I was much amused when Peterkin said this; for if he could only have seen his own face when he happened to take a short dive, he would have seen that Jack's was far surpassed by it.

The great difference being, however, that Jack made faces on purpose--Peterkin couldn't help it! Now, while we were engaged with these occupations and amusements, an event occurred one day which was as unexpected as it was exceedingly alarming and very horrible.
Jack and I were sitting, as we were often wont to do, on the rocks at Spouting Cliff, and Peterkin was wringing the water from his garments, having recently fallen by accident into the sea,--a thing he was constantly doing,--when our attention was suddenly arrested by two objects which appeared on the horizon.
"What are yon, think you ?" I said, addressing Jack.
"I can't imagine," answered he; "I've noticed them for some time, and fancied they were black sea-gulls, but the more I look at them the more I feel convinced they are much larger than gulls." "They seem to be coming towards us," said I.
"Hallo! what's wrong ?" inquired Peterkin, coming up.
"Look there," said Jack.
"Whales!" cried Peterkin, shading his eyes with his hand.

"No! eh! can they be boats, Jack ?" Our hearts beat with excitement at the very thought of seeing human faces again.
"I think you are about right, Peterkin;--but they seem to me to move strangely for boats," said Jack, in a low tone, as if he were talking to himself.
I noticed that a shade of anxiety crossed Jack's countenance as he gazed long and intently at the two objects, which were now nearing us fast.

At last he sprang to his feet.

"They are canoes, Ralph! whether war-canoes or not I cannot tell, but this I know, that all the natives of the South Sea Islands are fierce cannibals, and they have little respect for strangers.