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80 THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON
' Come quickly, father; here is an enormous porcupine.'
I soon reached the spot. The dogs were running to and fro with bleeding noses, and when they went too near the animal he made a noise, and darted his quills so suddenly at them that a number stuck into their coats, and made them howl violently.
While we were looking on, Jack took one of the pistols which he carried in his belt, and fired it at the head of the porcupine, so that he fell dead. This success raised Jack to the height of joy and vanity, while Fritz was so jealous he almost shed tears.
' Is it right, Jack,' he said, ' that such a little boy as you should fire like that ?'
Jack only laughed.
' Pop—dead as a herring!' cried he gleefully. ' Don't you wish you had done it ?'
' Come, come, boys,' said I, ' no envious speeches and no reproaches ; luck for one to-day, for another to-morrow ; but all for the common good.'
We now all examined the porcupine, which was an extraordinary animal. The boys tried to take hold of it, but the quills pricked their hands, and made them grimace. After some difficulty, however, we wrapped it up in a piece of sail-cloth and slung it |
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