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148 THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON
undergrowth, holding our guns at full-cock, we burst simultaneously into fits of laughter; for the terrific beast was not a boar at all, but our own sow, which had run away and been so long lost!
While we were still chaffing Ernest about the incident, we noticed a kind of small apple, which seemed to have fallen from the trees and lay thickly in the grass. Our attention was attracted to them by the way in which the sow ate them ; and we collected some to take home to try upon the monkey.
We now began to be extremely thirsty, and scattered in search of water. Jack sprang off, and sought among the rocks, hoping to find a stream; but scarcely had he left the wood than he shouted to us that he had found a crocodile.
' A crocodile!' I cried, with a hearty laugh ; ' you have a fine imagination, my boy I Whoever saw a crocodile on such scorching rocks as these, with not a drop of water near ? Now, Jack, you are surely dreaming-----'
' Not so much of a dream as you may think, father,' answered Jack, trying to speak in a low voice ' Fortunately he is asleep ; he lies here on a stone at his full length. Come here and look at him ; he does not stir in the least.' |
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