"Shoot! Why, it's a splendid gun!" said Robinson, gazing at it proudly. "I made it myself--out of a spy-glass." "It doesn't seem to go off," said Davy, doubtfully. [Illustration: "ROBINSON REMARKED 'HE HAS LEFT OUT THE GREATEST LOT OF COMICAL THINGS.'"] "That's the beauty of it!" exclaimed Robinson, with great enthusiasm. "Some guns go off, and you never see 'em again." "But I mean that it doesn't make any noise," persisted Davy. "Of course it doesn't," said Robinson. "That's because I load it with tooth-powder." "But I don't see what you can shoot with it," said Davy, feeling that he was somehow getting the worst of the argument. Robinson stood gazing thoughtfully at him for a moment, while the big bullet rolled out of the gun with a rumbling sound and fell into the sea. "I see what you want," he said, at length. "You're after my personal history. Just take a seat in the family circle and I'll give it to you." Davy looked around and saw that the dog, the goat, and the cat were seated respectfully in a semicircle, with the parrot, which had dismounted, sitting beside the dog. He seated himself on the sand at the other end of the line, and Robinson began as follows:-- _The night was thick and hazy When the "Piccadilly Daisy" Carried down the crew and captain in the sea; And I think the water drowned 'em; For they never, never found 'em, And I know they didn't come ashore with me._ _Oh! 'twas very sad and lonely When I found myself the only Population on this cultivated shore; But I've made a little tavern In a rocky little cavern, And I sit and watch for people at the door._ _I spent no time in looking For a girl to do my cooking, As I'm quite a clever hand at making stews But I had that fellow Friday, Just to keep the tavern tidy, And to put a Sunday polish on my shoes._ _I have a little garden That I'm cultivating lard in, As the things I eat are rather tough and dry; For I live on toasted lizards, Prickly pears, and parrot gizzards, And I'm really very fond of beetle-pie._ _The clothes I had were furry, And it made me fret and worry When I found the moths were eating off the hair; And I had to scrape and sand 'em, And I boiled 'em and I tanned 'em, Till I got the fine morocco suit I wear._ _I sometimes seek diversion In a family excursion With the few domestic animals you see; And we take along a carrot As refreshment for the parrot, And a little can of jungleberry tea._ _Then we gather, as we travel, Bits of moss and dirty gravel, And we chip off little specimens of stone; And we carry home as prizes Funny bugs, of handy sizes, Just to give the day a scientific tone._ [Illustration: "IF THE ROADS ARE WET AND MUDDY, WE REMAIN AT HOME AND STUDY."]