“What in all the world is it?” asked Adams, as the pan was put on the fire.
“You’ll see when it boils,” said Martin.
“There’s nothin’ in it at all but water,” said Quintal, somewhat contemptuously.
“Well, I’ve heerd of many a thing, but never fried water,” remarked McCoy.
“I should think it indigestible,” said Christian, coming up at the moment.
Whether the natives understood the jest or not we cannot say, but certain it is that all of them, men and women, burst into a fit of laughter at this, in which they were joined by Otaheitan Sally from mere sympathy.
“Well, what is to be the order of the day?” asked Christian, turning to Young. “Shall we proceed with our dwellings, or divide the island into locations?”
“I think,” answered the midshipman, “that some of us at least should set up the forge. I know that Williams’s fingers are tingling to grasp the sledge-hammer, and the sooner he goes at it, too, the better, for we’re badly off for tools.”
“If you don’t require my services,” said Brown, “I’ll go plant some breadfruits and other things at that sheltered spot we fell upon yesterday.”
“I intend to finish the thatching of my hut,” said Quintal, in that off-hand tone of independence and disregard of the wishes of others which was one of his characteristics.