A huge wave snatched up the oar that we had decided to cling to instead of joining the ship's crowded boat, and...

I came to on the shore to find young peterkin trying to staunch the flow of blood from my badly cut brow, and learned from jack that we appeared to be the only survivors, alone on an uninhabited island.

It soon occurred to peterkin, the youngest of us at fourteen, that hunger and thirst might be a problem. The ship's shores were sunk in deep water. What would we do?. Jack pointed up to the branched head of a coconut palm. "There", look! "He said," Nuts at all stages.

In no time peterkin had monkeyed up and tossed down three nuts about the size of a football.

"Let's visit the wreck first", said jack, and then eat.

Though only eighteen himself, jack was our natural leader and no one objected, peterkin comforting himself by telling us that he'd rather find a spring, and have a drink, than eat.

Then hop up that tree again, said jack, and throw down another nut, a green one this time, unripe.

Surprised, but always game, peterkin did as he was told.

Now cut a hole in it with your knife and clap it to your mouth.

Peterkin did as directed, and we both burst into uncontrollabled laughter at the changes that instantly passed over his face.

No sooner had he put the nut to his mouth and thrown back his head to catch what came out, than his eyes opened to twice their ordinary size, while his throat moved vigorously in the act of swallowing.

Then a look of intense delight spread over his face except, of course, his mouth, which was otherwise engaged. At length he stopped, drew a long breath, and exclaimed,. Nectar, perfect necter..

Adopted from the coral island by R. M. Ballantyne