"Well, two soldiers were standing on the rocks at St. Helena; the rocks were out of the water, but the swell just broke over them. Two sharks swam up to them, and one of them, with a blow of his tail, turning round the same way, tripped one of them into the water, which was very deep. His comrade was very much frightened, and ran to the barracks to tell the story. About a week afterwards, a schooner was in Sandy Bay, on the other side of the island, and the people seeing a very large shark under the stern, put out a hook with a piece of pork, and caught him; they opened him, and found inside of him, to their horror, the whole of the body of the soldier, except the legs below the knees: the monster had swallowed him whole, with the exception of his legs, which it had nipped off when it closed its jaws." "I really had no idea that they were so bold, Ready." "It is a fact, I assure you; and therefore we cannot be too careful how we go into the water: you saw how soon the poor pig was despatched." "I wonder how the pigs get on, Ready," said William. "I dare say they have littered by this time, sir; they have no want of food." "But can they eat the cocoa-nuts?" "Not the old ones, but they can the young ones, which are constantly dropping from the trees, and then there's plenty of roots for them. If we stay long here we shall soon have good sport hunting them; but we must be very careful; for although they were tame pigs when we brought them on shore, they will be wild and very savage in a very short time." "How must we hunt them?" said Mr. Seagrave. "Why, sir, with the dogs, and then shoot them. I am glad that Vixen will have pups soon; we shall want more dogs." "Shall we not have more mouths than we can find food for?" "Never fear that, sir, as long as we have the sea to fish in. Dogs live very well upon fish, even if it is raw." "We shall have some lambs soon, Ready, shall we not?" "Yes, sir, I expect very soon. I wish we had more food for the animals: they are put rather hard to it just now; but next year, if we find more food on the island, we must keep the grass near home, to make hay and stack it for the winter time - or the rainy season rather, for there is no winter in these latitudes. I'm pretty sure we shall find some clear land on the south of the island, for the cocoa-nut grove does not extend so close to the water on that side as it does on the north." "I do so long to go on our exploring party," said William. "We must wait a little," replied Ready; "but I don't know whether you will go; we must not all three go at once, and leave Mrs. Seagrave alone." "No," replied Mr. Seagrave, "that would not be fair; either you or I must remain, William." William made no reply, but it was evident that he was annoyed at the idea of not being of the party. They worked very hard that day, and the walls rose fast out of the water.