"Yes, sir, I expect very soon. I wish we had more food for the animals:
they are put rather hard to it just now; but next year, if we find more
food on the island, we must keep the grass near home, to make hay and
stack it for the winter time--or the rainy season rather, for there is
no winter in these latitudes. I'm pretty sure we shall find some clear
land on the south of the island, for the cocoa-nut grove does not extend
so close to the water on that side as it does on the north."

"I do so long to go on our exploring party," said William.

"We must wait a little," replied Ready; "but I don't know whether you
will go; we must not all three go at once, and leave Mrs Seagrave
alone."

"No," replied Mr Seagrave, "that would not be fair; either you or I
must remain, William."

William made no reply, but it was evi