As they walked along the edge of the sandy beach they found the
sea-birds hovering close to them: all of a sudden a large shoal of fish
threw themselves high and dry on the sand, and they were followed by
several of a larger size, which also lay flapping on the beach, while
the sea-birds, darting down close to the feet of William and Ready, and
seizing up the fish, flew away with them.

"How very strange!" said William, surprised.

"Yes, sir; but you see how it is - the small fish were chased by the
larger ones, which are bonettas, and in their fright ran upon the
beach. These bonettas were so anxious to catch them, that they came on
shore also, and then the gannets picked them all up."

They found the hole which Ready had dug quite full of water, and,
tasting it, it proved very sweet and good. Overjoyed at this discovery,
they covered up the articles they agreed to leave behind them with some
boughs under the notched cocoa-nut trees, and, calling the dogs, set
off on their journey back again to the cove.



Chapter XVII

Guided by the marks made on the trees, William and Ready made rapid
progress in their return, and in less than two hours found themselves
almost clear of the wood which had taken them nearly eight hours to
force their way through the day before.

"I feel the wind now, Ready," observed William, "and we must be nearly