[The Coral Island by R. M. Ballantyne]@TWC D-Link book
The Coral Island

CHAPTER X
11/14

But I had scarce moved from the spot when, in the distance, we heard a most appalling shriek, which was followed up by a chorus of yells from the hogs, and a loud "hurrah!" "I do believe," said I, "that Peterkin has met with the hogs." "When Greek meets Greek," said Jack, soliloquizing, "then comes the tug of--" "Hurrah!" shouted Peterkin in the distance.
We turned hastily towards the direction whence the sound came, and soon descried Peterkin walking along the beach towards us with a little pig transfixed on the end of his long spear! "Well done, my boy!" exclaimed Jack, slapping him on the shoulder when he came up, "you're the best shot amongst us." "Look here Jack!" cried Peterkin, as he disengaged the animal from his spear.

"Do you recognise that hole ?" said he, pointing to the pig's ear; "and are you familiar with this arrow, eh ?" "Well, I declare!" said Jack.
"Of course you do," interrupted Peterkin; "but, pray, restrain your declarations at this time, and let's have supper, for I'm uncommonly hungry, I can tell you; and it's no joke to charge a whole herd of swine with their great-grandmother bristling like a giant porcupine at the head of them!" We now set about preparing supper; and, truly, a good display of viands we made, when all was laid out on a flat rock in the light of the blazing fire.

There was, first of all, the little pig; then there was the taro- root, and the yam, and the potato, and six plums; and, lastly, the wood- pigeon.

To these Peterkin added a bit of sugar-cane, which he had cut from a little patch of that plant which he had found not long after separating from us; "and," said he, "the patch was somewhat in a square form, which convinces me it must have been planted by man." "Very likely," replied Jack.

"From all we have seen, I'm inclined to think that some of the savages must have dwelt here long ago." We found no small difficulty in making up our minds how we were to cook the pig.


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