"Hook Or Me This Time"

           Oddthingshappentoallofusonourwaythroughlifewithoutournoticingforatimethattheyhavehappened.Thus,totakeaninstance,wesuddenlydiscoverthatwehavebeendeafinoneearforwedon’tknowhowlong,but,say,halfanhour.NowsuchanexperiencehadcomethatnighttoPeter.Whenlastwesawhimhewasstealingacrosstheislandwithonefingertohislipsandhisdaggerattheready.Hehadseenthecrocodilepassbywithoutnoticinganythingpeculiaraboutit,butbyandbyherememberedthatithadnotbeenticking.Atfirsthethoughtthiseerie,butsoonheconcludedrightlythattheclockhadrundown.

           Withoutgivingathoughttowhatmightbethefeelingsofafellow-creaturethusabruptlydeprivedofitsclosestcompanion,Peteratonceconsideredhowhecouldturnthecatastrophetohisownuse;andhedecidedtotick,sothatwildbeastsshouldbelievehewasthecrocodileandlethimpassunmolested.Hetickedsuperbly,butwithoneunforeseenresult.Thecrocodilewasamongthosewhoheardthesound,anditfollowedhim,thoughwhetherwiththepurposeofregainingwhatithadlost,ormerelyasafriendunderthebeliefthatitwasagaintickingitself,willneverbecertainlyknown,for,likeallslavestoafixedidea,itwasastupidbeast.

           Peterreachedtheshorewithoutmishap,andwentstraighton;hislegsencounteringthewaterasifquiteunawarethattheyhadenteredanewelement.Thusmanyanimalspassfromlandtowater,butnootherhumanofwhomIknow.Asheswamhehadbutonethought:’Hookormethistime.