The Coral Island | Page 6

these South Sea Islands, and I know that in many places they are
scattered about in thousands over the sea, so they're almost sure to fall
in with one of them before long."
"I'm sure I hope so," said Peterkin, earnestly. "But what has become of
the wreck, Jack? I saw you clambering up the rocks there while I was
watching Ralph. Did you say she had gone to pieces?"
"No, she has not gone to pieces, but she has gone to the bottom,"

replied Jack. "As I said before, she struck on the tail of the island and
stove in her bow, but the next breaker swung her clear, and she floated
away to leeward. The poor fellows in the boat made a hard struggle to
reach her, but long before they came near her she filled and went down.
It was after she foundered that I saw them trying to pull to the island."
There wan a long silence after Jack ceased speaking, and I have no
doubt that each was revolving in his mind our extraordinary position.
For my part I cannot say that my reflections were very agreeable. I
knew that we were on an island, for Jack had said so, but whether it
was inhabited or not I did not know. If it should be inhabited, I felt
certain, from all I had heard of South Sea Islanders, that we should be
roasted alive and eaten. If it should turn out to be uninhabited, I fancied
that we should be starved to death. "Oh!" thought I, "if the ship had
only stuck on the rocks we might have done pretty well, for we could
have obtained provisions from her, and tools to enable us to build a
shelter, but now - alas! alas! we are lost!" These last words I uttered
aloud in my distress.
"Lost! Ralph?" exclaimed Jack, while a smile overspread his hearty
countenance. "Saved, you should have said. Your cogitations seem to
have taken a wrong road, and led you to a wrong conclusion."
"Do you know what conclusion I have come to?" said Peterkin. "I have
made up my mind that it's capital, - first rate, - the best thing that ever
happened to us, and the most splendid prospect that ever lay before
three jolly young tars. We've got an island all to ourselves. We'll take
possession in the name of the king; we'll go and enter the service of its
black inhabitants. Of course we'll rise, naturally, to the top of affairs.
White men always do in savage countries. You shall be king, Jack;
Ralph, prime minister, and I shall be - "
"The court jester," interrupted Jack.
"No," retorted Peterkin, "I'll have no title at all. I shall merely accept a
highly responsible situation under government, for you see, Jack, I'm
fond of having an enormous salary and nothing to do."

"But suppose there are no natives?"
"Then we'll build a charming villa, and plant a lovely garden round it,
stuck all full of the most splendiferous tropical flowers, and we'll farm
the land, plant, sow, reap, eat, sleep, and be merry."
"But to be serious," said Jack, assuming a grave expression of
countenance, which I observed always had the effect of checking
Peterkin's disposition to make fun of everything, "we are really in
rather an uncomfortable position. If this is a desert island, we shall have
to live very much like the wild beasts, for we have not a tool of any
kind, not even a knife."
"Yes, we have THAT," said Peterkin, fumbling in his trousers pocket,
from which he drew forth a small penknife with only one blade, and
that was broken.
"Well, that's better than nothing; but come," said Jack, rising, "we are
wasting our time in TALKING instead of DOING. You seem well
enough to walk now, Ralph, let us see what we have got in our pockets,
and then let us climb some hill and ascertain what sort of island we
have been cast upon, for, whether good or bad, it seems likely to be our
home for some time to come."
CHAPTER IV.

We examine into our personal property, and make a happy discovery -
Our island described - Jack proves himself to be learned and sagacious
above his fellows - Curious discoveries - Natural lemonade!
WE now seated ourselves upon a rock and began to examine into our
personal property. When we reached the shore, after being wrecked, my
companions had taken off part of their clothes and spread them out in
the sun to dry, for, although the gale was raging fiercely, there was not
a single cloud in the bright sky. They had also stripped off most part of
my wet clothes and spread them also on the rocks.