It is very wholesome
food, I believe."
"Meat and drink on the same tree!" cried Peterkin; "washing in the sea,
lodging on the ground--and all for nothing. My dear boys, we're set up
for life; it must be the ancient Paradise--hurrah!" and Peterkin tossed
his straw hat in the air, and ran along the beach hallooing like a
madman with delight.
We afterwards found, however, that these lovely islands were very
unlike Paradise in many things. But more of this in its proper place.
We had now come to the point of rocks on which the ship had struck, but
did not find a single article, although we searched carefully among the
coral rocks, which at this place jutted out so far as nearly to join
the reef that encircled the island. Just as we were about to return,
however, we saw something black floating in a little cove that had
escaped our observation. Running forward, we drew it from the water,
and found it to be a long, thick, leather boot, such as fishermen at
home wear; and a few paces farther on we picked up its fellow. We at
once recognised these as having belonged to our captain, for he had
worn them during the whole of the storm, in order to guard his legs
from the waves and spray that constantly washed over our decks. My
first thought on seeing them was that our dear captain had been
drowned; but Jack soon put my mind more at rest and that point, by
saying that if the captain had been drowned with the boots on, he would
certainly have been washed ashore along with them, and that he had no
doubt whatever he had kicked them off while in the sea, that he might
swim more easily.
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