Commodore Junk — page 119: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

112 COMMODORE JUNK. “ Look at him!” cried Dinny. ‘ There’s tell-tales, Niver mind, lad, it’s human nature, and we're all full of it, and a good thing, too. Now come and get some cocoa-nuts, for the powder’s growing very low and we shall have to take to pig-hunting instead of shooting when it’s done.” “ Jack” hesitated, and then, as if suddenly making up his mind, accompanied the Irishman to the nearest grove where the cocoa palms grew close down to the sea. Here Dinny rolled up the sleeves of his coarse and ragged shirt, and climbed one tree as a lad does a pole; but the fruit when he reached it was immature, and he threw only one of the great husks down. ‘‘We don’t want dhrink, but mate,” said Dinny, selecting another tree, and beginning to climb; but the day was hot, there was a languid feeling induced by the moist atmosphere, and Dinny failed three times to reach the glorious green crown of leaves where the nuts nestled, and slid down again, sore in body and in temper. “ A failure, Dinny ?” said Jack. ‘Failure! yes. Can’t ye see it is?” said the Irishman sourly, as he bent down and softly rubbed the inner sides of his knees. ‘Here, I’m not going to do all the climbing. You have a turn.” “ Jack ” shook his head. “ No skulking !” cried Dinny ; “ fair play’s a jool, me lad, so up you go. Ye’re younger and cleverer wid yer arms and legs than I am. Why, ye ought to go up that tree like a monkey.” “ Jack ” shook his head and frowned. “No,” he said, ‘‘ I’m no climber. Let’s go back.” ‘ Widout a nut, and ready to be laughed at? Not I, me lad. Now, then, I shall have to tak ye in hand and mak a man of ye. Up wid ye.” CONNIE LOOKS