Chapter XII
Notable discovery at the spouting cliffs--The mysterious green
monster explained--We are thrown into unutterable terror by the idea
that Jack is drowned--The Diamond Cave.
"Come, Jack," cried Peterkin, one morning about three weeks after our
return from our long excursion, "let's be jolly to-day, and do
something vigorous. I'm quite tired of hammering and hammering, hewing
and screwing, cutting and butting, at that little boat of ours, that
seems as hard to build as Noah's ark. Let us go on an excursion to the
mountain-top, or have a hunt after the wild-ducks, or make a dash at
the pigs. I'm quite flat--flat as bad ginger-beer--flat as a pancake;
in fact, I want something to rouse me, to toss me up, as it were. Eh!
what do you say to it?"
"Well," answered Jack, throwing down the axe with which he was just
about to proceed towards the boat, "if that's what you want, I would
recommend you to make an excursion to the water-spouts. The last one we
had to do with tossed you up a considerable height; perhaps the next
will send you higher--who knows?--if you're at all reasonable or
moderate in your expectations!"
"Jack, my dear boy," said Peterkin gravely, "you are really becoming
too fond of jesting. It's a thing I don't at all approve of, and if you
don't give it up, I fear that, for our mutual good, we shall have to
part."
"Well then, Peterkin," replied Jack with a smile, "what would you
have?"
"Have?" said Peterkin; "I would _have_ nothing.
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