Swiss Family Robinson

laughter resounding through the wood, brought Ernest and Jack from their potatoes, to see what was going on.
    `Much use you two would have been suppose we had required help,' cried Fritz, as they too recognized their old friend.
    `Ah, well, you see,' returned Jack, `Ernest and I had a sort of a kind of presentiment that this was going to be the old sow. And just look at our fine potatoes!'
    A good deal of joking on the subject ensued, but was interrupted by Ernest, who drew our attention to fruit resembling apples on the surrounding bushes, and on the grass beneath them.
    The sow was making amends for the fright and pain she had endured by munching and crunching this fruit at a great rate. Fritz feared that it might be the poisonous manchineel , against which I once warned them, but on examining it, I was induced to pronounce a more favourable opinion, and we collected a quantity in hopes that, if the monkey approved of it as well as the old sow, we might be able to enjoy a feast ourselves.
    All this time not a drop of water had we seen, and our own thirst increasing, we felt eager to procure some before returning to our resting-place.
    Jack preceded us, and we made our way towards a high rock, which rose above the thickets, when he suddenly startled us by a loud cry of `A crocodile! Father! Father! A crocodile!'
    `Nonsense, boy! A crocodile of all things, in this dry, parched forest, where we can't get so much as a mouthful of water!'
    On advancing to where Jack stood, I perceived that his mistake was not so very silly after all, for I beheld an iguana, one of the largest of the lizard species, and a truly formidable-looking fellow. I was glad to assure Jack that the strange creature he had found was perfectly harmless, and that its flesh being esteemed a delicacy, it would be a valuable prize to carry back with us.
    In another moment Fritz would have fired, but arresting his hand--`Your shot,' I said, `would probably only wound the animal, and being extremely tenacious of life, it would certainly escape us; we must gain possession of the sleeping beauty by a gentler method.'
    `You are not going to kiss it, are you, father?' asked Jack, with a grin. I tried to rebuke him for his impertinence, but, failing, I commenced operations. I first attached a cord and running-noose to a stout stick, and holding a light switch in my other hand, I began to approach the creature with soft, slow steps, while the boys looked on with the utmost curiosity.
    Presently I began very softly to whistle a sweet, yet very lively air, which I continued more and more distinctly as I drew near the lizard; until, awaking, it seemed to listen with pleasure--raising its head as though better to catch the sounds, or to discover whence they came.
    When near enough, I began gently to stroke and tickle him with the wand, continuing to whistle the prettiest tunes I could think of; and the lizard gave signs of pleasurable contentment, stretching his limbs and moving his tail in token of enjoyment.
    Suddenly, availing myself of a movement of his head, I cast the noose over it, drew the cord tight and, placing my foot on the body, I was about to kill it by piercing the nostril--almost the only vulnerable part in this singular reptile--when Jack received such a slap from its tail, which it was furiously driving in all directions, as sent him rolling over like a nine-pin.
    At the same time he opened his jaws, when the boys took fright at the row of sharp teeth, and thinking that the sooner he was dead the better, were for battering him with sticks; but I assuring them my method would kill him more quickly and without pain, thrust my rod into his nostril, on which the blood flowed and the lizard soon expired.
    The boys seemed to think me as wonderful a person as a snake-charmer, and the success of my stratagem, as well as of the means by which the lizard was slain, called forth great admiration, since they never had heard of the animal, nor of the method of capturing it so commonly practised in the West Indies.
    Now came the question of how we were to carry this unwieldy burden. I had a great dislike to killing any creature and leaving it useless behind me; so, without more ado, I fairly took it on my back, and marched off with it.
    As we came towards the Calabash Wood, we could hear the voices of the deserted mother and child calling us in anxious tones; for indeed our protracted absence alarmed them. We shouted joyously in reply, and our appearance, as we