In about three weeks we completed the survey of the
whole island, and had at least the satisfaction of knowing that you had
not been killed. But it occurred to us that you might have been thrown
into the sea, so we examined the sands and the lagoon carefully, and
afterwards went all round the outer reef. One day, while we were upon
the reef, Peterkin espied a small, dark object lying among the rocks,
which seemed to be quite different from the surrounding stones. We
hastened towards the spot, and found it to be a small keg. On knocking
out the head we discovered that it was gunpowder."
"It was I who sent you that, Jack," said I with a smile.
"Fork out!" cried Peterkin energetically, starting to his feet and
extending his open hand to Jack. "Down with the money, sir, else I'll
have you shut up for life in a debtor's prison the moment we return to
England!"
"I'll give you an I O U in the meantime," returned Jack, laughing, "so
sit down and be quiet.--The fact is, Ralph, when we discovered this keg
of powder, Peterkin immediately took me a bet of a thousand pounds that
you had something to do with it, and I took him a bet of ten thousand
that you had not."
"Peterkin was right then," said I, explaining how the thing had
occurred.
"Well, we found it very useful," continued Jack, "although some of it
had got a little damp; and we furbished up the old pistol, with which
Peterkin is a crack shot now.
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