rey bark;
above this the spreading branches were clothed with light-green leaves,
amid which were clusters of bright-yellow fruit, so numerous as to weigh
down the boughs with their great weight. This fruit seemed to be of the
plum species, of an oblong form, and a good deal larger than the magnum
bonum plum. The ground at the foot of this tree was thickly strewn with
the fallen fruit, in the midst of which lay sleeping, in every possible
attitude, at least twenty hogs of all ages and sizes, apparently quite
surfeited with a recent banquet.

Jack and I could scarce restrain our laughter as we gazed at these
coarse, fat, ill-looking animals while they lay groaning and snoring
heavily amid the remains of their supper.

"Now, Ralph," said Jack in a low whisper, "put a stone in your sling--a
good big one--and let fly at that fat fellow with his back toward you.
I'll try to put an arrow into yon little pig."

"Don't you think we had better put them up first?" I whispered. "It
seems cruel to kill them while asleep."

"If I wanted _sport_, Ralph, I would certainly set them up; but as we
only want _pork_, we'll let them lie. Besides, we're not sure of
killing them; so, fire away."

Thus admonished, I slung my stone with so good aim that it went bang
against the hog's flank as if against the head of a drum; but it had no
other effect than that of causing the animal to start to its feet, with
a frightful yell of surprise, and scamper away. At the same instant
Jack's bow twanged, and the arrow pinned the little pig to the ground by
the ear.

"I've missed, after all!" cried Jack, darting forward with uplifted axe;
while the little pig uttered a loud squeal, tore the arrow from the
ground, and ran away with it, along with the whole drove, into the
bushes and disappeared, though we heard them screaming long afterwards
in the distance.

"That's very provoking, now," said Jack, rubbing the point of his nose.

"Very," I replied, stroking my chin.

"Well, we must make haste and rejoin Peterkin," said Jack; "it's getting
late." And without further remark, we threaded our way quickly through
the woods towards the shore.

When we reached it we found wood laid out, the fire lighted and
beginning to kindle up, with other signs of preparation for our
encampment; but Peterkin was nowhere to be found. We wondered very much
at this; but Jack suggested that he might have gone to fetch water, so
he gave a shout to let him know