"Going to fire, uncle?" I said.
"Yes, Nat," he replied, with something like a sigh; "we must have a few
to take back."
He raised his gun, but lowered it again, and looked at me, while I
looked at him.
"Was it all a dream?" he said hoarsely.
"Surely not, uncle," I cried, as I stared about the opening, where not a
bird was to be seen.
But we had proof directly that it was no dream, for Pete, who was
holding the spare guns, cried excitedly:
"Oh, I say! You've let 'em go!"
In the days which followed we were less sentimental, getting, in the
neighbourhood of where we had seen them first, specimen after specimen
in the most perfect plumage, till we felt that it would be like a crime
to shoot down more.
"Let's get away from the temptation, Nat," said my uncle, and the very
next day we started back, intent now on the one thought of getting our
treasures safely home.
We parted from our Indian companions a fortnight later, sending them
ashore with our guide's wound so nearly cured that he could limp about
easily. They were laden with presents--Uncle Dick's patient proud of
the grandest prize he evidently thought a man could possess, to wit, the
carpenter's axe; and his wife rejoicing in a leather housewife of
needles and thread, a pair of good useful scissors, and my old silver
watch, hung by its chain round her tawny neck--her great joy being in a
child-like way to hold it to her ear after winding up to listen to its
ticking.
Bill Cross made a set of new cases when he reached Port Royal for the
careful packing of the skins in our glorious collection, and he and Pete
parted from us with every sign of regret.
"I thought my tools might come in useful, gentlemen," he said, smiling.
"I don't know what we should have done without you, Cross," said my
uncle.
Pete's forehead wrinkled up, and he looked at me wistfully.
"I don't know which was the more useful, Cross," I said, "you or Pete."
"Wish you a safe journey home to the old country, gentlemen," said Pete,
smiling; "and, if ever you're going collecting again and'll take me,
why, I'd come from anywheres the wide world round."
But they did not say good-bye when the vessel in which we had taken our
passage sailed, for the captain was short of hands and gladly took them
on, so that it was at Liverpool we finally parted, for we had what they
wished us, a safe journey home.
"You will take me if you go again, Master Nat?" cried Pete, when we
shook hands.
"Yes, Pete," I said; "I promise you I will."