a holder made of two crossing branches, inside of our bower, we
seated ourselves on our leafy beds and began to work.

"I intend to appropriate the bow for my own use," said Jack,
chipping the piece of wood he had brought with his axe. "I used to
be a pretty fair shot once. But what's that you're doing?" he
added, looking at Peterkin, who had drawn the end of a long pole
into the tent, and was endeavouring to fit a small piece of the
hoop-iron to the end of it.

"I'm going to enlist into the Lancers," answered Peterkin. "You
see, Jack, I find the club rather an unwieldy instrument for my
delicately-formed muscles, and I flatter myself I shall do more
execution with a spear."

"Well, if length constitutes power," said Jack, "you'll certainly
be invincible."

The pole which Peterkin had cut was full twelve feet long, being a
very strong but light and tough young tree, which merely required
thinning at the butt to be a serviceable weapon.

"That's a very good idea," said I.

"Which - this?" inquired Peterkin, pointing to the spear.

"Yes;" I replied.

"Humph!" said he; "you'd find it a pretty tough and matter-of-fact
idea, if you had it stuck through your gizzard, old boy!"