Коралловый остров

Chapter 30

           Wehadnotbeenanhourinthehouseofthiskind-heartedmanwhenwewereconvincedofthetruthofhisstatementastotheirnumbers;fortheratsranaboutthefloorsindozens,andduringourmealtwomenwerestationedatthetabletokeepthemoff!

           "Whatapityyouhavenocats!"saidPeterkin;andheaimedablowatanotherrecklessintruder,andmissedit.

           "Wewouldindeedbegladtohaveafew,"rejoinedtheteacher,"buttheyaredifficulttobegot.Thehogs,wefind,areverygoodrat-killers;buttheydonotseemtobeabletokeepthenumbersdown.Ihaveheardthattheyarebetterthancats."

           Astheteachersaidthis,hisgood-naturedblackfacewaswrinkledwithasmileofmerriment.ObservingthatIhadnoticedit,hesaid:

           "IsmiledjustnowwhenIrememberedthefateofthefirstcatthatwastakentoRarotonga.ThisisoneofthestationsoftheLondonMissionarySociety.It,likeourown,isinfestedwithrats,andacatwasbroughtatlasttotheisland.Itwasalargeblackone.Onbeingturnedloose,insteadofbeingcontenttostayamongmen,thecattooktothemountainsandlivedinawildstate,sometimespayingvisitsduringthenighttothehousesofthenatives;someofwhom,livingatadistancefromthesettlement,hadnotheardofthecat’sarrival,andweredreadfullyfrightenedinconsequence,callingita‘monsterofthedeep,’andflyinginterrorawayfromit.

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