Until dinner had been cooked and eaten we two lads found little opportunity for conversation with one another; but after the meal had come to an end, and those detailed for work upon the ships were at their tasks once more, our hour of idleness was come.
We were at liberty to do as we pleased until it was time to prepare supper, and Phil said, when I started for our old lounging-place, the grove:—
"With all the afternoon before us, why shouldn't we have a look at what's going on over yonder?" and he pointed toward the mountain summit.
"Do you mean that we, being clear of such danger because of our duties, shall voluntarily take part in a fight?" I asked in surprise.
"I'm not counting on having anything to do with one, save as spectator," he replied with a laugh. "Mr. Maury has said that the Typee fort is on the second summit, therefore our people have far to go before beginning their work. Now, it wouldn't be such a very hard task for us to climb to the top of this first mountain and there have a full view of all that's being done. A battle between savages must be something fine, and there are few lads who ever had such an opportunity as is ours if we choose to take advantage of it."
There was much of truth in what he said. The idea had not come into my head before, that I might, from some secure spot, see all that was being done, but now that it had been suggested I was decidedly in favor of the plan.
True, it would cost us severe labor to climb the mountain-side; but the descent would be easy, and surely we could well afford to spend some of our strength in order to witness such a sight as might at this moment be presented.
"I'm with you," was my reply as I rose quickly to my feet. "Shall we tell Master Hackett what we propose doing?"
"There's no real need of it, and it would cost us a good half hour's time to go out to the Essex and back. By hurrying up a bit now, we can be down here again before he has knocked off work."