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〃You did。〃
〃Who turned it？〃 demanded David； not as one who needed
information but after the manner of a schoolmaster。
〃It was turned；〃 I said； 〃by David A； the younger of the two
youths。〃
〃Who made the monkeys fling cocoa…nuts at him？〃 asked the older
of the two youths。
〃Oliver Bailey；〃 I replied。
〃Was it Oliver；〃 asked David sharply； 〃that found the cocoa…nut…
tree first？〃
〃On the contrary；〃 I answered； 〃it was first observed by David；
who immediately climbed it； remarking； 'This is certainly the
cocos…nucifera； for； see； dear Oliver； the slender columns
supporting the crown of leaves which fall with a grace that no
art can imitate。'〃
〃That's what I said；〃 remarked David with a wave of his hand。
〃I said things like that； too；〃 Oliver insisted。
〃No； you didn't then；〃 said David。
〃Yes； I did so。〃
〃No； you didn't so。〃
〃Shut up。〃
〃Well； then； let's hear one you said。〃
Oliver looked appealingly at me。 〃The following；〃 I announced；
〃is one that Oliver said： 'Truly dear comrade； though the perils
of these happenings are great； and our privations calculated to
break the stoutest heart； yet to be rewarded by such fair sights
I would endure still greater trials and still rejoice even as the
bird on yonder bough。'〃
〃That's one I said！〃 crowed Oliver。
〃I shot the bird；〃 said David instantly。
〃What bird？〃
〃The yonder bird。〃
〃No； you didn't。〃
〃Did I not shoot the bird？〃
〃It was David who shot the bird；〃 I said； 〃but it was Oliver who
saw by its multi…coloured plumage that it was one of the
Psittacidae； an excellent substitute for partridge。〃
〃You didn't see that；〃 said Oliver； rather swollen。
〃Yes； I did。〃
〃What did you see？〃
〃I saw that。〃
〃What？〃
〃You shut up。〃
〃David shot it；〃 I summed up； 〃and Oliver knew its name； but I
ate it。 Do you remember how hungry I was？〃
〃Rather！〃 said David。
〃I cooked it；〃 said Oliver。
〃It was served up on toast；〃 I reminded them。
〃I toasted it；〃 said David。
〃Toast from the bread…fruit…tree；〃 I said； 〃which （as you both
remarked simultaneously） bears two and sometimes three crops in a
year； and also affords a serviceable gum for the pitching of
canoes。〃
〃I pitched mine best；〃 said Oliver。
〃I pitched mine farthest；〃 said David。
〃And when I had finished my repast；〃 said I； 〃you amazed me by
handing me a cigar from the tobacco…plant。〃
〃I handed it；〃 said Oliver。
〃I snicked off the end；〃 said David。
〃And then；〃 said I； 〃you gave me a light。〃
〃Which of us？〃 they cried together。
〃Both of you；〃 I said。 〃Never shall I forget my amazement when I
saw you get that light by rubbing two sticks together。〃
At this they waggled their heads。 〃You couldn't have done it！〃
said David。
〃No； David；〃 I admitted； 〃I can't do it； but of course I know
that all wrecked boys do it quite easily。 Show me how you did
it。〃
But after consulting apart they agreed not to show me。 I was not
shown everything。
David was now firmly convinced that he had once been wrecked on
an island； while Oliver passed his days in dubiety。 They used to
argue it out together and among their friends。 As I unfolded the
story Oliver listened with an open knife in his hand； and David
who was not allowed to have a knife wore a pirate…string round
his waist。 Irene in her usual interfering way objected to this
bauble and dropped disparaging remarks about wrecked islands
which were little to her credit。 I was for defying her； but
David； who had the knack of women； knew a better way； he craftily
proposed that we 〃should let Irene in；〃 in short； should wreck
her； and though I objected； she proved a great success and
recognised the yucca filamentosa by its long narrow leaves the
very day she joined us。 Thereafter we had no more scoffing from
Irene； who listened to the story as hotly as anybody。
This encouraged us in time to let in David's father and mother；
though they never knew it unless he told them； as I have no doubt
he did。 They were admitted primarily to gratify David； who was
very soft…hearted and knew that while he was on the island they
must be missing him very much at home。 So we let them in； and
there was no part of the story he liked better than that which
told of the joyous meeting。 We were in need of another woman at
any rate； someone more romantic looking than Irene； and Mary； I
can assure her now； had a busy time of it。 She was constantly
being carried off by cannibals； and David became quite an adept
at plucking her from the very pot itself and springing from cliff
to cliff with his lovely burden in his arms。 There was seldom a
Saturday in which David did not kill his man。
I shall now provide the proof that David believed it all to be as
true as true。 It was told me by Oliver； who had it from our hero
himself。 I had described to them how the savages had tattooed
David's father； and Oliver informed me that one night shortly
afterward David was discovered softly lifting the blankets off
his father's legs to have a look at the birds and reptiles etched
thereon。
Thus many months passed with no word of Pilkington； and you may
be asking where he was all this time。 Ah； my friends； he was
very busy fishing； though I was as yet unaware of his existence。
Most suddenly I heard the whirr of his hated reel； as he struck a
fish。 I remember that grim day with painful vividness； it was a
wet day； indeed I think it has rained for me more or less ever
since。 As soon as they joined me I saw from the manner of the
two boys that they had something to communicate。 Oliver nudged
David and retired a few paces； whereupon David said to me
solemnly；
〃Oliver is going to Pilkington's。〃
I immediately perceived that it was some school； but so little
did I understand the import of David's remark that I called out
jocularly； 〃I hope he won't swish you； Oliver。〃
Evidently I had pained both of them； for they exchanged glances
and retired for consultation behind a tree； whence David returned
to say with emphasis；
〃He has two jackets and two shirts and two knickerbockers； all
real ones。〃
〃Well done； Oliver！〃 said I； but it was the wrong thing again；
and once more they disappeared behind the tree。 Evidently they
decided that the time for plain speaking was come； for now David
announced bluntly：
〃He wants you not to call him Oliver any longer。〃
〃What shall I call him？〃
〃Bailey。〃
〃But why？〃
〃He's going to Pilkington's。 And he can't play with us any more
after next Saturday。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃He's going to Pilkington's。〃
So now I knew the law about the thing； and we moved on together；
Oliver stretching himself consciously； and methought that even
David walked with a sedater air。
〃David；〃 said I； with a sinking； 〃are you going to