“Well, roast pig ain’t to be sneezed at, anyway,” said Benton.
But just then, piggy revived and slipped from Benton’s hold. He started a circus in the launch with all hands trying to catch him, and more than once, the boys very nearly fell into the water in their mad scramble to grab him. Finally, the unruly passenger was cornered and “hog-tied.”
“We’ll give him to Uncle Tom, because none of us Islanders can use him,” suggested Fred.
And so piggy was destined to find a temporary resting place on the farm at Rosemary.
It had taken three hours to sail down to Old Scilly Ledge and it was long past lunch-time before the excited pirates thought of anything so commonplace as eating!
A large broken box of fancy biscuits reminded them that they could feel hungry now that the first excitement was over, and the sandwiches Mose had packed in the lunch soon disappeared. The erstwhile seasick boys, being hollow clean down to their toes, caused the lunch to melt away like ice in a hot sun. Then followed the slightly soggy and salted crackers.
With sighs of regrets, the two captains then suggested that they turn for the homeward trip,
“Oh, just one more haul!” cried Billy, spearing for a floating case near at hand.
“Where can you find room to stack any more?” asked Benton.
“Oh, this is a case of biscuits—fancy mixed, too!” exclaimed Billy, having guided the prize to the side of the launch.