ow that I wasn't going to kill you. Now
that was brave, that was bold, and very jolly, old boy, and I love you
for it--I do!"

Again there was a pause of a few minutes, during which the cat looked
placid, and Peterkin dropped his eyes upon its toes as if in
contemplation. Suddenly he looked up.

"Well, cat, what are you thinking about now? Won't speak, eh? Now tell
me: don't you think it's a monstrous shame that those two scoundrels,
Jack and Ralph, should keep us waiting for our supper so long?"

Here the cat arose, put up its back and stretched itself, yawned
slightly, and licked the point of Peterkin's nose!

"Just so, old boy; you're a clever fellow.--I really do believe the
brute understands me!" said Peterkin, while a broad grin overspread his
face as he drew back and surveyed the cat.

At this point Jack burst into a loud fit of laughter. The cat uttered
an angry fuff and fled, while Peterkin sprang up and exclaimed:

"Bad luck to you, Jack! You've nearly made the heart jump out of my
body, you have!"

"Perhaps I have," replied Jack, laughing, as we entered the bower; "but
as I don't intend to keep you or the cat any longer from your supper, I
hope that you'll both forgive me."

Peterkin endeavoured to turn this affair off with a laugh. But I
observed that he blushed very deeply at the time we discovered
ourselves, and he did not seem to relish any allusion to the subject
afterwards; so we refrained from remarking on it ever after, though it
tickled us not a little at the time.

After supper we retired to rest, and to dream of wonderful adventures in
our little boat and distant voyages upon the sea.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

THE BOAT LAUNCHED--WE VISIT THE CORAL REEF--THE GREAT BREAKER THAT NEVER
GOES DOWN--CORAL INSECTS--THE WAY IN WHICH CORAL ISLANDS ARE MADE--THE
BOATS SAIL--WE TAX OUR INGENUITY TO FORM FISH-HOOKS--SOME OF THE FISH WE
SAW--AND A MONSTROUS WHALE--WONDERFUL SHOWER OF LITTLE FISH--
WATERSPOUTS.

It was a bright, clear, beautiful morning when we first launched our
little boat and rowed out upon the placid waters of the lagoon. Not a
breath of wind ruffled the surface of the deep. Not a cloud spotted the
deep-blue sky. Not a sound that was discordant broke the stillness of
the morning, although there were many sounds--sweet, tiny, and
melodious--that mingled in the universal harmony of nature. The sun was
just rising from the Pacific's ample bosom, and tipping the
mountain-t