They had not long to wait, for one of the birds manoeuvred until it was a few feet away, then made a rush, caught the berry from Jem’s hand, which closed with a snap, the second bird made a dart and caught the berry from the first bird’s beak, and Jem sat up holding a few feathers, staring after the birds, one of which cried out in a shrill piping tone.
“Yes, I’ll give you pepper next time, my fine fellow!” cried Jem. “Nearly had you. My word, Mas’ Don, they are quick. Give’s another berry.”
Jem baited his natural trap again, and went on with his meal; but he had scared away the birds for the time being, and they came no more.
“The worst of eating, Jem, is that it makes you lazy.”
“And not want to move, Mas’ Don. Yes, it do. But it’s my ’pinion as this was meant for a lazy country, else the water wouldn’t be always on the bile, ready for use.”
“Think that’s fire?” said Don, after a dreamy pause, during which he had lain back gazing at the brilliant silver-tipped mountain, above which floated a cloud.
“No,” said Jem. “I should say as there’s a big hot water place up yonder, and that there’s steam. Yes, one do feel lazy here; but it don’t matter, Mas’ Don; there’s no bosun, and no master and lufftenant and captain to order you about. I rather likes it, only I seem to want my Sally here. Wonder what she’d say to it?”
“We must get away from it, Jem.”
“But we arn’t got no boat, and it takes pretty nigh a hunderd men to row one of them canoes.”
“We must make a long journey through the country, Jem, right beyond those mountains, and sooner or later we shall come to a place where there are Englishmen, who will help us to get a passage in a ship.”