"Why, "tarn"t a wild bird at all!" cried Jem. "It"s one of the "my pakeha" chap"s c.o.c.ks an" hens. Well, I ham blessed!"
For rapid almost as thought, and before Jem could recover from his surprise, the bird had darted forward, seized the fruit, and was off a dozen yards before he had darted out his hand after it.
"Too late, Jem."
"Yes, Mas" Don, too late that time; but I mean to ketch that chap, just to show him he arn"t so clever as he thinks. You sit still, and go on eating, and don"t take no notice, and look out--look out."
"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Don. For at that moment one of the birds had come up behind him, and almost before he had heard Jem"s warning cry, he was made aware of the bird"s presence by a sharp dig of its beak in the hand holding a portion of his dinner, which was carried rapidly away.
"Magpies is nothing to "em," cried Jem. "But wait a bit, my fine fellows, and you shall see what you shall see. Pa.s.s that there basket, Mas" Don. Ah! That"s a good bait for my gentleman. Look at "em. I can see three peeping out of the bushes. They"re a-watching to see what I"m going to do."
"Three! I can see four, Jem."
"More for me to ketch, Mas" Don. Wonder whether they"re good to eat? I say, do you think they can understand English?"
Don laughed, and went on with his dinner, as Jem began to play fox, by putting a tempting-looking berry in his hand, stretching it out to the full extent of his arm, and then lying back among the ferns.
"Now then, don"t take no notice, Mas" Don. Let you an" me keep on feeding, and that"ll "tract "em out."
Don was already quietly "feeding," and he rested his back against a piece of stone, watching intently all the while.
Two of the birds began to approach directly, while the others looked on as if deeply interested.
The approach of the advance force was particularly curious, for they came on picking here and picking there, as if they had not the slightest intention of going near the fruit in Jem"s hand; but in spite of several feints of going right away, always getting nearer, while Jem munched away, using his left hand, and keeping his eyes half shut.
They had not long to wait, for one of the birds manoeuvred until it was a few feet away, then made a rush, caught the berry from Jem"s hand, which closed with a snap, the second bird made a dart and caught the berry from the first bird"s beak, and Jem sat up holding a few feathers, staring after the birds, one of which cried out in a shrill piping tone.
"Yes, I"ll give you pepper next time, my fine fellow!" cried Jem.
"Nearly had you. My word, Mas" Don, they are quick. Give"s another berry."
Jem baited his natural trap again, and went on with his meal; but he had scared away the birds for the time being, and they came no more.
"The worst of eating, Jem, is that it makes you lazy."
"And not want to move, Mas" Don. Yes, it do. But it"s my "pinion as this was meant for a lazy country, else the water wouldn"t be always on the bile, ready for use."
"Think that"s fire?" said Don, after a dreamy pause, during which he had lain back gazing at the brilliant silver-tipped mountain, above which floated a cloud.
"No," said Jem. "I should say as there"s a big hot water place up yonder, and that there"s steam. Yes, one do feel lazy here; but it don"t matter, Mas" Don; there"s no bosun, and no master and lufftenant and captain to order you about. I rather likes it, only I seem to want my Sally here. Wonder what she"d say to it?"
"We must get away from it, Jem."
"But we arn"t got no boat, and it takes pretty nigh a hunderd men to row one of them canoes."
"We must make a long journey through the country, Jem, right beyond those mountains, and sooner or later we shall come to a place where there are Englishmen, who will help us to get a pa.s.sage in a ship."
Jem shook his head.
"I don"t believe there"s any Englishmen here, Mas" Don."
"I do. I think I"ve read that there are; and if we do not find any, we shall have seen the place, and can come back here."
"He talks just like as if he was going for a ride to Exeter by the Bristol waggon! Ah, well, just as you like, Mas" Don, only don"t let"s go this afternoon, it"s all too nice and comfortable. I don"t want to move. Say, wonder whether there"s any fish in that lake?"
"Sure to be, Jem, and hundreds of wonders to see if we journey on."
"Dessay, my lad, dessay; but it"s werry wonderful here. Look along that hollow place where the big fir trees is growing."
"Lovely, Jem. What a beautiful home it would make."
"Say, Mas" Don, let"s make our fortunes."
"How?"
"Let"s set up in trade, and deal in wood. Lookye yonder, there"s fir trees there, that if we cut "em down and trimmed "em, they"d be worth no end o" money in Bristol, for ships" masts."
"Yes, Jem," said Don drily; "and how are you going to get them there?"
"Ah!" said Jem, scratching his head. "Never thought of that."
There was half an hour"s drowsy silence. The sun shone down with glorious power, and the lizards rustled among the large stones. From the forest behind there came the buzz of insects, and the occasional cry of some parrot. Save for these sounds all was wonderfully still.
And they sat there gazing before them at the hundreds of acres of uncultivated land, rich in its wild beauty, unwilling to move, till Don said suddenly,--
"Yes, Jem; this is a lazy land. Let"s be up and doing."
"Yes, Mas" Don. What?"
"I don"t know, Jem; something useful."
"But there arn"t nothing useful to do. I couldn"t make a boat, but I think I could make a hogshead after a fashion; but if I did, there arn"t no sugar to put in it, and--"
"Look, Jem!"
"What at, Mas" Don? Eh?" he continued as he followed his companion"s pointing hand. "Why, I thought you said there was no beasts here."
"And there are none."
"Well, if that arn"t a drove o" cattle coming down that mountain side, I"m a Dutchman."
"It does look like it, Jem," said Don. "It seems strange."
"Look like it, Mas" Don? Why, it is. Brown cattle, and you can see if you look at the sun shining on their horns."
"Horns! Jem!" cried Don, excitedly; "they"re spears!"
"What?"
"And those are savages."