But in
regard to the former, he must certainly have been wrong, for this bird
seemed to me to be extremely funny; and I could not help thinking that,
if it should happen to faint, or slip its foot, and fall off the twig
into Peterkin's mouth, he would perhaps think it funny too! Suddenly
the paroquet bent down its head and uttered a loud scream in his face.
This awoke him, and, with a cry of surprise, he started up, while the
foolish bird flew precipitately away.
"Oh, you monster!" cried Peterkin, shaking his fist at the bird. Then
he yawned, and rubbed his eyes, and asked what o'clock it was.
I smiled at this question, and answered that, as our watches were at
the bottom of the sea, I could not tell, but it was a little past
sunrise.
Peterkin now began to remember where we were. As he looked up into the
bright sky, and snuffed the scented air, his eyes glistened with
delight, and he uttered a faint "Hurrah!" and yawned again. Then he
gazed slowly round, till, observing the calm sea through an opening in
the bushes, he started suddenly up as if he had received an electric
shock, uttered a vehement shout, flung off his garments, and, rushing
over the white sands, plunged into the water. The cry awoke Jack, who
rose on his elbow with a look of grave surprise; but this was followed
by a quiet smile of intelligence on seeing Peterkin in the water. With
an energy that he only gave way to in moments of excitement, Jack
bounded to his feet, threw off his clothes, shook back his hair, and,
with a lion-like spring, dashed over the sands and plunged into the sea
with such force as quite to envelop Peterkin in a shower of spray.
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