“Why, if we are forced to keep on like this much longer, Ned, we shall reach the crater.”
“Well, why not do it, sir? Once up there we can look all over the island, and choose our way down straight to the yacht.”
“I should like to do it now we are so high,” said Jack; “but we must only think of getting back.”
“And getting our suppers, sir,” whispered Ned, as he pointed toward a rocky ridge high up above the lava-stream to the left, where seen against the sky-line, as they browsed on the herbage among the rocks, there was a group of about half-a-dozen goats, two of which were evidently kids, while one was a patriarch with enormous curved horns.
“Now, Mr Jack,” whispered Ned; “we had some practice with our bows and arrows yesterday; this time we must do it at any cost.”
“Yes, Ned,” whispered back the lad excitedly. “It may mean the strength to escape.”
The next minute, bow and arrow in one hand, spear in the other, they were carefully stalking the herd by creeping upward among the trees and blocks of tumbled-together volcanic stone, which gave them the opportunity of climbing up within easy shot unseen.